Located in the north-central region of the state, Wausau is the core city of Marathon County with just over 38,000 residents. With four distinct seasons, Wausau event venues take advantage of the great outdoors. There are 57 local and county parks, eight swimming beaches, eight golf courses, 119 miles of nature trails, 14 indoor/outdoor ice skating rinks and two ski hills.
Fun and games aside, Wausau is also a city that knows how to get down to business. Groups convening in Wausau fly into the Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), which is served by Delta, United and American Airlines.
Chief among convention venues in Wausau is the Patriot Center. Available for conventions, trade shows, meetings and social functions, the Patriot Center can host events ranging in size from four to 4,000 people. Newly built and equipped with the latest in technology, the venue has over 75,000 square feet of versatile space on one level, including two ballrooms, three exposition areas and several pre-function and registration spaces. The Patriot Center also has audio-visual equipment for rent, free wireless Internet access, concessions and 1,500 free parking spaces.
There are 1,960 hotel rooms and numerous conference and convention venues in Wausau; together with the Central Wisconsin area there are more than 2,200 hotel rooms at properties that range from boutique hotels to bed and breakfasts to nationally-known brands. In addition to comfortable rooms and well-appointed amenities, Wausau hotels are excellent venues for meetings and conferences. In addition to newly renovated rooms, the Howard Johnson Inn and Conference Center Wausau has 4,000 square feet of meeting and event space and two on-site restaurants for banquet services. The Northwoods Conference Center at Stoney Creek Inn in Wausau offers 8,400 square feet of space, or room for 900 people theater-style or 650 people for banquets. Its event space can also be divided into three spaces, any of which will feel cozy and rustic thanks to the antler chandeliers and rough cut stone walls. Though it does not offer accommodations, the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau is an option for groups in need of a professional yet serene setting for over 200 people.
A wealth of special event venues in Wausau showcase the lively spirit of the city. Exploring the history of Marathon County, the Yawkey House Museum has two spaces for rent: an indoor Arts and Crafts-style dining room for 15 people and a gorgeous sunken garden and carriage house for up to 500 people. Put on a show at the Grand Theater, a 1,180-seat downtown performing arts venue. The Grand also has several reception and dining venues, including the 4,300-square-foot Great Hall and intimate Loft, which overlooks downtown Wausau. Or, at Menominee Casino Resort in nearby Keshena, a 13,000-square-foot convention center can seat up to 600 guests, who can spend spare time between meetings at more than 850 reel and video slot machines, six blackjack tables, eight poker tables or the 400-seat bingo hall.
At the end of the day, groups can reconvene and regroup with dinner at one of Wausau's many restaurants. Described as "one of the most exciting culinary experiences in Wisconsin," the Wright Place on 6th has private dining rooms for groups and a customizable contemporary menu. With a warm, friendly staff and eclectic architecture, the Back When Cafe has three separate private dining spaces for groups of two to 60 guests. City Grill, an American bistro in the downtown River District, can also accommodate up to 300 people.
