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Winter Destination Ideas

Following the holidays, corporations often look to regroup and escape the winter doldrums with a festive group event or excursion to an off-site destination, guaranteed to refresh and rejuvenate. Whether event planners are responsible for putting together a fancy winter ball, out-of-office business meeting at a resort with ample down time for leisure activities, or day trip to a skating rink for employees and their families, the following will help you plot your course of action.

Ideas for Winter Events

Don't let short days and weather-related challenges thwart activities. Think of the magic a winter setting can bring:

• A masquerade ball in a sparkling winter-palace setting, which could be an exquisitely decorated hotel ballroom with tiny white lights twinkling through dry-ice-induced clouds or snow from snow-making machines.
  
  
• The great room in a cozy lodge with roaring fireplaces by the slopes, or a winter-white tent (indoors or out) with gobos casting fantastic images of perfect pine forests on the walls.
  
  
• An event on ice with professional skaters twirling and ice-dancing to show tunes.
  
  
• Your own skating party on a nearby rink with guests playing crack-the-whip and repairing afterwards to a warm spot to sip hot toddies and comforting snacks.
  
  
• Test drive toboggans or old-fashioned flying saucers at chutes, runs and slopes on snowy hills in the area, then serve old-fashioned snow-cones in assorted colors and flavors—ones made with real snow.
  
  
• Head for the trails for team challenges with cross-country ski- or snowshoe-clad participants weaving their way through an obstacle course designed just for the occasion.
  
  
• Have families (or office departments) compete in a relay race, winter scavenger hunt, or murder mystery game, where part of the challenge is to use several modes of transportation to get from one point to another: skates, snowshoes, skis, an old-time sled.
  
  
• Treat your guests to an ice-sculpting display by a professional who can chisel an ice block into a shape suggested by your group.
  
  
• Don't let icy roads block your path—have your guests bundle up and transport them from one event to another by horse-drawn sleighs that jingle as they go. The delightful contrast between the brisk outdoor air and cozy indoor settings will only enhance the experience.

Special Challenges of the Season

Setting up and staging events at winter destinations involves its own set of seasonal challenges, but the results can be worth the effort. The temperature is always a factor and good climate control (adequate heat) is important. Transportation can be an issue too with icy roads and blizzard conditions threatening to derail your best-laid plans.

The best advice is to allow plenty of time, cover your bases by having backup plans, and hire vendors, including transportation providers, that have experience dealing with the conditions. Working cell phones, walkie-talkies and the like are also good tools to have on hand.

Take extra precautions to ensure stairs, pathways, etc. are clear and as free of ice and slush as possible, and entryways, interior floors, etc. are not slippery. Make sure to inform your guests how to dress for the occasion, indoors and out.

Group Getaways

Before you choose an appropriate winter destination, you will need to clarify the purpose of the event, the time frame, who will be attending, and your budget.

Group getaways can take many forms. Will yours involve both work sessions and leisure activities or will it be strictly recreational? Is the focus to provide a comfortable out-of-office setting to discuss new company initiatives, fire up team spirit and enhance collaboration between departments, celebrate a business anniversary or a new client, or reward employees for hard work by inviting them and their families to a place where everyone can relax and have a good time?

Once you establish the priorities and parameters, determine who will attend, and know how much money you have to spend, you can move on to finding a suitable site.

Choosing the Destination

While a warm place in the sun is one idea for a great winter escape, lodges and resorts that truly celebrate the season's brisk chill and snow-covered slopes are luring groups of all ages to their often recently expanded facilities.

You can find accommodations and lodges or resorts in a wide range of styles and prices to satisfy practically any groups' needs, from basic cabins near the slopes to large, full-service resort/spa/conference complexes. If you are going to require overnight accommodations for your group's winter getaway, however, book well in advance, since the first three months of the year are the most popular period. You are also likely to have greater flexibility in booking space during the week rather than during the limited number of busy winter weekends.

Likewise, if you need dedicated meeting rooms wired for high-speed internet access and special A/V equipment, make sure the property can offer those facilities and the technology you need and that they can accommodate your group during the periods you want to use the space. The same holds true for private dining rooms.

Also investigate the food and beverage service. Where will your group be during various meal periods? Will they be dining together or on their own? Depending on the length of your stay, an often-used approach is a combination of allowing individuals to make their own dining arrangements and planning a pre-set organized meal or two with cocktail parties, after-ski get-togethers, etc. If children will be attending, make sure there are kid-friendly choices and amenities.

Activities

Attendees don't have to be avid skiers or snow-boarders to enjoy seasonal pastimes at many winter destinations. Places that used to offer just basic ski packages with rustic après-slope lodge and lounge amenities have broadened their operations to appeal to nearly everyone. Some popular ski resorts in the northeast report that on any given day 50 to 60 percent of their guests are actually skiing or snowboarding compared with 85 percent 10 years ago. That means a lot of their guests are doing other things.

What other things? Enjoying the spa ranks high on the desired list of leisure options. Mineral pools, hot-stone therapy sessions, steam rooms and saunas, reflexology, facials, aromatherapy and massage are only a fraction of the options offered by these modern pleasure palaces. Those in need of a good workout or athletic challenge can head to squash or racquetball courts, attend yoga or Pilates classes, hit the trails for cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing, hike, and even try a new sport like air-boarding.

Family friendly facilities might provide "fun zones" with indoor and outdoor games, inflatable rides, and various other activities geared for kids, including lessons on the slopes.

The expanding roster of services some facilities provide also includes on-site concierges, plus meeting and event coordinators, who will help organize group outings as well as meetings, plan team-building activities for corporate clients, and advise on other local attractions for those who want to explore the surrounding area.

Getting There and Back

Sometimes it is more expedient for everyone to have attendees provide their own transportation and specify a time for everyone to meet up at the destination, especially if you have chosen a nearby site. If that is the case, it's a good idea to send a point person ahead of the group to make sure check-in (if needed) proceeds smoothly, help guests get settled, confirm arrangements for the day or evening's activities, etc.

If you are organizing group transportation, you have several options, depending on the travel distance, expectations of the attendees, and your budget. For long-distance travel, you'll need to book airline tickets, preferably well in advance of the trip for the best prices and flights. Be sure to advise travelers to allow plenty of time to check in and brief them on the newly implemented security and baggage regulations. (Check with the specific airline, since carriers' requirements vary. For the latest on federal security requirements at airports consult the Transportation Security Administration's website: www.tsa.gov, which also offers tips on packing to expedite the process.)

When transporting groups to closer destinations, limo service might be appropriate for small parties and coach service for larger crowds. If you opt for coach service, it's a good time take advantage of the situation of having everyone together in one place during the trip. Getting there can be half the fun as you provide refreshments, hand out information, brief the group on the agenda, and answer questions.

A Safe Trip

Important issues to address when you're taking groups out of the office, especially to a destination that encourages participation in potentially risky sports activities are legal liability and insurance. Check with your corporate legal department and insurance provider to determine what additional measures such as extra insurance coverage are advisable during this limited time. Also investigate upfront what procedures are in place at the facility you will be using should medical attention be required, and find out where the area hospitals and medical centers are in case someone needs to use them.