Opelika

Welcome to Cvent's Meeting and Event Planning Guide to Auburn-Opelika, a city guide for meeting professionals. A destination bursting with cultural excellence, outdoor recreation, historic charm, and exceptional cuisine, Auburn-Opelika offers visitors a mild year-round climate perfect for enjoying all the area has to offer. Situated in east-central Alabama, Auburn-Opelika is 45 miles from Montgomery, 100 miles from Atlanta, and 120 miles from Birmingham. Auburn-Opelika is the proud home of Auburn University and the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Grand National Golf area — part of the largest golf course construction project ever attempted — as well as a number of cultural and historical attractions.
Meeting participants and visitors can fly into the major hub of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Situated within two hours of Auburn-Opelika, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport provides service to 150 destinations and more than 75 international destinations in 50 countries, averaging 2,500 arrivals and departures daily. From Hartsfield, inexpensive shuttle service to the Auburn-Opelika area.
Major Auburn-Opelika meeting and conference venues include The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center, as well as Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National. Situated on Auburn University's campus, the 236-room Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center puts guests within steps of university action and downtown shopping and dining. Meeting delegates have access to 22,000 square feet of private event space, including two ballrooms and a 356-person auditorium, while guests enjoy golf privileges at the private Auburn University Golf Club. Known for its spectacular golf access, accommodations, and meeting space, the 114-room Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National sits on 2,000 acres of lakefront countryside, along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The golf and business retreat features 54 holes of championship golf and 15,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a 4,704-square-foot Ballroom and 96-seat amphitheater.
When it comes to unique venues for group gatherings and events, Auburn-Opelika has it covered. Opelika's celebrated Robert Trent Jones Grand National Golf Course, one of the U.S.' top public courses, features 36 championship holes and an 18-hole course called the Short Course. Robert Trent Jones Grand National Golf welcomes both non-golf-related functions and golf events ranging from 16-person groups to more than 300-person tournaments. For an elegant function set amid Old World country charm, groups gather at Fountainview Mansion, a bed-and-breakfast and event venue situated four miles from Auburn University. Fountainview Mansion's event spaces include a dramatic foyer with twin staircases, a grand salon overlooking the pool and grounds, and a formal living room graced by a 1700s antique French pier mirror and a six-piece, Louis XV-style salon set.
The largest university in Alabama (and one of the largest universities in the South), Auburn University features a number of indoor and outdoor event spaces. The university's 14-acre Donald E. Davis Arboretum showcases more than 300 native species of woody plants and offers event space at its pavilion. A center for research and interaction between the university, the state's agricultural community, and citizens, the 30-acre Ag Heritage Park features such event spaces as its 175-person pavilion. Lastly, the university's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art houses 2,000 traditional and contemporary works, including the 17-foot-tall, 17-foot-wide "Amber Luster," a Dale Chihuly piece constructed of more than 600 pieces of handblown glass. Groups can gather in a number of museum spaces, including the Grand Gallery, 127-person auditorium, and Susan Phillips Gardens, which feature a lighted reflecting pool framed by meditation fountains and gardens.