Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/633921
B M & T ••• November/December 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 24 BOSTON F amous for its hospitality and friendly spirit, Greater Boston is one of the premier meeting destinations in the United States. Bean Town has a thriving economy, history and charm, which make it ideal for both business and pleasure. Each year, it welcomes over 18 million visitors, convention delegates. Boston has a plethora of convention and event facilities that can host events of all types and sizes, each offering you their own unique advantages. Located in the he art of Boston's beautiful, historic and restaurant-rich Back Bay, the Hynes Convention Center has long been a favorite business destination for mid-sized shows, special events and expositions. It also offers meeting space. The Hynes is in close proximity to the new Boston Exhibition and Convention Center (BCEC), and in the heart of Boston's most popular hotels, historical sites, and tourist attractions. The BCEC is one of the most spectacular, and most user-friendly c onvention centers. Built from the inside out, the 1.6 mil- lion-sq. ft. facility has everything you need to stage a successful event. The Center boasts 516,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, 82 meeting rooms, a 40,020-sq. ft., column-free grand ballroom, and over 300,000 sq. ft. of registration and function space. For more intimate gatherings, Boston offers a dozen conference centers, including the Boston Executive conference Center, Conference Center at Walth am Woods, and the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School, to name a few. Need more options? The Greater Boston area has more than 127 hotels that offer state-of- the-art, flexible meeting space that can accommo- d ate meetings with 10 to 10,000 attendees. Choices include Embassy Suites Hotel – Boston/Waltham, Homewood Suites by Hilton – Boston/Cambridge-Arlington, Boston Omni Parker Hotel, and one of the area's largest proper- ties, the 1054-room B oston Park Plaza, able to accommodate 2,000 for receptions and 1,130 for banquets in its 13,215-sq. ft. Imperial Ballroom. When to workday is done, there is no shortage of things to do and see. With campuses in Boston & Nantucket, the Museum of Afro-American History is New England's largest African-American history museum with four national historic sites dating back to the early 1800s and the BLACK HER ITAGE TRAIL that attracts visitors from around the world. The Museum preserves the remarkable and vivid history of free African-Americans and white abolitionists whose efforts changed a nation. The Black Heritage Trail is a 1.6-mile walking tour encompassing the largest collection of historic sites in the country relat- ing to the life of a free African-American community prior to the Civil War. The history of these buildings and sites is national in scope and significance. The Museum of African American History (MAAH) treasures its resources and tells remarkable and vivid historical accounts about the lives of free African-Americans and white abolitionists whose efforts changed a nation. The Freedom Trail® Foundation brings history to life for history buffs along Boston's Freedom Trail with ta lented 18th century costumed guides - Freedom Trail Players® - for thousands of adult and youth/student groups. For outdoor enthusiasts, Boston also offers a wide array of recreational opportunities including golfing, canoeing, sailing, skiing, fishing, kayaking, whale watching, and skating, while the more adventurous who've brought along their passports can take an international day trip just across the Canadian border to Quebec. MASSACHUSETTS F rom Plymouth Rock, the site of the 17th century Pilgrims' landing, to Beacon Hill, where a large community of free African-Americans resided in the 19th century, the Bay State is home to some of the most iconic places in U.S. history. Massachusetts' maritime history is evident in the lighthouses dotting its coastline. The home of one of the nation's first Black sea captains is one of the 22 sites on the African American Heritage Trail on Martha's Vineyard. That island and other seaside resorts like Cape Cod and Nantucket Island are among the state's most popular recreational attractions. Outdoor enthusiasts traveling to Massachusetts will also discover plenty more options, from whale watching excursions in Stellwagen Bank to canoeing on the Concord River. Notable cultural attractions include the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton and Jacob's Pillow, and the nation's oldest international dance festival, in Becket. Boston Convention Center