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Let's Go

March, 2009

Meet at the Beach

April White

27 Paradise Island, Bahamas

Sitting on the gently sloping Cove Beach, the Caribbean in front of you, the sprawling Atlantis resort (atlantis.com) behind you, you have to wonder why this island isn’t the business capital of the world. Like any conference-ready destination, it has all the necessary amenities — meeting space for up to 4,000, stylish hotel rooms to accommodate everyone, well known restaurants (Nobu, anyone?) for after hours, and Starbucks to wake you up the next morning. It could be Manhattan, if not for the seaside meeting spaces, miles of sandy beaches, and ten pools. Ask yourself: Which island would you rather work on?

26 Tybee Island

Stately Savannah often turns its eye inward to its shady squares and quirky novel-worthy Southern characters — and it’s hard to pass up a stay at the new boutique hotel Avia (aviahotels.com). Nearby Tybee Island offers sunny stretches of beach with all of Savannah’s Southern hospitality; take along a picnic from local favorite Back in the Day Bakery.

25 Athens

Locals may head to the Greek Isles for a classic vacation, but the city’s Aegean coast has its own attractions. Conditions often favor windsurfing (if you feel ambitious) and are always good for the beachside nightclubs.

24 Martha's Vineyard

Off-season in the Vineyard — when you can actually score a table at West Tisbury’s Bittersweet (508.696.3966) — this old-money island feels like your company’s private getaway.

23 Santa Barbara

Who cares if your hotel will let you surf the internet when you can really surf? Head to Leadbetter Point for a gentle intro to the Pacific, or check out Rincon Point to watch the experienced boarders.

22 Pensacola

Schedule your meeting on the Gulf Coast during “secret season,” the time between fall and February when rates at the city’s meeting-prepped hotels are cheaper and the barrier-island beaches are less crowded — the better for spotting dolphins and sea turtles from the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier.

21 San Diego

The biggest executive decision you’ll make at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay (missionbay.hyatt.com): Should your room face the marina, the pool, or the Pacific Ocean?

20 Palm Beach

Here’s a chance to frolic in the playground of the country’s top socialites and CEOs. After golf, try a spa treatment at the Breakers hotel and dinner at Boulud’s.

SURPRISING BEACHES

19 Chicago

Turn your back to the city’s towering skyline and vast Lake Michigan is easily mistaken for the ocean. Soak up the vibe with beach volleyball and sandcastles at the popular Oak Street and North Avenue beaches.

18 Stockholm

How else should you spend the almost 19 hours of sunlight this sophisticated city enjoys in midsummer? Spend July with the country’s beautifully blonde population at Solvik and Grisslinge Havsbad beaches. Use the dark winters for catching up on work.

17 Reno

Conventioncentral Reno is less than an hour from mile-long Sand Harbor and dozens of other beaches at Lake Tahoe. Try to remember you're in Nevada when snorkeling the lake’s Caribbean clear waters.

16 Grand Cayman

The Ritz-Carlton (ritzcarlton.com) — with Eric Ripert’s poolside Blue restaurant — is the only place to stay when visiting your money.

15 Cannon Beach, Portland, Oregon

Residents of P-Town are far too active to sit on the beach. They run or fly a kite at popular Cannon Beach, about an hour from downtown. But that’s okay. You came for the food, anyway. Break up the meeting with lunch at Southpark Seafood Grill (southparkseafood.com) and dinner at Carafe (carafebistro.com).

BEST BEACHES FOR LARGER MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

14 Honolulu

The bright, airy Hawaii Convention Center (hawaiiconvention.com), offers almost 150,000 square feet of meeting space and a convenient location near the justly famed Waikiki Beach.

13 Orlando

This city is about as landlocked as any in Florida, but the magic of Disney (disneymeetings.com) has created nearly five miles of sandy beaches to serve its six convention resorts.

12 Hilton Head Island

Hold your corporate retreat at the Crowne Plaza (cphiltonhead.com), where open-air meeting spaces sidle up to the surf.

11 Baltimore

You won’t swim in the Inner Harbor, but Baltimore’s revitalized downtown, home to the city’s convention center, has more than 5,000 hotel rooms. And Maryland blue crabs — go to Obrycki’s (obryckis.com) — are a short drive away.

10 Puerto Vallarta

This Mexican seasider isn’t a well-kept secret — not with 18,000 hotel rooms. But until the new convention center opens later this year, you can find the vibe that made this a destination of choice for Elizabeth Taylor.

9 Bermuda

It’s a short hop from the East Coast to Bermuda. On the to-do list between presentations: Rent a moped, drink rum at the Swizzle Inn (swizzleinn.com), and buy some Bermuda shorts.

8 Atlantic City

A sure bet is the Borgata (theborgata.com) and its companion tower, The Water Club. The meeting space holds 3,500.

7 Vancouver

Hollywood North has more to brag about than celebrities. Vancouver rivals sunny Cali for beaches; in chillier months, enjoy the sea by water taxi.

SURPRISING BEACHES

6 Las Vegas

In this desert city, complete with its own Great Pyramid — the gleaming Luxor — Mandalay Bay (mandalaybay.com) seems a mirage. As you exit the hotel’s well-appointed meeting rooms, tons of soft sand and pools await.

5 Scottsdale

The point for most visitors to this golfing mecca is to avoid sand and water. They’re here for Scottsdale’s dozens of golf courses. But if you want to get in the water, there are five pools and a luxe spa at the area’s newest conference draw, the InterContinental Montelucia.

4 Barcelona

Not a beach town? Those who know take a break between sessions for sunbathing at lively Sant Sebastià Beach, near the must-see Old Harbor neighborhood.

3 St. Kitts

This island getaway feels so far from everywhere — except neighboring Nevis, visible on a clear day — no one would mind if you slipped into the Emerald Mist Spa at the Marriott Resort (marriott.com) instead of the conference room.

2 San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Caribe Hilton (hiltoncaribbean.com), on a private peninsula jutting into the Atlantic, has all you need to close a deal — from business amenities to a Morton’s steak house. But don’t let that distract you. After a day exploring the lush landscape, relax at the Madrid-San Juan tapas bar to celebrate your business success.

OUR (VERY BIASED) FIRST CHOICE

1 Miami Florida

Forget South Beach. With the reopening of the Fontainebleau hotel, the party — and the business types who thrive on state-of-the-art technology — has moved to Mid Beach. The hotel has a glamorous history, dotted with the names Sinatra, Presley, and Bond(Goldfinger scenes were filmed at the pool), and, thanks to a $1 billion redo, an equally glamorous future.