As fall approaches, meeting planners are looking ahead to conferences, retreats, holiday gatherings, and 2027 events. Minnesota makes the planning process easier with destinations that pair smart meeting spaces, convenient locations, distinctive venues, and local CVB expertise.
From the Twin Cities to Greater Minnesota, here are destinations ready to help planners connect the dots—and create events that wow.
Conveniently located north of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities Gateway encompasses Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Mounds View, New Brighton, and Shoreview. The destination offers a wide variety of hotels, golf and banquet facilities, community centers, entertainment venues, dining, and activities.
Venues to know: TPC Twin Cities, Majestic Oaks Golf Club, Green Haven Golf & Banquet Center, Shoreview Community Center, New Brighton Community Center, and Mermaid Event & Entertainment Center.
Convenience is Bloomington’s calling card. Just minutes from MSP International Airport and home to Mall of America®, Bloomington offers more than 40 hotels, extensive meeting space, dining, entertainment, and easy transportation options.
Venues to know: Hyatt Regency Bloomington–Minneapolis, DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington–Minneapolis South, and Mall of America® for meetings, receptions, team building, and after-hours entertainment.
Sports, shopping, dining, and sophisticated meeting space come together in Eagan. Home to the Minnesota Vikings headquarters and training facility, the destination offers easy access to MSP Airport, Mall of America®, Twin Cities Premium Outlets®, and the Minnesota Zoo.
Venue to know: Omni Viking Lakes Hotel features 320 guest rooms and 35,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 7,511-square-foot Valhalla Ballroom, plus outdoor event spaces and modern AV technology.
Lakeville offers the best of both worlds: easy Twin Cities access with a more relaxed setting. Groups can combine meetings with shopping, dining, golf, outdoor recreation, and attractions.
Venue to know: Holiday Inn & Suites Minneapolis–Lakeville features 6,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom for up to 500 guests, plus breakout rooms, AV, Wi-Fi, catering, and event services.
Owatonna combines small-city hospitality with impressive meeting resources. Its historic downtown, distinctive architecture, shopping, dining, and attractions provide plenty of options for groups looking to mix business with local flavor.
Venues to explore: Owatonna’s hotels, conference facilities, and unique local venues accommodate everything from corporate meetings and retreats to larger conferences and celebrations.
Known as the “Land Between the Lakes,” Albert Lea provides a scenic setting for meetings and retreats. Lakes, parks, restaurants, lodging, and local attractions give planners plenty of ways to build connection and downtime into the agenda.
Marshall delivers big-event capability with small-town hospitality. The southwest Minnesota hub offers flexible meeting space, dining, shopping, cultural attractions, and recreation.
Venues to know: Red Baron Arena & Expo offers flexible event and expo space, while Southwest Minnesota State University provides ballrooms, breakout rooms, meeting facilities, and catering.
Greater St. Cloud offers the infrastructure to handle large conferences while maintaining the accessibility and personality of a smaller destination.
Venues to know: River’s Edge Convention Center offers more than 150,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, with The Park Event Center providing another 15,000-square-foot option. Best Western Plus Kelly Inn and Courtyard by Marriott St. Cloud connect directly to River’s Edge for added convenience.
With more than 100 lakes, the Willmar Lakes Area combines meeting-ready facilities with a relaxed destination atmosphere. Hotels, resorts, unique venues, restaurants, wineries, breweries, and outdoor activities give groups plenty to do before and after the meeting.
Venues to know: Little Crow Hotel & Conference and Willmar Conference Center, along with a variety of resorts and distinctive local facilities.
Hutchinson proves that smart meetings can happen outside the metro. The destination offers comfortable lodging, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, and a range of traditional and unique meeting venues.
Venues to know: Hutchinson Event Center, Crow River Winery, Crow River Golf Club, River House Kitchen + Drinks, and The Archive 101.
The smartest meeting destination isn't simply the one with the biggest ballroom. It's the one that makes everything work—from venue and technology to lodging, dining, activities, and local expertise.
Minnesota's CVBs and destination marketing organizations are ready to make those connections.
Heading into fall, get wired to wow.
For a complete listing of meeting destinations, venues, hotels, and event resources across the state, explore the Minnesota Destination Meeting Planner Guide on meetingpages.
Creator of digital platform meetingpages complete event planning directory and resource delivering leads and national, regional and local exposure for event venues, suppliers and destinations in MN, WI, IA & CO markets. In her free time, this 19 year industry veteran enjoys dance, group fitness, and training her young golden retriever dog in competition obedience and confirmation.
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