Westchester County Tourism & Film has unveiled a new group business meeting incentive: Westchester Workshops. Answering the call of business travelers for cultural experiences and engagement with the local communities they visit, the program connects meeting groups with experiences that reflect the best of New York State’s Hudson Valley community. Ranging from 90 minutes to two and a half hours, sample workshops made available at no cost to qualifying groups include:
- Get in Touch with Your Wild Side at Wolf Conservation Center – Groups can embark on an outdoor adventure tour at the Wolf Conservation Center, a South Salem-based organization dedicated to education and advocacy. Visit with Ambassador wolves Nikai and Silas, and potentially catch a glimpse of critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. During the tour, groups will discover the mythology, biology and ecology of wolf families and why it’s a special time for packs in North America, and they can extend their program with a visit to the campfire area for relaxed networking.
- Step Back in Time at Lyndhurst – Groups can take a tour of the Gothic Revival mansion in Tarrytown to marvel at the collections of paintings, furniture and decorative arts. They will receive a behind-the scenes look at Lyndhurst’s tower, basement, back landscape and bowling alley, besides catching the sunset over the Hudson from the manicured grounds.
- Sophisticated Outings with Une Table by Tania – Groups will be treated to a picnic, set in an outdoor or indoor setting, such as along the waterfall’s edge of the Croton Dam at Croton Gorge Park. Everything from setup to catering are all taken care of by Une Table by Tania.
- The Original Rock Palace at The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester’s storied theater, originally built for Vaudeville, has welcomed the likes of Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, David Bowie and Phish. Today, it is Westchester’s premier rock palace and event venue. Groups can enjoy a backstage tour followed by beverages at Garcia’s, the lobby bar honoring late Grateful Dead guitarist, Jerry Garcia.
- Tastefully Brewed with Soul Brewing Company and Second Mouse Cheese Shop – Groups can visit Soul Brewing Company in Pleasantville for a fun and educational tasting and pairing of cheeses and beers featuring Allen Wallace, a local maker of artisanal ales and lagers; and Ivy Ronquillo, proprietor of the popular Second Mouse Cheese Shop.
A range of accommodations are available for group business meetings in Westchester County, including the historic Tarrytown House Estate; recently renovated nearby Westchester Marriott Hotel in Tarrytown; the former nunnery-turned-luxury-resort Abbey Inn & Spa in Peekskill; the new Crotonville Conference Center; and The Opus Westchester, Marriott Autograph Collection in downtown White Plains. Out-of-the-box event spaces include Tarrytown Music Hall, Faraway Farm Alpacas in Yorktown Heights and Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah.
Westchester County is a year-round destination located in the Hudson Valley between the shores of the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. It spans across 500 square miles, made up of cities, towns, villages, farms, 24,00 acres of parkland and more. Trails can guide group business meeting planners in creating itineraries for their participants, from the American Revolutionary Trail and African American History & Heritage Trail to the recently introduced Westchester Craft Beverage Trail. Bordering New York City and connected to Upstate New York and New England, Westchester County is accessible via Metro-North Railroad, Amtrak and the Westchester County Airport (HPN).
Westchester Workshops is available to group business meetings of 50-plus hotel rooms that are booked by December 31, 2024, for travel through 2025. Westchester Workshops is first-come, first-served and subject to availability. The offer cannot be exchanged for money or credit.
For more information, visit www.visitwestchesterny.com.
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