A site visit on Epworth By The Sea, located in beautiful coastal town St. Simons Island, Georgia

1. EPWORTHBYTHESEA;PELICANGRANDBEACHRESORT
Epworth By The Sea
There is a reason Epworth By The Sea hosts 900 groups each
year (including the International Association of Conference Center
Administrators), and it goes beyond the retreat center’s location along
the Frederica River in St. Simons Island, Georgia, a charming coastal town
known for its Southern hospitality and laid-back vibe. “Groups come to
Epworth because it’s safe and secure,” says Joel Willis, chief operating
officer, who has been with Epworth since 1979. “People enjoy walking
the grounds and taking in the natural beauty. There are always places to
get away for solitude if that’s what they want.”
The 100-acre property has doubled in size and undergone a number of
changes over the past few decades, including new buildings and grounds
improvements. “We’ve planted more than 100 oak trees on the property in
addition to the centuries-old ones already here,” Willis shares. History runs
deep at Epworth, as it was the site where British settlers established
Fort Frederica in 1735. The Revs. John and Charles Wesley were on that
voyage and became enamored with the island. Epworth, England, the
childhood hometown of the Wesley brothers, inspired the property’s name
when it opened in 1950.
From Lovely Lane Chapel, the oldest church building on St. Simons
Island built in 1880, to the 73-room Turner Lodge, Epworth’s newest facility
overlooking the river, the property blends the past and present while
creating a safe haven for groups, which gravitate toward the on-property
adventure challenge ropes course (shown above) and its 600-ft.-long zip
line. “They aren’t out there screaming at each other; they’re screaming
to encourage each other,” says Willis. “It’s all about teambuilding, group
support and positive thinking.”
Other activities include bonfires and trips to nearby Cumberland and
Jekyll islands, and on-site entertainment options are an environmental
education center, a pool, two lighted tennis courts, a basketball pavilion,
an open field for sports, bicycles for rent and two fishing piers. Groups of
up to 900 can make use of Epworth’s 235 motel-style rooms, 13 cabins,
36 meeting rooms encompassing 36,000 square feet of space and dining
areas that can accommodate up to 400 for a meal. —AD
Insider Tip
Book water taxis to pick up your group from Epworth By The Sea’s two
docks in the Frederica River, followed by dolphin watching and exploring
St. Simons Sound.
Pelican Grand Beach Resort
When Pelican Grand Beach Resort was built in 2004, designers reminisced
on the good ol’ days of early Fort Lauderdale, Florida, creating a relaxing
Caribbean-inspired design with white, beachy furnishings and tiered
ceilings straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” Now,
after a multimillion-dollar expansion completed in June, the hotel is more
glamorous than ever with two new ballrooms and outdoor rooftop spaces.
Among the additions are the Oceanview Terrace on the 11th floor and
the Oceanview Ballroom, which has 180-degree views of the Atlantic, a
private balcony and blackout shades for presentations. “You’re king of the
hill within our hotel with the intimate services we provide,” says Bob Keesler,
general manager.
As one of the few beach properties in the city, and only 75 feet from
the ocean, the AAA Four Diamond hotel has ocean views from most of its
10,000 square feet of meeting space and 156 guest rooms. The property’s
oceanfront restaurant, Ocean2000, serves small bites such as baked goat
cheese and sauteed mussels. Planners can coordinate a dinner in the
adjoining veranda, or do as one group did and organize a pig roast on the
sand dunes, using low tables with soft pillows for seating.
Off-site, groups can take in eclectic art pieces at the historic Bonnet
House Museum & Gardens, which has a waterfront meeting space (with
swans!) accommodating up to 350 guests for a private event. Planners also
get discounted rates through the hotel for private art classes held at Nova
Southeastern University—a great option for an intellectual teambuilding
event, says Keesler. —HJ
Insider Tip
Stake your claim on a rocking chair on the hotel’s oceanfront veranda and
get engulfed in a good book while enjoying sounds of the ocean.
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