If you aren’t in Florida, the Caribbean or California, there are still alternatives for those wanting to throw beach events. With summer just around the corner, urban beaches hold great possibilities for companies that don’t have the budget for foreign or out-of-town travel. Whether you want to throw a beach party or a picnic, these venues are worth considering.
There are two types of urban beaches: man-made temporary beaches (sometimes called "fake beaches") and permanent beaches. As a follow up to our feature last year, let’s take a quick look at what’s new and what’s hot in the world of urban beaches.
Temporary Artificial Beaches
Montreal Brand New for 2012
- Plage urbaine au Vieux-Port – Opening, June 2012
Inspired by the beach on the Seine in Paris, Plage urbain au Vieux-Port will be located on the Old Port’s Clock Tower pier. There will be a charge for admission.
Berlin
- Ku’damm Beach
- Oststrand
- Capital Beach
- Bundespressestrand
Permanent Urban Beaches
Boston
- Carson Beach
Chicago
- Oak Street Beach
Atlanta
- Beach at Clayton County
New York
Toronto
- HtO Park
Toronto’s first urban beach was opened west of downtown on Toronto’s waterfront in 2007, yet many GTA residents still don’t know about it. It’s free to use.
- Canada’s Sugar Beach
Opened in 2010, this $14.3-million beach was built on a former parking lot next to the Redpath Sugar factory, east of downtown on Toronto’s waterfront. No, you can’t swim there, but it’s free and it’s a great place to relax. -
Amsterdam
- Blijburg aan Zee
- Amsterdam Plage
- Strand West
Australia- Streets Beach, Brisbane
Despite the fact that the photo to the right looks realistic, it’s actually a pool.
South Africa
- Sun City, South Africa
Other Urban Beaches
So, get out of the office and get creative. Urban beaches are perfect for beach parties, scavenger hunt stops and even galas.
Photo Credits: Executive Oasis International, Streets Beach.
Source: www.cvent.com blog
By: Anne Thornley-Brown, MBA, @executiveoasis is the President of Executive Oasis International, a Toronto-based management consulting firm specializing in powerful strategies to help companies succeed even in the midst of turbulence.
