Cross the border for your corporate getaway

Many suburban residents escape to the tranquillity of Wisconsin towns for vacation. And more and more people are heading north for corporate events.

Carla Minsky, of the Wisconsin Tourism Department, said people from Illinois are familiar with Wisconsin's brand of fun. "And that fun factor translates to meetings and conventions and retreats and team building in a way that is defined by originality and creativity and places that can be inspirational without being stuffy," Minsky said.

Southern Wisconsin an the Milwaukee area offer new scenery and another mindset away from the stresses of day-to-day business.

These areas have been popular retreats for years for Chicagoans anxious to get away from the traffic of the city. There are venues, from casinos to water parks to spas, that feature conference centers and meeting rooms, often boasting scenic views.

"If there was ever a time when you wanted to be freed up to have the most creative brainstorming or do something that will recharge the battery, it should be here," Minsky said. "That is the feel to Wisconsin."

Lake Geneva area resorts

A big draw for the Lake Geneva area is the fact that it's only about an hour away from many of Chicago's suburbs, said Julie Baron, spokeswoman for the Lake Geneva Area CVB. There are many resorts in the area that provide a mix of luxury and business, she said. "You feel like you're a world away from the big city" when coming for a conference here, Baron said.

Possibilities include:

• The Grand Geneva Resort and Spa has two golf courses, plenty of conference room space and an indoor water park. Baron said big groups go horseback riding or rock climbing.

It's the only resort in Geneva that has a ski hill, and in the winter, the resort hosts a snocross championship.

"It's fun thing if somebody wants to plan their event around festivities," Baron said.

• Geneva National Resort is unique because it provides villas or large homes as accommodation options, Baron said. It can be an ideal option for a small business or a group of executives who have their own space but share a common room with their colleagues. Located near Lake Como, these houses are in wooded areas and have their own kitchens, grills and patios. "It makes for great retreats," Baron said.

• The Geneva Ridge Hotel is on Lake Como and was newly renovated in the spring of 2016. Baron said through all four seasons, it provides guests with an array of activities and a modern atmosphere. Its state-of-the-art golf courses were designed by Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino.

• The Lake Lawn Resort is on two miles of Delavan Lake's shoreline. From complimentary Wi-Fi to an 18-hole championship golf course to water sport rental, this is another great destination for group meetings.

• The Abbey Resort and Spa is on the other end of Lake Geneva in Fontana. It's just a 10-minute drive away from the quaint downtown shops of Lake Geneva, Baron said.

One of the biggest resorts on the water, the 90-acre Abbey Resort is complete with a fitness center, marina, spa and meeting services and packages.

Team Building activities

From hot air balloons to lakeside walks to a snow sculpting competition, the Lake Geneva area is filled with activities for corporate gatherings or leisure time during a retreat.

"There's a wide variety of events and activities and things going on all year long," Baron said.

In the summer, there are countless outdoor activities, zip lining and boat tours that run through the fall, when the leaves are changing. Throughout the year, people can walk the "striking backyards of old century mansions," Baron said. "The houses date back to the Great Chicago Fire, when Chicagoans went to Wisconsin for refuge while their homes were being rebuilt."

In the winter, Lake Geneva hosts Winterfest and the snow sculpturing competition, which are big hits and innovative ways to enjoy the brisk weather, Baron said.

For those who are more adventurous, many areas offer ropes courses, zip lining or rock climbing - all of which make for great team building activities, Baron said. There are also opportunities for hot air balloon or helicopter rides.

Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells is known as the "Waterpark Capital of the World." Many of the resorts in this area feature extensive areas for conventions and meetings, said Tifani Jones, sales director for Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Highlights of the area include:

• Kalahari Resorts & Conventions has an indoor water park and theme park, but for corporate events, it offers 10,000 lumen HD projectors in the main ballrooms and state of the art HD projectors that compliment 65-inch HDTV's in each boardroom. It also has 756 guest rooms, a first-class spa, fully equipped fitness centers and world-class restaurants.

• Ho-Chunk Gaming in the Dells specializes in special events and offers many different types of rooms to accommodate how much people are willing and able to spend. It has banquet halls and conference rooms for corporate events.

• The Great Wolf Lodge also offers banquet and conference venues within the resort. According to its website, it's where you should go to "to experience a huge indoor water park, stay in guest rooms designed like beautiful, Northwoods cabins and dine in restaurants that will make you feel like you're camping under the stars."

• The Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness was renovated in 2014, getting a new two-story laser tag arena, laser maze, indoor go-karts, Margarita's adults-only swim-up bar and Klondike Boardwalk which will be home to Yukon Yogurt, Klondike Pizza Kitchen and Klondike Kate's Libations.

• The Chula Vista Resort offers 100,000 square feet of convention meeting space for corporate retreats, conferences or other events. It has 24 different kinds of room accommodations.

It's not strictly business, though. This resort has seven water parks and 27 water slides that stretch over 1.5 miles.

Milwaukee & its convention campus

Milwaukee has everything Chicago has to offer - except at a smaller scale, according to Visit Milwaukee sales manager Frost Williams.

"Within a mile (of the convention campus), there's 150 restaurants that are unique to Milwaukee," said Dave Larson, director of convention services for Visit Milwaukee.

Beyond that, he said, there are art shows, entertainment districts and exciting night life venues close by.

Milwaukee's convention campus is budget-friendly and located in an ideal spot near restaurants, activities and night life opportunities, said Margaret Casey, communications manager for Visit Milwaukee.

The Wisconsin Center, the Milwaukee Theatre, and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena are all unique venues available on the convention campus. The Wisconsin Center is interconnected to the renovated Hilton Hotel, Hyatt Regency Hotel and upcoming SpringHill Suites Downtown Marriott. Between the three of them, there are more than 1,200 rooms with competitive costs and delicious meal options.

Located in the heart of downtown, the convention campus is also close to a host of other hotels in case a company would want to utilize a different option for its convention, conference or retreat.

• The Wisconsin Center has an exhibit hall on the third floor that can be used in many different ways. It's easily accessible for all with escalators and elevators, and connections to hotels are on the second floor. On the first floor, there is a ballroom with a capacity of up to 4,400 with an additional 39,640 square feet of breakout space.

• The Milwaukee Theatre had a multimillion dollar renovation about a decade ago. It can seat up to 4,00 people and is typically used as space for a general session, but it's also use when national touring acts come through.

• The UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena is larger, with the ability to host 12,700 people. It can be used for a larger-scale conference as a place for general sessions, but Dave Larson, director of convention services, said it can be used as a unique place for a dinner ceremony, reception or to provide entertainment for guests.

Many sporting events are held there throughout the year, but Larson said they work around those schedules to book out the arena to companies coming through Milwaukee for corporate events.

Thinking outside the box

Thinking outside the box is just as important in finding a venue as it is in planning for corporate growth, said Carla Minsky, communications representative for the Wisconsin Tourism Department.

That's why she encourages companies to look in the unexpected places of Wisconsin to find the perfect destination for their company getaway.

"Wisconsin has those really great large convention facilities and meeting spaces, but the creativity and originality really shows up in those out of the ordinary and unexpected meeting places," Minsky said.

One of them is the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.

The museum features aviation history and artifacts in galleries that Minsky describes as "unbelievable."

"Even if you're not an aviation buff, there's something about imagination taking flight that you can't help but be inspired when you're there," Minsky said.

She said Wisconsin is good at embracing all seasons, which means there are activities available for large groups at all times of the year.

"Even to do something just so out of the ordinary would be to go snow tubing," she said.

There are also opportunities to go kayaking in the northern tip, like Bayfield. She said the Northwoods also present their own charm and can be a fun location for companies to escape to.

"Businesses are understanding importance of bonding among co-workers and opening mind to brainstorming," Minsky said. "And even recharging and working together. Wisconsin is a great place to do that."