A freelance writer in Palo Alto, California, Kevin Sharp has published material for a variety of audiences. Kevin Sharp engages with the writing community by traveling from Palo Alto to attend conferences throughout the country.
Conference travel is different than traveling for pleasure, in that you will need to get to your conference site efficiently and maximize your time while there. Many experienced conference travelers meet both goals by having a complete change of clothes in their carry-on bags. This allows you to look put-together if a bag gets lost or if there is no time to go through a checked bag before arriving at the conference.
You may also save time by entering the venue address and your hotel address into your phone, if the two are different. This lets you settle in quickly and travel between the two efficiently. You will be able to spend more time at the conference if you can avoid going back and forth often, and packing a full-day bag each morning can let you do this. The bag, which can be helpful even if you are staying on site, should contain chargers and devices, business cards, and snacks, as well as a water bottle.
Consulting the daily agenda will help you to pack your day bag effectively, while also giving you the chance to prioritize what you want to see and do. However, you will also want to be open to spontaneous socializing and networking with people you meet at the conference, so know where in your schedule you can work in some flexibility. Finally, be sure to schedule some rest time, as it is hard to learn or to put your best self out there if you are exhausted from trying to do too much.
