EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS

OPEN-AIR EXPERIENCES FOR ALL

By Sarah Suydam

TThere’s nothing quite like taking in a breath of fresh air and spending some quality time in nature. Thankfully, whether your groups are looking for a high-speed adventure in the swamps or a moment of peace in a serene Japanese garden, there’s much to discover in the great outdoors. Come along as we explore some of the many outdoor attractions worthy of landing on your group’s itinerary.

Spectacular Gardens

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan is recognized as one of the nation’s most significant sculpture and botanic experiences, having attracted more than 13 million visitors since its opening in 1995. Among the many outdoor experiences available is the eight-acre Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, designed by Hoichi Kurisu. Groups will feel peaceful tranquility as they wander and admire waterfalls, elevation changes, extensive boulder placement, authentic Japanese structures and a functioning teahouse.

Meijer Gardens is also home to an outdoor amphitheater, a children’s garden focused on experiential learning, a 30-acre sculpture park featuring an internationally-acclaimed permanent collection and dynamic exhibition programs, walking nature trails, a shade garden and much more.

Situated in Asheville, North Carolina is Biltmore, America’s largest home built by George Vanderbilt. In addition to the stunning home itself, Biltmore’s 8,000-acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard offers groups a bounty of options for taking in the sights. An extensive trail system beckons hikers and walkers, while the estate’s equestrian center offers groups an opportunity to horseback ride through pristine forests and gallop over green pastures. Additional guided outdoor activities, including kayaking, rafting, sporting clays and falconry, are also available.

Be sure not to miss Biltmore’s historic grounds and gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, known as the father of American landscape design. Described as a horticultural paradise, the gardens provide groups with an abundance of flora to appreciate, including a rose garden featuring more than 250 varieties. While visiting, they could even take part in a free gardening seminar!

Continue by venturing to Nashville to visit Cheekwood Estate & Gardens , a 55-acre, award-winning botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate which offers year-round programming. Connecting with nature is easy here, as groups of all kinds could experience self-guided and guided tours (tailored to their specific interests) of the estate’s 13 distinct gardens, showcasing spectacular color and horticultural diversity, and a 1.5mile woodland trail, featuring monumental outdoor sculptures.

Groups with young ones will also enjoy Cheekwood’s Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, in addition to their interactive outdoor TRAINS! exhibit. G-scale train engines and cars ignite imaginations as they chug through tunnels and bridges, passing fairy houses, secret gardens and animal habitats.

From May 4 – October 27, 2023, groups could also experience LIGHT: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood , an indoor and outdoor exhibit immersing visitors in a world of wonder and light.

Out On The Water

For groups looking to make a splash, an adventure with River & Trail Outfitters is just the thing. The oldest and most experienced adventure company in the Harpers Ferry region, River & Trail offers groups a variety of thrilling water experiences on the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in the tri-state area of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. From rafting, tubing, kayaking and canoeing to airsoft, camping, ziplining, hiking and biking, there’s an outdoor thrill for every group.

River & Trail welcomes groups of all sizes, in addition to offering trip customization. And, groups can rest easy knowing River & Trail prioritizes safety and works with the Shenandoah and Potomac Riverkeepers to help keep their waterways clean and healthy for years to come.

If picking up the speed sounds like your kind of trip, Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures in Kissimmee, Florida should be on your radar. Providing airboat tours since 1994 within the Central Florida Everglades, Boggy Creek offers groups a chance to see native wildlife in their natural settings (think bald eagles, sandhill cranes, turtles, armadillos and more). Take a sunset airboat tour to admire the glowing evening light, or opt for a night airboat tour, where groups are guaranteed to encounter nocturnal hunters including the American Alligator.

In addition to airboat rides led by Coast Guard-certified captains and other park adventures, Boggy Creek has recently added a variety of new experiences groups could enjoy, including a Butterfly Aviary, Bat Education and Conservation Zone and Bald Eagle Education Area. Private nature and birding tours are also available.

STUNNING NATURAL SIGHTS & SOUNDS

Elevate your group’s experiences to new altitudes with a visit to Pikes Peak , recognized as one of the most accessible mountains in the country and located in the Pike National Forest—minutes from downtown Colorado Springs. While full-size motorcoaches are too large for the Pikes Peak Highway, the mountain can still be easily enjoyed enjoyed by car, van or bus, by train on The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway (which was recently updated and rebuilt entirely), on a downhill bike tour and on foot using the Barr Trail.

Once groups reach the top of the mountain, they could stop at the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, an accessible and sustainable building completed in 2021 offering expansive views of Colorado Springs and beyond. Interactive exhibits within help groups interpret the geology, flora and fauna of the mountain, while a cafe offers a chance to refuel for your next outdoor adventure.

In Highland Park, Illinois, groups will find Ravinia Festival , an outdoor music venue and North America’s oldest music festival. Each summer within the enchanting 36-acre park, groups could enjoy over 100 events in various genres, including the annual summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. With different stages offering both reserved and general admission seating, a Ravinia show is an ideal opportunity to soak up summer’s splendor while taking in world-class performances. Depending on the stage and event, groups could even picnic on the lawn by bringing their own chairs, tables, blankets, and food and beverages (including alcohol).

An array of group-specific experiences are also available, from public and private dining in Ravinia’s entertaining outdoor spaces, to catering on the lawn and full park rentals.

Get Educational

Home to more than 1,000 animals from around the world, Zoo Atlanta is an inspiring and educational experience groups of all kinds will love. A lush botanical oasis situated mere minutes from Downtown Atlanta, the Zoo is one of only three in the U.S. housing giant pandas, and is also home to one of the largest populations of great apes in North America. The Zoo’s most recent transformation—the African Savanna—features new and expanded habitats for African elephants, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, bonteboks, warthogs, meerkats and southern white rhinos.

Conservation and protection of wildlife is a large focus at the Zoo, which is why they offer an array of opportunities for visitors to learn more about the role their personal actions play in saving the species that inhabit the habitats they are exploring, in addition to creating lasting connections between people and animals. Group tickets (which can be purchased a year in advance), are eligible for a discounted rate upon inquiring.

Top Reasons Every Group Should Visit The Black Hills And Badlands Of South Dakota

Help your clients discover their next great vacation by bringing them to the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota, a region full of stunning scenic drives, the spirit of the Old West, rich Native American culture and groupfriendly attractions. Your group will be planning their next trip before they even leave.

Bucket List Locations

From the faces carved high at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to the otherworldly buttes of Badlands National Park, the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota are home to truly monumental places. In fact, this area has one of the largest concentrations of national parks, monuments and caves in the Midwest.

Custer State Park should be at the top of your travel to-dos. The towering pines, gentle creeks and massive granite outcroppings captivate all who enter, while wildlife abounds throughout the park, including the herd of 1,400 bison. Learn the herd’s fascinating story at the new Bison Center, and book a Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour in the park’s backcountry to get up close.

Groups could also embrace the spirit of the West on the park’s Chuckwagon Cookout, featuring an old-fashioned hayride and a chuckwagon feast.

Another essential stop is Crazy Horse Memorial®—the world’s largest Mountain Carving in progress. Tour the campus to see what it takes to carve the memorial and immerse yourself in Native American culture. We suggest taking a rustic bus ride—or your motorcoach—to the base of the mountain or go on a van ride up the carving for a face-to-face view.

Fascinating Culture And History

The lifelong learners in your group can deepen their appreciation for Western South Dakota’s geology, history and culture at immersive museums and galleries.

Collections tell stories from the area’s prehistoric beginnings and Indigenous residents to explorations for gold, Old West pioneers and more. The Journey Museum & Learning Center in Rapid City is a great place to start.

Find legends, lore and good old-fashioned entertainment in Deadwood, which was born of the 1876 Gold Rush. The museums of this historic town keep its fascinating history alive! Groups could also dig in at educational centers focused on South Dakota’s fossils, plants and animals, such as the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, which boasts the largest concentration of mammoth remains in the world.

Visit attractions, museums and art galleries that honor the Lakota Nation’s important heritage and time-honored traditions. Attend a powwow for a front-row seat to the pageantry of Indigenous song and dance.

Stunning Scenic Byways

Cruise through one of the national and state scenic byways and drives that put the region’s breathtaking beauty on full display.

Hire a local motorcoach to thread around pigtail bridges and through tight one-lane, rock-walled tunnels on the extensive backcountry lanes of Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in Custer State Park.

Twist through towering limestone palisades and treelined landscapes through Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Stop to view rushing water cascading over the canyon walls at Bridal Veil Falls.

Meander through towering buttes and dramatic cliffs on Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway. Stop at an overlook for sweeping views of these formations. While in Badlands National Park, look for bighorn sheep, pronghorn, prairie dogs and the herd of bison.

Whatever route you choose, you’ll see how these stunning drives can be the most electrifying part of a vacation.

GROUP-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS

The Black Hills and Badlands region is full of group-friendly attractions. There’s something for everyone in your group!

Rapid City is home to some of these top group stops. Explore statues of our past presidents on sidewalks Downtown—the City of Presidents. See how Black Hills gold jewelry is made on a tour of Mt. Rushmore Gold & Diamond Factory Outlet, then drive through Bear Country U.S.A. to see bears, elk, bison and other wildlife up close. Wind through the shops at Wall Drug Store that have something for everyone before savoring home-style dishes, like their legendary hot beef sandwiches and famous doughnuts, surrounded by an extensive Western art collection in the restaurant.

Don’t forget to add the Tri-State Museum & Visitor Center in Belle Fourche to your itinerary so your group can stand at the Geographic Center of the Nation. They’ll also love the scenic, narrated trip aboard the 1880 Train. In Spearfish, be sure to visit the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives— one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country.

Find all the resources you need to plan your group trip to the Black Hills and Badlands at SeeTheBlackHills.com .