Grapevine Travel and Things to Do Guide

Welcome to Cvent’s Meeting and Event Planning Guide to Grapevine, a city guide for meeting professionals. Conveniently situated halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth in North Texas, Historic Grapevine serves as an ideal escape from the big city, as well as a destination for meeting groups and their families. Grapevine is home to a variety of luxury hotels and lodging options, a Historic Main Street lined with shops, restaurants and art galleries, 81 holes of golf, winery tasting rooms, outdoor recreation sites and a Main Street entertainment district. What’s more, Grapevine features hundreds of restaurants and abundant shopping options. Grapevine’s variety of meeting and convention venues, as well as its unique venues and more than 800,000 square feet of meeting space spread throughout its hotels, makes this North Texas destination perfect for group gatherings and events. A charming city bursting with natural beauty and boasting moderate year-round temperatures, Grapevine is a resort destination at the crossroads of three major interstates and a gateway to the dynamic North Texas region. Grapevine is also home to the sprawling Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, an American Airlines hub that provides service to 191 worldwide destinations. The five-terminal, 155-gate airport features two on-airport hotels, specialty shops, food and beverage outlets and direct access to the Grapevine Visitors Shuttle. The convenient Grapevine Visitors Shuttle runs daily along different routes between hotels, shops, restaurants and entertainment areas. Guests on extended layovers at DFW Airport can take TEXRail into Grapevine and use the shuttle to access Grapevine’s attractions, restaurants and shopping areas during their layover. The Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center sits on Lake Grapevine and houses 1,511 rooms and suites along with 400,000 square feet of convention space, as well as fine and casual dining and entertainment options. Groups can hold events in the 179,520-square-foot Longhorn Exhibit Hall, which sits just beyond an impressive 3,000-square-foot marbled foyer, as well as gather in three ballrooms measuring from 3,306 to 49,025 square feet, and 88 conference and breakout rooms. After meetings, groups can relax at the 10-acre Paradise Springs pool complex, complete with a 600-foot lazy river and 6,000-square-foot lagoon, as well as wander throughout 4.5 acres of indoor gardens and waterways, visit the spa and fitness center, browse the shops or even discover the resort’s smaller version of the Riverwalk. Exciting nightlife is to be found at the upscale Glass Cactus, which features a 13,000-square-foot outdoor deck overlooking Lake Grapevine. Grapevine’s premier properties also include the Embassy Suites Outdoor World (329 rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space); the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center (393 rooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space); the Hyatt Regency DFW (811 rooms and 92,000 square feet of meeting space) and the Great Wolf Lodge (605 rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space). Grapevine’s Grand Hyatt DFW offers 298 rooms and 34,000 square feet of meeting space and is currently undergoing a $3-million transformation featuring expanded private dining, free standing sushi bar and globally inspired menus. Courtyard/TownePlace Suites by Marriott offers guests an amazing 300-room property. Aside from its spectacular meeting and convention facilities, Grapevine is home to a variety of unique venues and attractions perfectly outfitted for group outings and events. Groups can hop aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad for a ride back into the glory days of Victorian coaches and steam, thanks to the railroad’s private rentals and charters. The 19th-century excursion train runs regularly between Grapevine’s Cotton Belt Railroad Depot to Fort Worth’s Historic Stockyards Station, giving passengers a couple hours to enjoy Stockyards Station before boarding the train for the return trip back to Grapevine. For an “undersea” event, groups frequent SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, which houses more than 30 displays of diverse marine life, including a 360° underwater ocean tunnel and Interactive Rockpool Experience, as well as regular feedings and talks. Cowboys Golf Club, the world’s first NFL-themed golf course, welcomes corporate tournaments, executive meetings and special events throughout its course that pays tribute to the championship football team. Groups can view the clubhouse Super Bowl trophy display, as well as hold tournaments or gather in such event spaces as the Ring of Honor Board Room, Legends Bar, Hall of Fame Room and Champions Dining Room. Grapevine holds the title of true Texas wine trendsetter and leader, thanks to its award-winning winery tasting rooms and winemakers. Cross Timbers Winery offers a rustic setting complete with a barn and outdoor area for group events throughout the year.