Why Klamath County is the Perfect Place for a Team Building Retreat
Looking for a unique destination to bring your team together? Klamath Falls, located in southern Oregon amid the Cascade Mountains, has more than 300 days of sun each year, world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, and a wide assortment of meeting spaces that can accommodate most groups. You’ll also find a vibrant and welcoming town filled with excellent breweries and restaurants, and it’s just a short drive to Crater Lake National Park. When it comes to company retreats, conferences, team-building outings, or brainstorm weekends, Klamath Falls has everything you need to be creative and get to know each other in an unbeatable outdoor setting.
Where to Meet
Whether you crave someplace formal, quirky, or rustic, Klamath Falls has a wide selection of locations to hold conferences and meetings to fit your style. The town also has lodging options to fit the whole crew, no matter the size of your company. When you need to bring everyone together in one place, here are some of your best choices.
Running Y Ranch Resort : Just 15 minutes from Klamath Falls on the western side of Klamath Lake, the Running Y Ranch Resort is your inclusive destination for meetings, team-building activities, luxury amenities, culinary wonders, great lodging, and access to unforgettable outdoor adventures. Few places offer the sheer number of gathering spaces, including five conference centers and seven meeting rooms. It also doesn’t hurt that the place has 3,600 pristine acres of Oregon wilderness, complete with towering pines and glistening lakes to explore.
John Hancock Event Center : The John Hancock Event Center is the biggest space in town and a perfect choice for large businesses. With one “room” that can hold more than 600 people and an event center with capacity for nearly 10,000, companies of all sizes can hold events and retreats in this location. Just southeast of downtown, this space is easy to get to from any lodging destination.
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Favell Museum : Just across the Klamath River from downtown, the Favell Museum is known for its Native American artifacts and exhibits of contemporary western art. You can rent its spacious Banquet Room that holds up to 150 people, and it also has a beautiful patio and outdoor garden to enjoy as well.
Chiloquin Community Center : With two spacious rooms available for private events, the Chiloquin Community Center is a great place to hold your meetings. Located just a half hour north of Klamath Falls, the community center has the feel of being remote and secluded, while still being close to town. Holding your meetings or team building exercises here also supports the local tribal community.
Shilo Inns : Located on the northern side of town, Shilo Inns is a great location for an all-in-one meeting and lodging destination. More than 5,000 square feet of meeting space are available, as well as free WiFi, group rates, and onsite catering options. Shilo Inns can also help with the heavy lifting, coordinating every detail from standard meeting arrangements to lavish themed parties.
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Oregon Institute of Technology : Oregon Tech is another fantastic place to have your team meet for a day or longer. Offering competitive rates for rooms of all sizes, from auditoriums lounges and meeting rooms, the Oregon Institute of Technology has what you need. The school can even help with setup and your A/V equipment. Just 10 minutes north of town, you’ll be able to meet and then quickly get back to town or to any of the natural wonders around.
Gaucho Collective : For teams and companies looking to feed off of the energy of downtown Klamath Falls, check out the Gaucho Collective. The Gaucho Collective is a co-working space located right downtown, offering super-fast internet while being surrounded by a cool, creative vibe. Meeting rooms here come with a projector, whiteboards and markers, and a quiet space with all the hookups needed to be productive.
Waffle Hut : While you might think meeting at a Waffle Hut sounds odd, your team will thank you for making this your team building destination. As the smell of syrup and waffles fills the air, this well-known establishment in downtown Klamath Falls features a great meeting space. Able to hold around 50 people, this banquet/meeting room has a TV, sound system, WiFi, and a projector ready to use.
Lake of the Woods : Those looking to really get away from it all will enjoy the rustic charm of Lake of the Woods Mountain Resort and Lodge. About a 45 minute drive northwest of Klamath Falls, the resort is located on Lake of the Woods, one of the clearest lakes in the state, where visitors can enjoy fishing, sailing, paddling, water skiing, and even scuba diving. You’re also surrounded by incredible hiking trails. There are 33 cabins available of varying sizes, and an onsite restaurant can provide all the meals.
Outdoor Recreation
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After the day is done or the weekend has arrived, Klamath Falls has endless options for when it’s time to put the laptops away. There’s a reason that this has become such a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Klamath Falls has become a major hub for cyclists, and you can find a suitable ride for anyone. Get your group together and go on a mountain bike ride. You’ll find rentals in town, and you can enjoy riding some of the best off-road trails in the state.
Take advantage of the incredible hiking trails throughout the region. More adventurous folks can climb Mt. McLoughlin or Mt. Thielsen to get some real bragging rights when you head back to the office. But there are plenty of other options as well that show off the area’s lush forests, inland streams, and alpine lakes. Head south to the Lava Beds National Monument to see some incredible volcanic terrain. Or stick in town and take a relaxing walk in Moore Park. You’ll also want to explore the gem of southern Oregon, Crater Lake National Park, which features postcard-worthy views that are unlike anything else in the country.
For adventure on the water, check out ROE! Real Oregon Experience for a great team excursion where you can find flatwater for kayaking and SUP to enjoy. Those who like to fish will find countless opportunities in the region. The Williamson, Klamath, Wood, and Sprague Rivers are all excellent, and lakes like the Upper Klamath, Agency, Miller, Crescent, and Odell draw anglers as well. Catch trout, bass, crappie, and mackinaw, among other fish. Learning to fly fish makes for a great team building experience as well, and you can find a number of guides to take your group out on the water for a trip of a lifetime.
Golfers won’t be disappointed with four courses in the region, including the Arnold Palmer Signature Course at the Running Y Ranch Resort. And for a fun event close to town, go take a ride with Crater Lake Zipline, where your team can be soaring through the sky in the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
Out on the Town
While the natural beauty may be its biggest draw, Klamath Falls is filled with reasons to visit the town itself. The walkable downtown is filled with historic architecture, and there’s an emphasis on public art, with several notable murals to see. The area is home to half a dozen museums, giving your team an introduction to the region’s rich history and culture. The aforementioned Favell Museum is always a great stop, as is the Klamath County Museum, which is housed in an old armory building that dates back to 1932. Here you’ll find exhibits on Native American, pioneer, and WWII history, plus photographs that depict life in the region from more than a century ago. There are also two theaters that provide live entertainment throughout the year.
Food options include sushi to traditional cowboy grub. You won’t go thirsty either, with a winery, martini bar, and a brewery—the Klamath Basin Brewing Company has been producing some of the region’s best beer for more than 15 years. There are lodging options for every style and budget whether you like to stay at a resort, hotel, or bed & breakfast.
The goal of any team retreat is to build camaraderie and energize your group for the work ahead. Having a retreat in Klamath is one way to provide an experience that goes far beyond the PowerPoint presentations and bullet points on the agenda. This is a place your team will talk about for years to come. And that’s the most important part of any retreat, isn’t it?
Written by Douglas Scott for Matcha in partnership with Discover Klamath Visitor and Convention Bureau.
