Community Recommendations: Handy Travel Tips

Making your way to a conference is a whole adventure in itself.

In this post, we reached out to some seasoned conference travel experts–our DevLearn 2019 Ambassadors as well as our 2019 eLearning Guild Advisory Board–to find out about their best tips for making the trip to an event more enjoyable.

Have your own suggestions to add? Be sure to include them in the comments!

Diane Elkins – DevLearn Ambassador

• Take a small spray bottle. A few spritzes of water gets rid of wrinkles in most clothes. No more ironing!
• Whenever you get a rental car, try to get a white one. Picking the same color every time makes it one less thing to have to remember when traveling. And white is the easiest color to spot in a dark parking lot.

Debbie Richards – DevLearn Ambassador

• The ATMs at the hotels charge a hefty surcharge, so get cash before you come!

Karl Kapp – DevLearn Ambassador

• Bring a hoodie sweatshirt so you can put the hood up on the plane and not have cold air blowing on the back of your neck during the red eye.

Jennifer Murphy – 2019 eLearning Guild Advisory Board

• Wear comfortable shoes. Just because a hotel down the street looks really big does not mean it’s really close. Objects are farther away than they appear. It’s like the opposite of your rear-view mirror.
• The air is really dry. If you are Southern or otherwise used to a lot of humidity, your hair will look amazing, but your skin will fall off. Go easy on the styling products but heavy on the lotion.
• There is a Walgreens across the street from the hotel. Go over there and get some snacks, sunscreen, and a big ol’ jug of water.

Kelli Klee – DevLearn Ambassador

• Plan for the unexpected and go with it. Late flight = more time to review session outlines. Missing luggage = opportunity to go shopping (Vegas has a lot of options close by). Jet Lag = prep and sleep during “sleeping hours Vegas time zone”.
• Drink a lot of water and know there will always be something to do or see when you are awake.

Megan Torrance – 2019 eLearning Guild Advisory Board

• East coast time zone bodies may be surprised to find out that you wake up before some of the coffee shops and breakfast spots in the hotel– and the hotel rooms tend not to have fridges, coffee pots, etc. I bring instant coffees and non-perishable foods–or go shopping!– so I can camp out until other things open.

Meg Bertapelle – DevLearn Ambassador

• Bring water and hand lotion with you all day. Vegas is very dry and you will probably be uncomfortable, especially if you live in a typically humid area.
• If bringing your laptop to the conference, empty your bag of everything else you won’t need that day. The hotel rooms are far enough away that it will be hard to take a trip back to your room without missing something, and your bag will get really heavy carrying it around all day. (Don’t forget a battery pack and charging cords though!)
• Try not to wear yourself out – schedule in a little quiet and/or rest time before and after the conference. Your brain will get tired learning and connecting for several days at a stretch!

Nick Floro – DevLearn Ambassador

• Be sure to bring a light weight sweater, shirt to carry with you during the day, sometimes the rooms can run cold.
• Carry a battery pack to help keep your devices charged and ready throughout the day.
• Carry a bottle of water, container for coffee and refill during the event to keep hydrated.

Tony Isaac – DevLearn Ambassador

• Chapstick (for us guys especially) is a must in the dry climate.
• Room tip: dampen a hand towel and affix it to the return vent–it will provide enough moisture in the room to help prevent dry skin or a dry throat.