Sometimes executives need a little play time before getting down to business, and the tri-state area has plenty of corporate retreat options.

From rural conference centers with an array of outdoor activities, to urban hotels with historical and cultural attrac­tions nearby, this region offers splendid venues for retreats and conferences.

Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, Ga., is one of the premier spots. “It’s a rustic, lodge-like setting in the woods,” says Liz Howard, assistant to the economic development director for the Southeast Industrial Development Association and coordinator of con­ferences, retreats and other events for the organization. “It’s just beautiful.”

With 503 acres for golfing, horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, botany excursions and more, Brasstown Valley Resort offers plenty to do outside the boardroom – and that can make time spent indoors more productive.

“You give [people] a beautiful place like that where they’re meeting and planning and strategizing, but they’re also in a setting where they can bring their families,” Howard says. “It’s a treat as well as a work session. You get them relaxed, and we get a lot done.”

Another rustic favorite in the north Georgia mountains is Cohutta Springs Conference Center in Crandall. Activities on its 725 wooded acres include team-building on ropes courses, canoeing, hiking, caving, biking, boating, rock climbing and swimming.

For those seeking an urban setting for their retreat or conference, The Chattanoogan may be just the right choice.

The city-owned facility next to the rec­ently expanded Chattanooga Con­vention Center “is in historic downtown Chattanooga,” Howard says, “and all the revitalization that’s been done in the area makes it a place people want to come and see. They’ve got huge meeting spaces, and it’s just a beautiful hotel.”