Long considered a premier vacation destination, Virginia Beach has become a top choice for meeting planners in recent years. The seaside resort’s mild, year-round climate adds to Virginia Beach’s appeal as the perfect meeting destination for every season. It offers the excitement of a large metropolitan area, nestled in the mild climate of a rich coastal atmosphere.
Center stage is the Virginia Beach Convention Center, the nation’s first LEED® Gold Certified for Existing Buildings Convention Center, and offering more than 500,000 gross square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 150,000 square foot, column-free exhibit hall; nearly 29,000 square feet of meeting space and a state of the art, 31,000 square foot ballroom. Located just blocks from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, the Convention Center offers competitive rates, a seasoned staff and 2,209 free parking spaces.
UNIQUE VENUES
Virginia Beach boasts a variety of unique venues for a themed event or special dinner. The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, located at Town Center, is a 1,300-seat performance venue hosting artists of regional and national acclaim. For a truly grand affair, meeting planners can host an evening reception in the Sandler’s grand lobby, with sweeping staircases and an exquisite chandelier providing an elegant backdrop.
Stroll through the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, which can accommodate 350 guests, and enjoy exhibitions from international artists. Explore the ocean depths at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center during an evening reception for 2,000. It is home to 800,000 gallons of aquatic habitats, 300 interactive exhibits and an IMAX theatre. Now open is the Aquarium’s new Restless Planet permanent renovation, featuring 12,000 square feet of spectacular new habitats and exhibits, 110,000 gallons of aquariums, 6,000 new animals and 367 new species. The renovation more than doubled the animal collection at the resort city’s largest attraction and unique meeting venue.
HOTELS
The resort city boasts 12,000 hotel rooms citywide and 3,500 committable rooms within a two-mile radius of the Convention Center. New properties include a SpringHill Suites by Marriott at the Virginia Beach oceanfront and a Westin located at the Virginia Beach Town Center. Additionally, the Holiday Inn North Beach recently completed a substantial renovation resulting in all-new guest rooms and other amenities.
In 2008, the city was named a “Virginia Green Destination” in the Commonwealth, as a result of the Virginia Beach tourism and hospitality industry’s commitment to decrease its impact on the environment and provide environmentally-friendly alternatives for visitors. To date, 120 Virginia Beach hospitality businesses are certified by Virginia Green, including restaurants, hotels, attractions and events; in fact, 35% of all hotel rooms in the city are certified as “green.” Virginia Green even considers the city as a model for other destinations throughout Virginia. For more information, click here.
GETTING THERE
Norfolk International Airport is located just 20 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, hosts most major airline carriers and offers 200 flights daily. Virginia Beach offers a myriad of options including Hampton Roads Transit, taxis, shuttles and the Virginia Beach Wave, a state-of-the-art hybrid-electric bus system providing eco-friendly shuttle service at the oceanfront.
Norfolk International Airport is located just 20 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, hosts most major airline carriers and offers 200 flights daily. Virginia Beach offers a myriad of options including Hampton Roads Transit, taxis, shuttles and the Virginia Beach Wave, a state-of-the-art hybrid-electric bus system providing eco-friendly shuttle service at the oceanfront.
AFTER THE MEETING
After the meeting, tee up on award–winning golf courses, kayak through a wildlife refuge, charter a fishing boat and relax at a spa. Discover Virginia Beach's new downtown, Town Center, spanning 17 blocks of upscale retail, outdoor cafés exclusive dining and nightlife, as well as the new Sandler Center for the Performing Arts. Indulge your taste for Coastal Cuisine at more than 300 restaurants and savor local favorites such as Chesapeake Bay crab cakes, striped bass, she crab soup and oysters on the half shell.
GETTING STARTED
Meeting planners will enjoy the ease of event planning with specialized services and features such as customized site inspection tours of Virginia Beach, the Convention Center, hotels and attractions. The Virginia Beach CVB also provides professional advice and assistance in planning off-site events for convention and group gatherings; assistance in attendance-building materials, such as brochures, maps, and DVD/video; an Online Services Directory with helpful tools to ensure a successful event; as well as housing and event reservations assistance with Passkey, the industry leader for online group reservations management. Click here to visit the Virginia Beach CVB.
- Al Wynant
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Convention Center photographs by Virginia Beach CVB
Contemporary Art Center of Virginia image courtesy of Justin Hawkins Photography
Westin Photograph courtesy of Westin
Contemporary Art Center of Virginia image courtesy of Justin Hawkins Photography
Westin Photograph courtesy of Westin
