Want to make a big splash?
Great Wolf Lodge is known for its massive, 80,000-sq. ft. indoor waterpark, but it also offers more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 605 spacious rooms and complimentary Wi-Fi. Meeting venues include a 7,350-sq. ft. ballroom (capacity: 500 banquet; 685 theater-style), two boardrooms, six meeting rooms and outdoor function space.
Want to treat attendees like VIPs?
The 40-acre campus of the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center includes horseback-riding trails, indoor and outdoor pools, basketball and tennis courts, four restaurants and a private fishing lake. Minutes from historic downtown Grapevine and the DFW International Airport, the property has 393 total rooms and an IACC-certified conference center with 63,000 total square feet of space, including a 14,400-sq. ft. exhibit hall, three amphitheaters and 26 meeting rooms. Team-building packages are available, and nearby attractions include wineries, Austin Ranch and the Grapevine Mills shopping center.
Want group activities?
The Grapevine Wine Trail has eight wineries, some of which have meeting space and do custom bottle labeling, too. Lake Grapevine and Nash Farms lend themselves to outdoor events. The Historic District hosts many festivals and has shops, restaurants and a studio where attendees can watch glassblowing demonstrations at Vetro Glassblowing Studio & Gallery, which also has team-building packages.
Want dramatic spaces?
The Glass Cactus at the Gaylord Texan is a 40,000-sq. ft. entertainment complex with four bars, a large dance floor and 13,000 square feet of patio space overlooking Lake Grapevine. The Palace Arts Center has two historic theaters, the Palace and the Lancaster, that are next door to each other. Meeting space includes a 435-seat auditorium, a 180-seat performance room and indoor/outdoor event space.
Want to break out of the boardroom?
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad links Grapevine to Fort Worth with regular trips to the Stockyards. The train can be chartered for special events and parties. Consider booking a private room at a winery for a meal function, or treatment rooms at a day spa to pamper attendees. Three golf clubs and Lake Grapevine give groups opportunities to get outside and be active. In September, Grapefest lets visitors stomp grapes (and win awards for their purple feet) at one of the largest wine festivals in the region.
Want Texas-themed events?
The Austin Ranch accommodates 50 to 1,000 people for private events; attractions include gunfight re-enactments, cookouts, live music, dancing, roping and kids’ activities. Cross Creek Ranch has a 4,000-sq. ft. party barn and a 2,000-sq. ft. covered patio deck.
Want shopping?
Grapevine Mills is a large outlet center with brand-name merchandise at discount prices. In the Historic District, shops sell dolls, gifts, Americana and British imports. From March through November, the Grapevine Market is an open-air, European-style artisan market with vendors selling jewelry, fine art, home décor, antiques and specialty foods.
Want group dining?
The best local restaurants are steakhouses. Take VIPs to Boi na Braza, the Silver Fox Steakhouse, Mr. G’s or the Old Hickory Steakhouse. Other options include Willhoite’s in the historic district, wine dinners at Delaney Vineyards and Winery, and the Texas Star Dinner Theater. Love & War in Texas is a nightclub with live music, Texas-themed menus, private dining space for small groups and off-premise catering options.
