“Greater Phoenix is welcoming, lively and thriving with arts and culture, music venues and festivals, and a plethora of dining outlets and outdoor adventures to make the most of your time in the Sonoran Desert,” says Chris Miller, corporate communications manager for Visit Phoenix. Century Grand is a collection of three separate turn-of-the-century cocktail bars, each with its own theme. The first, Platform 18, is designed to replicate an early 20th century Pullman train car. Guests take in the changing scenery from virtual train windows while enjoying craft cocktails served by “conductors.” UnderTow offers a clipper ship motif and speakeasy vibe, along with tropical-flavored cocktails and swashbuckling vibes. The last concept cocktail bar is Grey Hen Rx, a New Orleans-inspired apothecary-themed bar that promises to “cure any ailment.” Sit bar-side and watch the “pharmacist” concoct the perfect cocktail cure. Also in Phoenix, Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour serves original-recipe and craft cocktails in a sophisticated, eclectic atmosphere that includes a photo booth. Bitter & Twisted is set inside the former Arizona Prohibition Headquarters, ironically; bar bites include vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options.
“Organizers frequently look for only-in-LA experiences,” says Darren Green, chief sales officer for Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. Paramount Studios, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Warner Bros. Studios provide opportunities for attendees to go behind the scenes of their favorite TV shows and movies, he says. Also, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the country’s largest institution devoted to the art and science of moviemaking. “Its enthralling exhibitions and experiences turn the dream factory inside out, delving deep beyond the screen to reveal the diverse stories of the creative people and processes behind the films we love,” Green says. The 300,000-square-foot museum draws upon the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ collection of more than 13 million objects, and also features temporary exhibitions, two “state-of-the-art” theaters, special events, and an ever-changing calendar of programs and screenings.
For a unique after-party outing in Durango, Colo., Rachel Welsh, manager of public relations and communications for Visit Durango, recommends The Bookcase and Barber. As the name implies, the establishment offers classic barber services, including straight-razor shaves, trims, and haircuts, set against walls of books. Behind the bookshelves is a hidden speakeasy bar—accessible only with a secret password (available on The Bookcase and Barber website, Facebook and Instagram pages). Choose from a variety of drinks named for accomplished authors, such as “Thompson Old Fashioned,” “Capote Screwdriver,” and Hemingway Part 1 Daiquiri.” The Bookcase and Barber menu also features whiskey, rum, tequila, and mezcal, along with non-alcoholic ginger beer, mocktails, and sodas. Groups of more than 10 are encouraged to book a private event (up to 45 guests).
Just west of the Las Vegas Strip is the AREA15 entertainment district, which features shopping, drinks and dining, attractions, and live events. Current entertainment offerings include Dueling Axes, Virtualis VR, Five Iron Golf, Illuminarium, and Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart. Dining options include The Beast, Lumin Café & Kitchen, Kaia Handroll, Conduit Café, Dreamweaver Milk & Boba Bar. For drinks, choose from Asylum Bar & Arcade, Sanctuary Lounge, and Oddwood craft-cocktail bar, which features a 23-foot-tall digital maple tree centerpiece of 5,000 leaves lined with individually programmed, multicolored, patterned LED lights. Adventurous attendees can check out LIFTOFF Bar + Ride outdoor lounge; in addition to cocktails and skyline views of Las Vegas, the bar offers “open-air balloon rides” aboard the helix—soaring 130 feet into the Las Vegas sky. Construction on a new 20-acre AREA15 expansion is underway. Attractions of the expanded AREA15 will include the Horror Unleashed year-round horror experience, by Universal Destinations & Experiences, and iFLY Indoor Skydiving.
Casino gaming might be the first thing associated with Las Vegas, but it’s not the only entertainment game in town. “Las Vegas is the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World,’ so options for meeting planners are endless,” explains Kristen Weddingfeld, public relations manager for Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “Las Vegas is full of venues that keep the party going all night long. From our extravagant nightclubs to intimate music venues, our city is not known for calling it an early night.” Weddingfeld says the new Sphere continues to impress since opening in September 2023. “Featuring the highest-resolution LED screen in the world, advanced acoustics, an infrasound haptic system that allows guests to ‘feel’ sound, and wrapped with 580,000 square feet of programmable lighting, the Sphere is a technologically advanced venue that is changing the entertainment landscape—not only in Las Vegas but also around the world.” Guests can purchase tickets to the Sphere Experience, curated by five humanoid robots (named Aura) that guide them through an interactive demonstration of Sphere Immersive Sound. Guests also can experience Sphere’s Postcard from Earth, a first-of-its-kind immersive film by Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky. Through Sphere’s multi-sensory 4D technologies, including environmental effects that give the feeling of a cool breeze and familiar scents, the film allows guests to feel like they have traveled the world without ever leaving their seats. Tickets also can be purchased to Sphere’s concerts and other marquee events.
Play Playground, located at Luxor Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, puts a new spin on classic games. Guests enter the 15,000-square-foot playground on a slide, leading to more than 20 “larger-than-life nostalgic games.” Large-scale tactile games and attractions offer something for everyone: over-the-top physical games, memory games, puzzle games, team games, and word games. The attraction also includes two bars, VIP mezzanines, and private-event spaces. Children 12 and up can enjoy Play Playground until 5:00 p.m., with an accompanying adult; after 5:00 p.m., Play Playground is restricted to ages 21 and older.
Visitors to Reno interested in non-gaming entertainment can enjoy bocce ball and other activities at Bundox Bocce at Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa. The 22,000-square-foot indoor facility also includes shuffleboard, ping pong, pool tables, arcade games, big-screen TVs, large-format projection, outdoor patio seating, and two private event rooms (one with a private bar). Food service is available until 9:00 p.m. “Midtown is a popular area for nightlife, with lots of cool restaurants and bars, including Rum Sugar Lime, The Saint, Aura Ultra Lounge, and DEATH & TAXES Provisions and Spirits craft-cocktail bar,” says Ben McDonald, senior director of communications and public affairs for Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. Planners can also consider adding a cultural element to the event experience. “Northern Nevada strives to preserve and celebrate its four Native American tribes—Washoe, Northern Paiute, Southern Paiute, and Western Shoshone,” he says. “We can provide messaging to meetings and groups who want to provide land acknowledgement during their events.”
At Quarters Arcade Bar in Salt Lake City, attendees can play old-school and modern games while enjoying “high-end” craft cocktails, craft beer, and other liquor and brews. Games include pinball, video games, Skee-Ball, basketball hoops, and other fun. Quarters Arcade Bar has two locations: in downtown Salt Lake City, in the basement of the historic New Grant Hotel; and in Sugarhouse (kitchen service).
Attendees have many opportunities to experience New Mexico’s diverse cultural influences. In Albuquerque—considered North America’s flamenco capital—Tablao Flamenco at Hotel Albuquerque offers intimate, powerful performances by international artists. Described as a “conversation between dancers and musicians,” Tablao performances are not choreographed and, therefore, all unique. “Adding a diverse cultural element to a meeting or event is one of the many benefits Albuquerque offers,” explains Scott Craighead, vice president of sales, services and sports for Visit Albuquerque. “Whether it is…adding a musical or artistic performance, such as flamenco or Native American dances to provide an immersive and unique component, or simply hosting an event at a historic location, there are numerous ways culture can be tied in and customized to elevate the experience for guests.”
Santa Fe, N.M., visitors also can experience flamenco dancing at El Flamenco Spanish Cabaret, with dinner performances by Entreflamenco. David Carr, director of sales for TOURISM Santa Fe, says organizers often request flamenco dancing, Mariachi musicians, or Native American dancing and drumming as part of their events. “It is also possible to include a blessing from an elder of a nearby Native American Pueblo or to bring in a Pueblo dance group for a traditional dance,” he adds.
