Meet and Explore in Florence

Imagine a beautiful coastal town that has meeting venues with ocean views, an assortment of boutique shops (and tax-free shopping), exquisite culinary offerings and unique group activities like horseback riding on the beach or riding in a dune buggy across massive sand dunes. Just an hour outside of the Eugene-Springfield metro area, Florence has everything to make your next event one to remember!

Meeting Space

The Florence Events Center (FEC) is a popular coastal venue for events up to 500 people. A hub for various shows, fairs and celebrations throughout the year, the FEC has been home to conventions such as the Oregon Mayors Association. Your attendees will have plenty of room to walk around and interact in the 21,000 square foot building featuring 7,560 square feet of convention space. The FEC is also home to a 455-seat auditorium with excellent acoustics and special equipment for hearing-impaired attendees. This trusted venue with dedicated staff, professional audio equipment, video cameras for hybrid meetings, and on-site catering can help make your event a huge success.

Driftwood Shores and Conference Center is another great coastal venue. This 128-room oceanfront hotel is just steps away from 10 miles of beautiful beach. The hotel’s conference center, which can accommodate up to 100 people, will inspire attendees with its ocean views. The hotel’s in-house catering can provide large charcuterie boards, deli sandwich platters, party wings and fruit trays or customize a menu specifically for your group. The on-site Market offers grab-and-go bagels and lox, breakfast burritos, freshly made salads, entrees and sandwiches. Encouraging both productivity and relaxation, Driftwood Shores is a perfect option for your next event.

Nested on the bank of the Siuslaw River, the Best Western Plus Pier Point Inn offers magnificent views of the river and Old Town Florence. This property has a 1,700 square-foot meeting room overlooking the Siuslaw River and Siuslaw Bridge. The meeting room can hold up to 80 people, has a 20-foot high ceiling and offers in-house audio-visual services.

Three Rivers Casino Resort has 9,018 square-feet of meeting space in their event center which can be broken up into five separate rooms. The event center has an 18-foot high ceiling and has a capacity for up to 700 people. The space is equipped to handle various audio-visual needs with state-of-the-art equipment and high-speed internet access.

Located five minutes north of Old Town is City Lights Cinemas, a four-screen, independently owned movie theater. Private theater rentals for up to 25 guests can be arranged with a 10-day notice. 

Food and Drink

Florence is home to many delicious restaurants for attendees to discover after hours such as the Bridgewater Fish House and Zebra Bar. Attendees can check out the many varieties of local wines found at the Bodega Wine Parlour and enjoy the famous clam chowder from Mo’s Seafood and Chowder restaurant.

There are many boutique shops to explore and lovely scenery around Historic Old Town Florence. Built in 1936, the historic Siuslaw River Bridge is a treasured landmark and makes the perfect backdrop for patio dining at Nosh Eatery.
 

Coastal Adventures

Attendees can take a 20-minute trip outside of Florence to Heceta Head Lighthouse, the most iconic lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. Built in 1892, its lens still casts a beam 21 miles out to sea making it the brightest light on the Oregon Coast. It is a striking sight as it is perched on a 200-foot bluff that juts out into the ocean.

Sitting just below the lighthouse is the Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast which is one of the last remaining lightkeeper’s cottages and it is perfect for small events up to 150 people on the surrounding lawn. An outdoor reception against the picturesque backdrop of the Pacific Ocean will surely be an experience your attendees will always remember!

Just a short five-minute drive from Heceta Head Lighthouse is America’s largest sea cave (it is as tall as a 12-story building and as wide as a football field) that is home to Sea Lion Caves. A multitude of Stellar sea lions line the rocky interior of the massive cave. Before descending down 200 feet in the cave elevator, make sure to take a peek at the current activity in the cave from the video monitors in the Sea Lion Caves gift shop. The fall and spring are the best times to visit as the cave will be filled with barking sea lions.

The Oregon coast is home to the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America. This 40-mile stretch of windswept sand provides endless adventures and unique team-building activities. One of the most popular group activities is to explore these ever-changing dunes by taking a ride in a dune buggy. Sandland Adventures offers a Giant Dune Buggy Tour that can fit up to 30 people on board and covers eight miles of dunes and two miles of beach. Sand Dunes Frontier offers guided sand rail tours, Big Buggy tours and ATV rentals. The big buggy tour requires a minimum of 20 people and the sand rail tour can fit up to 34 people at a time.  This fun and exciting experience allows attendees to get up close and personal with the impressive natural wonders of the dunes which include unique tree islands, shifting sands, various wildlife and spectacular views.

If you are holding your event in the summer, sign up for sandboarding lessons at Sand Master Park, the world’s first sandboarding park (think snowboarding on sand). Sleds are also available for rent to ride the dunes. Both activities can be enjoyed regardless of age or experience. Sand Master Park also offers group sandcastle building which is a great team-building experience.

Kayaking the Siltcoos River Canoe Trail offers views of sand dunes, old growth forest and Pacific Northwest beauty. This easy, three-mile paddle is the perfect opportunity for attendees to enjoy a kayaking trip that expands the whole length of a river without committing to a multiple-day excursion. What makes this route so special is that attendees will start kayaking in a lake and end up in the Pacific Ocean. Attendees may just see river otters, mink, beaver and birds of all sorts. This river trail is a unique experience for people of all skill levels.

C&M Stables offers scenic horseback rides that trek through old-growth forests and ever-changing sand dunes. Attendees will trot along beaches with views of the Pacific Ocean and scents of fresh, salty air. A variety of horseback riding experiences are available including rides for beginning, intermediate and advanced riders. Group sizes range from one to three or four to nine people for one to two-hour rides. Enjoy this fun, picturesque experience before or after your next event.

Museums

Florence is home to two impressive museums. The Oregon Coast Military Museum will transport you back in time to honor and remember the brave individuals who have served in the American military. Attendees will appreciate the donated artifacts, combat vehicles and life-sized dioramas devoted to various conflicts. The gift shop offers unique souvenirs.

The Siuslaw Pioneer Museum presents and preserves the local history of Florence and the Siuslaw region. Attendees will learn about the life of the Siuslaw people, their culture and history. Inside the museum, there are several incredible pieces of history which include an authentic dug-out canoe, household items, fishing implements and more.

Consider Florence

A great conference center, oceanfront hotels, sea-to-table restaurants and a breadth of unique after-hours and team-building activities make Florence a great place to host your event. Your group will want to stay as long as possible when you meet and explore on the beautiful Oregon coast!