Serene & tranquil Lake County settings refresh meetings and events

Lake County boasts more than 200 lakes and rivers, as well as 30,000 acres of forest preserves. From Lake Michigan's border on the east to Chain O' Lakes on the west, Lake County offers unique spaces and inspiring places for meetings, conferences, expos, reunions and team building experiences.

Events become memorable experiences when enhanced by elegant settings or spectacular lake views, and options are boundless for free time outdoor activities from garden walks to boating or charter fishing for small groups.

As Lake County is renowned for its majestic waters, you can take your group on a boat tour of Chain O' Lakes, rich in gangster history and folklore and once famous for water lilies - now making a comeback. See Grass, Nippersink and Fox Lakes as well as Minneola Bay.

Leave from Port of Blarney in Antioch and dock at the famous Blarney Island, only accessible by boat, for a casual lunch.

Astound attendees with a meeting on the legendary stage of the Genesee Theatre, stroll the radiant gardens at the Chicago Botanic Garden during a meeting break or plan a fun team-building event at the Libertyville Sports Complex by completing a rope climbing wall.

Ravinia is the oldest music festival in North America and it happens to reside in Lake County.

The Highland Park venue serves as a beautiful site for group events. Other unique settings include Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Greenbelt Cultural Center, Viper Alley and the Lake County Fairgrounds, or consider one of the county's unparalleled luxurious golf courses as the backdrop for a meeting or special event.

This summer you can take your group to the 2016 UL International Crown at the Merit Club in Gurnee July 21-24. This LPGA Tournament features teams of the 4 highest ranked players from 8 qualifying countries including the USA.

The Merit Club, ranked in the top 100 golf courses in the country by publications Golfweek and Golf Magazine, also hosted the U.S. Open in 2000.

Built in 1927, the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan is a magnificent, historic theater which was exquisitely restored to its original regal splendor and reopened in 2004. Patrons are stunned by the beauty of this grand venue.

The theater is available for private functions and features auditorium style seating for 2,400. The facility offers seven lounges for meetings and receptions of up to 200 attendees. The theater's stage provides a unique setting for banquets of up to 150.

Viper Alley in Lincolnshire is a private event venue with an industrial-chic atmosphere, a large stage, six bowling lanes and a flexible floor plan with catering up to 650 people.

The Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake offers many options and is conveniently located within walking distance of two commuter rail lines to downtown Chicago.

The Event Center features a 62,000-square-foot expo hall and several function rooms. In addition, the grounds provide incredible outdoor possibilities from corporate picnics to car shows with a show barn, 160 acres of property and 12 acres of paved surface.

There is a plethora of hotels and three resorts in Lake County offering more than 8,500 guest rooms. Lincolnshire Marriott Resort stretches along 175-wooded acres with an 18-hole PGA Championship Golf Course, the award-winning Marriott Theatre, 40,000 square feet of meeting space and 389 guest rooms. Positioned on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan, Illinois Beach Resort has 92 guest rooms and is a perfect setting for retreats and reunions.

KeyLime Cove Indoor Waterpark Resort, with a first-class spa, combines business with pleasure and provides meeting space from 20-500 with 414 guest suites. The resort is located near Gurnee Mills and Six Flags Great America.

Having people fly in for your meeting? Lake County is 15 miles from O'Hare Airport and 40 miles from Milwaukee's General Mitchell Airport.

A new option for special events is Venue One Northshore in Deerfield. Opening in May, this facility with 85,000 square feet of customizable space is the former practice center of the Chicago Bulls.

For an exceptionally unique occasion, The Gold Pyramid House in Wadsworth is open for tours and private functions of up to 100.

The six-story, 17,000-square-foot architectural oddity is considered one of the most curious homes ever constructed.

Lake County is home to 30,000 businesses including eleven Fortune 500 companies from Walgreen Co., to Abbott, AbbVie, Baxter International, CDW Corporation, and W.W. Grainger. Lake County is also home to the United States Navy's only recruit training command, Naval Station Great Lakes.

Visit Lake County is the official destination marketing organization for Lake County, Illinois. We offer complimentary consulting for those planning meetings, expos or special events.

Take advantage of our knowledge, vast resources and free services. Our professional staff is eager to help make your next event a huge success. Check out VisitLakeCounty.org for more information on the many naturally inviting meeting spaces across the county.

• Maureen Riedy is president of Visit Lake County.