In December, Certain launched our series of the most entertaining event offsites around the nation’s top conference destinations. We kicked things off with Las Vegas – a major event location and obvious hotspot for fun and entertainment. Now, we move to a city that’s more recently grown in recognition for its up-and-coming scene and ever-trendy appeal: Austin, Texas.
Landing the number one spot on Business Insider’s list of the “35 cities in the US with the biggest influx of people, the most work opportunities, and the hottest business growth”, Austin is quickly becoming the city to watch for travelers and big business alike. And, it’s no wonder given the place has been deemed one of the “sunniest cities in America” with an average of 300 days of sun each year.
All of this makes Austin a growing destination for some of the nation’s largest conferences, including South by Southwest (SXSW), best known for its festival-like atmosphere and breeding of major startups like Twitter and GroupMe. This year Austin will also play host to the upcoming SiriusDecisions Summit, CXL Live, and SmartSocial Summit.
So, continuing the journey through our City Guide Series: Event Offsites, we’re heading over to Austin to see what out-of-the-box ideas for event offsites this bustling sunny spot has to offer.
Upstairs Circus
The pitch: For the social bunch, Upstairs Circus comes as a highly recommended all-in-one bar and crafts space where folks can create masterpieces while they drink. The venue’s latest “Project Menu” includes jewelry making, ‘nail n string’ art, and custom leather koozie-making. All you do is pick your project, order your drink, and ‘be merry’ as the site claims!
Inner Space Cavern
The pitch: Inner Space Cavern is more than 7,000 feet of cave located in Georgetown, Texas. The space was discovered by a Texas Highway Department core drilling team in 1963 before becoming a popular visitor destination for the adventurous bunch. Inner Space caters towards larger groups with tours available through its “tight crawls” and “large cathedral-type rooms and halls”.
Desert Door Distillery
The pitch: Desert Door Distillery offers a tasting room and tours of its rustic, Texas-charmed location. The perfect place for groups to kick back, unwind and enjoy craft cocktails away from a bustling event scene.
Kayaking in Barton Springs Pool
The pitch: A three-acre pool said to be the place where “countless Austinites have taken their first strokes”, Barton Springs offers a ton of local history and memories to be told. Kayaking in the pool welcomes an untraditional adventure for history buffs and adventure-seekers alike.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The pitch: Named the State Botanic Garden and Arboretum of Texas in 2017, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the place to be for nature lovers in Austin. Its serene atmosphere and light activities, like adult classes in botanical illustration and watercolor, offer an educational escape from the event site. The center is located at the University of Texas at Austin.
Austin Rodeo
The pitch: We’ll end with a classic. Rodeos are a rich part of Texas’s history, and can often be found on the bucket lists of Texas travelers. Depending on the time of year, Austin Rodeo hosts concerts, special events, and a classic carnival experience sure to please a group. Everyone needs to experience at least one!
As the conference scene grows even bigger, offsites are quickly becoming a way for companies to differentiate their events from the pack. Putting on a stellar event means offering attendees a standout experience both within and outside of the conference’s walls.
Take your offsites to the next level by offering your attendees a fun, easy way to communicate and organize through your event mobile app. The Certain Touchpoint app not only offers in-app private messaging for attendees, but an activity feed and social wall to share photos, videos, posts and comments. Through Tochpoint’s user friendly interface and customizable design, everyone has access to their conference agenda, meetings, and, most importantly, each other – all at the tips of their fingers.