Events: Location

Yesterday, I held my third event: F is for Friends Having Fun. While there, I was talking with a cacher who wanted to put on an event, but couldn't find a place for it. This is a problem I was having when planning my event. Here are my experiences, and what I've learned from other cachers about location (plus some related thoughts):

• Restaurant - Having an event at a restaurant can work out well as a "meet and greet." This is how my first event, Pillage the Village... Inn, took place. It was held at a Village Inn, with probably 20 or so people. It was mostly a "meet and greet." I did have a quiz about geocaching.com and caches in the area so I could give out a few prizes. Otherwise, people just chatted and ate.
  
• Advantages:
  
• Little preparation needed
• Good for "simple" events- no caching needed
• Good for meet and greets
• Variety of food (depending)
• Disadvantages:
• Requires collaboration with the restaurant and waitstaff
  
• Might require a fee (to rent a room, for example)
• Might require payment ahead of time for a pre-made menu
• Not much time (or space) for caching
• Less control about set-up
• Limited space
  

• State or National Park: I haven't had an event at a state/national park. This experience comes from talking with a cacher who wanted to set one up, but had trouble doing so.
• Advantages:
• Usually a scenic setting
• Usually a good amount of clean facilities (bathrooms, shelters, water)
• Open-space land
  
• Disadvantages:
• Reservations might have to be made months in advance
• Space might be limited
• Land might not be permitted to have caches

• BLM Land: My third event (F is for Friends Having Fun) was held at a BLM shelter, near a popular recreation area. There were approximately 50 people attending and 11 caches placed near the cache, with 3 more a bit farther away.
  
• Advantages:
• Free or low-cost
• Easy to hide caches with plenty of open-space areas
• More control in setup
• Fewer overall restrictions
  
• Disadvantages:
• Few facilities available, depending on the area (no bathrooms, water, tables etc.)
• Might be in a remote area (depending)