Tag Archives: new york

January is the New December for Corporate Holiday Parties

Corporate parties are great for morale boosters and getting employees together, but parties in December aren’t always the most convenient for everyone. This year, wait the extra month to host your holiday get-together!

January is the new December for corporate parties, and here are six reasons why:

1. It’s more convenient for the employee

December is one of the busiest times of the year for everyone. Parties can add to the holiday stress, so waiting until January allows time for schedules to free up, and the season is slowing down for gathering together to celebrate.

2. More dates to choose from

Around the holidays, widespread availability is few and far at amazing event spaces during the holiday season, unless you book back in July. Skip the scheduling mess this year and wait until January for your planned corporate party at the place everyone loves!

3. It boosts company morale

After the holidays come to an end, morale can seem to fizzle out. Speed up the slower days by hosting your corporate party in January! Keeping employees motivated can seem tough, but not as much when there is something to plan and look forward to.

4. January is great for team-building exercises

Aside from the planned holiday party, the start of the new year can be a great time to get employees together for team building and collaborative exercises. Start the year strong by strengthening communication and collaboration among your employees.

5. Great way to kick off a new quarter

A new quarter means new goals and new tasks for employees. This thought can be daunting for some, so alleviate the nerves with a corporate party where employees can unwind and take time for themselves.

6. It’s cheaper!

Are you worried about expenses for corporate parties this year? Wait until January and save some money this time around, especially when booking your party outside of the office.

Bonus: To ensure a perfect January party, we have a few options!

The Lodge at Breckenridge | Breckenridge, Colorado

Visit The Lodge at Breckenridge and utilize the gorgeous 2000 square feet Mountain View Ballroom or the breathtaking Sky View Deck with 1200 square feet of space for your corporate event. You can view the catering menu and explore other options.

Big Sur Lodge | Big Sur, California

Big Sur Lodge has two event venues that are equipped with projection screens, easels, flip charts, and lecterns for your convenience. The accommodating staff can assist in renting any other multimedia audio and video equipment you may need, and rooms can be arranged to meet your design! Visit their website for more information on how to book your venue today!

Bear Mountain Inn | Tomkins Cove, New York

Look no further because the Bear Mountain Inn has the perfect ballroom to host up to 180 guests for any event. The Overlook Lodge is home to the Hudson Ballroom that features unforgettable views of the Hudson River, Hessian Lake, and the mountainside. Another great spot is the Merry Go Round Pavilion, perfect for a seated dinner or cocktail reception with a gorgeous carousel and spacious dance floor. For more information and booking, visit their website.

The Lodge at Wakulla Springs | Wakulla Springs, Florida

The Lodge at Wakulla Springs offers a beautiful venue fit for receptions and parties of any nature. The beautiful glass-enclosed terrace holds up to 120 people where The Lodge will provide food and bar services for your event. Book today to ensure your party date for this upcoming January. For further details, visit their website.

Echo Bluff State Park | Eminence, Missouri

Echo Bluff State Park is the perfect natural location for any corporate event, including team building! The skilled staff, delicious dining, and rustic accommodations will make any event unique and memorable. Visit their website to see what other options await!

No matter the rhyme or reason for your corporate party this year, January is a perfect time, and we have the perfect locations. Choosing from any one of these gorgeous venues is sure to make any party a memorable one.

Book with confidence by booking with Guest Services Inc.

Gifting Memories

We know how difficult it can be to choose the perfect gift for someone who means so much to you. So, why not gift your loved ones with something that will last them a lifetime?

Whether you are giving a gift for an adventurous wanderer, that special someone, or the whole family, we know there is something here for everyone.

Gifts for the adventurer:

  • Give a gift that lasts all summer long! Boating in DC and Boating in Boston both offer season passes, available to purchase at any time of the year, even the offseason. Visit the DC website or the Boston website for more information.
  • Giants Ridge is the perfect destination for a winter break ski trip with the family. Gift them ski lift passes, rentals, or season passes this Holiday season. Visit Giants Ridge’s website for more information.

  • Get them out of the house and on the water with Lake Roosevelt Adventures houseboat rentals. Check out the website to see all the options.

  • Send them down south to Flamingo Adventures in the Everglades to warm up their winter season. With beautiful weather, views, kayak and canoe rentals, their newly-built eco-tents, or houseboats, what more would they need? Visit the Flamingo Adventures website to book a room and rent their floats!

Gifts for the romantic:

  • Wakulla Springs dinner cruise is the perfect evening out for you and your loved one, or to gift to the happy couple in your life! For more details, Wakulla Springs’ website.

  • A night’s stay that will surely make memories is at the gorgeous Lodge at Breckenridge in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado. Visit the website to see so many options for their next stay. (Best part? They are pet-friendly!)

Gifts for the whole family:

  • Need an activity to get the kids working together? Take the family down to East Potomac Tennis Center for junior tennis lessons. What a great way to get them outside and enjoying each other’s company! Visit their website to learn more.

  • Does your family love animals and the outdoors? Rock Creek Park Horse Center is the perfect location for riding lessons, trail rides, and even family volunteering! Gift the kids’ an experience and get the whole family out there! Visit the website.

Of all the presents, the best is the gift of knowing you gave the perfect gift without the stress of the stores!

Five Adventures for Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day has two main definitions: 1) a day off from work or school and 2) the unofficial end of summer. But, why is it on the first Monday of September? And why do we even celebrate it? Well, it was intentionally planned to be a break for those working men and women at the halfway point between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. (Crazy, but true – we looked it up!)

To celebrate our break from work, here are our five picks to sit back, relax, and enjoy nature at its finest before the madness of the holiday season commences.

Rock Creek Park Horse Center | Washington, D.C.

Rock Creek Park Horse Center is truly a gem in our nation’s capital. Deep in the woods of Rock Creek Park, you can find peace in the company of horses and those who love them. Now, we know you might be saying, “I didn’t even know there was a forest near Washington, D.C., let alone IN it.” Yes, it’s true! They offer boarding, camps, lessons, and trail rides for equestrians at all skill levels. The horses there project calmness and compassion to all people around them.

For Labor Day, we suggest experiencing the joys of riding the trained horses through the nature trails. The ride lasts about one hour and is led by an experienced Trail Guide at a walking pace. Riders must be 12 years or older. Visit their website for more information.

Pavilion Café | Washington, D.C.

During your day off, you might want to explore the city of Washington, D.C., without the hustle and bustle of people. Visit the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden and their Pavilion Café. The Pavilion Café has delicious food throughout the year, including flatbread pizzas, toasted sandwiches, hot entrees, and a Sunday brunch! Throughout the summer, it hosts a Jazz in the Garden event every Friday and then turns into an ice staking wonderland in the winter (just in case you want to plan a future trip).

Since most D.C. workers aren’t at the office on Labor Day, this is a prime opportunity to visit the Pavilion Café and enjoy the beautiful art pieces throughout the garden. Hours from Labor Day to Mid-November are Monday- Saturday: 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday 11 am – 5 pm. Visit their website for more information on their menu as well as group reservations.

food at pavilion cafe

Watkins Glen State Park | Watkins Glen, New York

Watkins Glen State Park is a part of the Finger Lakes State Parks and has 19 beautiful waterfalls and 833 steps to get to the top of them all. After hiking through the waterfalls, experience Watkins’ Olympic-sized pool and campsites throughout the park. For Labor Day, we would suggest it all!

If you are into racing, you might already know this place. Watkins Glen State Park is home to the Grand Prix, and when you visit their town, you can tell that it is just one of their many pride and joys! During the first weekend of September each year, there is a re-creation of the Grand Prix during the Vintage Grand Prix Festival. This year, it is on September 6th, so you have some time to plan your weekend getaway. Visit their website for more information.

Lake Welch | Stony Point, New York

What if we told you that within the wooded hills of the Ramapo Mountains in New York, you would find a half-mile-long sandy beach? Stay with us, because Lake Welch Beach within Harriman State Park could be your dream Labor Day weekend getaway that you didn’t know you needed. The park offers swimming, fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking, and camping in Beaver Pond Campground only a few minutes away.

On-site is a beach store for all your needs and a snack shack for all your food indulgences. Have we mentioned there is an array of alcoholic beverages available to enjoy – including White Claw! Enjoy the unofficial end of summer on a beach in New York; everyone would want to hear about it! Visit their website for more information.

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park | Weeki Wachee, Florida

Weeki Fresh Water Adventures is the only kayak and paddleboard rental facility located on the river at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida. Enjoy a three-hour, self-guided journey onto the gorgeous, clear waters of Florida’s most tranquil and popular Weeki Wachee River. The 5.5 miles on the river will leave you in awe of nature’s beauty, whether you are on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard (SUP). Throughout your excursions, see native Florida wildlife such as fish, birds, turtles, and the gentle giants of Weeki Wachee, manatees.

They are called Weeki Fresh Water Adventures for a reason – each time you kayak, it is truly a fresh new adventure unlike any other! Visit their website for more information.

And there’s more!

Though we did say five, we are giving you a bonus two! There are so many activities within Florida that are perfect for Labor Day weekend. Below are just a few suggestions on where to go:

Rainbow Springs State Park | Dunnellon, Florida

For Labor Day weekend, you must get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather – especially Florida’s sunshine skies. Rainbow Springs State Park has 1,472 acres of amazing azaleas that turn the whole park into a beautiful portrait with pinks, purples, and whites! The headsprings and campground have a variety of programs, such as ranger-guided walks, snorkeling expeditions, and kayaking. They also have picnic pavilions that are perfect for family reunions (or end of summer celebrations!)

For a place that is rich in natural beauty and cultural history, don’t wait to book your weekend getaway to Rainbow Springs State Park! Visit their website to do just that.

Everglades Florida Adventures | Everglades City, Florida

Everglades City sits perfectly at the end of the Wilderness Waterway that links the Everglades to Flamingo City. With activities such as kayak fishing in the backcountry, canoeing through tunnels, guided paddling excursions, hiking and biking around prairies and wetlands, or observing the diversity of the cypress hammocks from the perspective of a floatplane, many visitors and locals alike flock to Everglades City to experience it all! The most popular visitor attraction is the 10,000 Islands Boat Tour that lasts 90 minutes and takes visitors six miles out to the Gulf of Mexico through the islands in Chokoloskee Bay – the perfect way to spend the day!

These amazing activities are ideal opportunities to see the incredible animals found throughout the area, including manatees, bald eagles, roseate, ospreys, and spoonbills. Visit their website to book your adventure.