Where I Go: A Top Experiential Marketer's Favorite Venues Around the Country

Shelley ElkinsPhoto: Courtesy of Jack Morton WorldwideShelley Elkins is the global chief creative officer for brand experience agency Jack Morton Worldwide, where she’s one of the only female CCOs of a leading global experiential agency. She drives the creative vision for the agency and chairs the Global Creative Council, a group of creative leaders representing each office who collaborate and push the boundaries of brand experience. The award-winning leader, who previously led creative for Digitas in Chicago, has more than 20 years of industry experience. She’s based in San Francisco and works around the world. Here, she shares her go-to spots around the country...

To Take in Art and Culture
As a creative leader and a mom of two kids (ages 6 and 9), I am on a mission to take in as much art and culture as humanly possible! I am especially passionate about hands-on experience. That’s why two of my favorite spots are the Exploratorium in San Francisco and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The wealth of immersive experiences that continue to pop up seemingly everywhere is fun to see, but I’ve found some of them to be way too passive. I want to push buttons, pull levers, experience things with all my senses. My family and I really enjoyed Omega Mart by Meow Wolf in Las Vegas for exactly that reason. It was what all immersive experiences should be. We crawled through tents, slid down slides, discovered secret passageways, and fully experienced the art. Museum of Science and Industry in ChicagoPhoto: J.B. Spector/Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

To Hear Live Music
I’ve never been a big fan of big festivals or stadium shows. Music is personal, and there’s nothing better than hearing it live in an intimate venue. The smaller and sweatier, the better. I spent most of my adult life in Chicago and some of my favorite spots include the Empty Bottle, Double Door, Green Mill, Rosa’s Lounge, Evanston Space—and the list goes on.

To Get Inspired
I’ve been surprisingly inspired by getting back to the office. I’ve found myself looking forward to those days. The walk from my kids' school to the Muni. The train ride downtown. Eating somewhere new for lunch! (I’m tired of My Refrigerator Cafe.) Getting to know new co-workers. Smiling at strangers as you pass them by on the street. Inspiration is all around us, but we must step away from our computers to find it.

To Host a Cool Brand Activation
The coolest brand activations have big ideas behind them, and those ideas typically drive the location—even within a larger footprint such as CES or SXSW. We recently created an experience for Merge Mansion at The Paramour Estate in Los Angeles. We were opening a physical version of a mansion that was opening for the first time in the mobile game. The Paramour was the place we recommended when we pitched the business. The idea was meant to live there. The Paramour Estate in Los AngelesPhoto: Courtesy of The Paramour Estate

To Eat a Favorite Meal
I love experiencing local culture and community through food. My favorite spot in San Francisco is Mandalay in the Richmond. It’s a Burmese family-owned restaurant that’s an experience from the minute you walk in the door. The decor, the service, the owner who greets you personally, and, of course, the food. A good restaurant has something for everyone to enjoy. If you go to Mandalay, be sure to get the Balada and either the Tea Leaf or Rainbow Salad. 

To Entertain Clients
I love entertaining clients at sporting events, and, specifically, NBA or WNBA games. Have you ever been to a game at San Francisco’s Chase Center? It’s worth the price of admission. The spectacle is almost as good as the game itself. (Unless Steph Curry is on fire, and then the game rules.) Basketball, baseball, hockey, you name it, I’ve always loved sporting events for entertaining because they’re constantly in motion. No one gets stuck at the dry end of a dinner table. You can entertain and be entertained. And everyone can choose their own adventure. Chase Center in San FranciscoPhoto: Jason O'Rear

To Unwind After a Long Day
One word: walk. I am lucky to live just a few blocks away from Ocean Beach in San Francisco where you can walk up and down the Great Highway or venture down to the beach. But my favorite walk is called Lands End. It’s perfectly named—it feels like the end of this world and the beginning of another, even more magical one. The minute you step onto the trail, it feels as if you’ve stepped out of the city—cue the smell of eucalyptus trees and the sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore.   

To Get Work Done on the Road
Getting work done on the road is hard. There are time zones and battery life and bumpy flights and so many other X factors. For me, it’s about having a routine and sticking to it. If I’m flying in the morning, I grab coffee and breakfast at the same spot at SFO. I find a great coffee shop and become their best occasional customer. But most important is hotel. You must find a hotel where you can feel comfortable and get a good night’s sleep. Then rinse and repeat. 

To Experience Nature
One of my favorite spots is Muir Woods, a magical forest of old-growth coast redwoods just outside of San Francisco. The trees tower above you—they can grow as tall as 200 or 300 feet. Most of the redwoods in Muir Woods are between 500 and 800 years old. The oldest is at least 1,200 years old! To stand among such giants of nature is an absolutely incredible experience. Muir Woods in Northern CaliforniaPhoto: Billy Huynh/Unsplash