Connect Magazine - July/August 2015 Issue
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EPWORTH BY THE SEA; PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT 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.
Transcript of Connect Magazine - July/August 2015 Issue
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Epworth By The SeaThere 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 TipBook 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 TipStake 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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