Scheduled to open early next year, Skylawn is a five-acre rooftop park, farm, and event venue where meeting attendees can eat produce grown on site while taking in views of downtown Houston. The 6,000-square-foot meeting area has a stage, custom covering, and the latest AV capabilities for day and evening events.

Within walking distance of New York’s Javits Center, the new Hudson Yards mixed-use development on Manhattan’s West Side unveiled a new outdoor venue in May 2019. The Shed is a 17,000-square-foot courtyard with a unique telescoping roof that rolls out during inclement weather.

Not strictly intended for meetings or business events, this idea, a popup venue with attendee enclosures, does ensure your guests are socially distanced. Successfully launched in the U.K. on August 11, the idea is one big sponsorship opportunity (note the name), can be constructed anywhere, and provides each group with a mini-fridge for cold drinks during the event. What’s not to love?

This 34,500-square-foot meeting and exhibition center is set in 104,409 square feet of showgrounds for exhibition booths for large equipment and outdoor demonstrations adjacent to the London’s O2 Arena and entertainment complex. Attendees can avoid London traffic by arriving at the showgrounds via water taxi or cable car.

In St. Petersburg, Fla., a reimagined 26-acre park set on the St. Pete Pier that juts into Tampa Bay opened this summer. Set one block from the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg and six blocks from the Hilton St. Petersburg, the St. Pete Pier features restaurants, a 3,000-square-foot interactive classroom, and a reception-friendly lawn. The Pier will host events throughout the year, including festivals, markets, and social gatherings of corporate and association groups.

Opening this month, San Diego’s Bayside Performance Center is a permanent outdoor event space located in the Embarcadero Marina Park South, less than half a mile from the city’s waterfront convention center. The stage area has an acoustic shell and professional lighting and sound, and flexible seating space for groups of 100 to 10,000.   

Brand new in February, Rooftop at Riggs is a Mediterranean-themed venue located on the 12th-story rooftop of Riggs Washington D.C. hotel, offering 180-degree views of the U.S. Capitol and Penn Quarter neighborhood. The 2,500-square-foot indoor/outdoor terrace has views of the Capitol and glass partitions for flexible spaces.

Honestly boss, this is not a party boat, but a renovated floating full-service corporate event venue.

The 165-foot-long former ferry boat is based in Washington state’s Lake Union, Lake Washington, and Puget Sound and offers up to 150 attendees views of Seattle and Mount Rainier.

In the 1950s, Distribution Hall was a warehouse for German beer. While beer is still available, these days the location is used for off-sites from the nearby Austin Convention Center and other gatherings on the 7,500-square-foot courtyard.