The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is a well-known, top-notch Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA) event held annually at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club near Orlando. LPGA winners compete in the season’s first tournament for a $1.5 million purse. Top celebrities and athletes also play for a $500,000 prize. This year, LPGA player Lydia Ko and MLB All-Star Jeff McNeil won the tournament.
Alongside the tournament, Hilton Grand Vacations also hosts events off the course, like an exclusive concert series*. Past entertainers include Sheryl Crow, the Gin Blossoms, Maren Morris and En Vogue. We bought a package for the tournament that added the concerts and a casino night to our weekend.
The 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions concert line-up featured Elle King, Styx, REO Speedwagon and Pitbull.
The outdoor venue itself felt comfortable and intimate. From the shuttle, we entered the event space through the food and bar tent. We enjoyed small plates from several different stations. Chairs and couches were next to electric firepits.
Because it was an outdoor venue, many chairs and couches had tournament-branded blankets. This was a nice touch since it was a chilly night. Not only did the blankets keep us warm during the concert, but now we have memories every time we use the blanket.
There were also double-decker trailers on either side of the stage with additional seating and a bar. If you know where to look, you could also find a few speakeasies featuring a tequila and whiskey bar.
And wow, the music was fantastic.
If you attend a Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions concert next year, here are some of our tips:
- Find your seat first, then get your food.
- You can experience the concerts to your liking — either standing by the stage next to the action or relaxing by the fire from a distance.
- The concert provided us with an experience that normally would cost hundreds of dollars — plus, we enjoyed the intimate setting and shuttling to and from the concert in luxury buses (and not worrying about parking or traffic).
Casino night was held at the same venue and was so much fun. When we first arrived, we could enjoy dinner and the bar. After eating, we strolled around and played different games, including blackjack, poker, roulette and craps. We played craps all night long. Everyone received “starter money” to play with, which meant no real money was lost during the night.
Robert, the stick man, explained the ways to bet at craps and the odds of each bet. As he taught us how to play, he added music trivia, which allowed us to earn more “money” and made the game fun. The best part of the game was when someone rolled a seven. Robert called out “mulligan,” which meant that everyone had to hold their bets while someone redid the roll.
The MC encouraged us to dance and sing and just generally have a great time while learning a new game. In the end, we exchanged raffle tickets for our “money,” and several people won gift cards. The staff really went all out for a great evening.
From the spectacular golf to the concerts and casino night, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is a memorable and fantastic travel experience. Read “How The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions Went ‘Above And Beyond’ This Couple’s Expectations” for our review of the 2023 tournament.
*To attend HGV Ultimate Access events (valued between $500–$3,500), Guests must attend a membership review or timeshare sales presentation during their stay in the same week as the event. If you do not attend the membership review or timeshare presentation, the retail value of the event may be charged to your credit card. HGV Ultimate Access events are subject to availability, nontransferable and subject to change without notice. Experience fee applies, minimum of $99 per event, to be paid at time of booking. Offer dates may change due to event availability. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other promotion.