Northern Kentucky, KY

An integral part of the greater Cincinnati area, Northern Kentucky is located just across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati. Northern Kentucky venues blend urban convenience with a relaxed atmosphere. The region includes the cities Newport, where the world-class Newport Aquarium is found; and Covington, the location of the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. The destination is also home to world-class hotels, is surrounded by natural beauty and is within a two-hour-flight of 60 percent of the U.S. population.

Getting to Northern Kentucky is a breeze, as it's located within minutes of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Delta's second-largest hub, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport serves 200 daily departures to 70 nonstop domestic and international cities. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is served by the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) public bus system, which runs 27 routes through Northern Kentucky and downtown Cincinnati. TANK also operates the Southbank Shuttle, which connects the Northern Kentucky Convention Center to attractions and hotels along the Ohio River throughout Newport and Covington, as well as downtown Cincinnati.

The TANK transit center is conveniently located adjacent to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Perched on the south bank of the Ohio River, directly across from downtown Cincinnati, the Northern Kentucky Convention Center sits in the heart of Covington's rapidly expanding business and entertainment district known as The Banks. The convention center's exhibition center, main lobby and conference level together comprise 110,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 3,000 people. The Northern Kentucky Convention Center connects to the 317-room Marriott Cincinnati at RiverCenter, which offers additional meeting space.

Northern Kentucky is home to a number of unique venues and attractions perfect for smaller group events and meetings. Groups may gather at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center. The largest performing arts venue in Northern Kentucky, the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center sits in the heart of downtown Covington. The 17,000-square-foot facility features such Beaux Arts touches as a circular balcony and open rotunda, amber glass dome and ornate winding staircases, as well as several rentable spaces.

Among many spectacular Northern Kentucky venues is the Newport Aquarium. The aquarium houses 70 exhibits and 14 galleries, as well as five acrylic tunnels, totaling more than 200 feet long, that allow visitors to get up close and personal with the thousands of animals and marine life at the aquarium. The aquarium is available for private events of up to 1,500 people. Groups may gather in the aquarium theater, exhibit space, or in the 6,000-square-foot Riverside Room, which is located above the rainforest exhibit.

Groups also frequent the elegant Wiedemann Hill Mansion, which resembles a Bavarian castle, with stunning views of the Cincinnati skyline and surrounding hills. Built in 1894, the Wiedemann Hill Mansion hosts special events for up to 70 people; it features sprawling porches, hard-carved mantels, wood inlaid floors and gleaming cherry, mahogany and oak accents.