Help Out UC Newbies and Share Your UC Tips!

[ChrisCatania]

It's almost that time of year. As we get ready for the User Conference, we want to help first-time attendees prepare, so we're looking for those who have been to UC before to offer tips, advice and share other helpful knowledge to help first-timers make the most out of their experience.

So, let us know... what should first-time attendees do to prepare and have a successful UC? What should they do during and after the event to maximize learning and networking? What strategies work for you? What do you wish you did differently at your first or last UC? 

Your tips will be shared here on GeoNet in the User Conference group, as well as in other pre-UC communications going out over the next couple months. Post your tips below and thanks for sharing and spreading the word! 

See what others have previously shared each year below.

[curtvprice]

You can almost always get federal per diem ($162) at conference hotels.  If it's a long shag down the conv center you can usually get a shuttle from these hotels. I suggest contacting Esri Housing Bureau: (909) 793-2853, ext. 1363 UChotelres@esri.com - and ask them if they can get you a per diem room. They may have one for you if you call today -- people do cancel (in fact many feds have had to cancel -- USGS was restricted to 8 attendees).  If that doens't work, there are other options:  this year I am attending as a non-USGS person (wearing my professor hat) and I found hotels near Old Town under $100 -- there is a trolley stop right there and drops you off right at the conv center. A weekly pass is cheap.

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

(in fact many feds have had to cancel -- USGS was restricted to 8 attendees)

Just curious - is USGS the only federal agency with reduced attendance at the Conference this year or did other federal agencies suffer attendance restrictions also?

Chris Donohue, GISP

[curtvprice]

The decision was made at the Dept of Interior level (includes USGS, Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land management, National Park Service, and others). Given the funding uncertainty for FY18 I would not be surprised if we don't see more limited participation across the entire federal government. 

[JeffWard]

The Mission Valley hotels are cheaper and you can use the transit system to get to the conference center from there. A trolley runs through mission valley right to the convention center (green line). San Diego public transit is cheap - $5 for the whole day on trolleys and buses. If you can't find a hotel in Mission Valley, you can take a bus to one of the transit centers - Fashion Valley, Old Town - and take the trolley from there.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

...and the Double Tree (if it is still called that) in Mission Valley is right across from a trolley station.

[DavidForbuss1]

150+/night is about the going rate for hotels anywhere these days.  In a place like San Diego I'd honestly expect them to be even higher.

[Robert_LeClair]

Adding to the list of things that make an enjoyable UC experience:

• If you're looking to save some money on food, pick up groceries from Ralphs on the SE corner of G Street and 1st Ave.  Be sure your hotel room has a refrigerator in the room as some hotels have refrigerators on a request only basis.
• If you're a walker/runner, walk/run first thing in the morning!  The paths by the marina, embarcadero's all the way to the Midway/airport make for a great way to start your day.  You'll see fellow conference attendees and Esri employees getting a head start on their day.  Besides after a day of conferencing, there are many events to attend!
• Dinner in the Gas Lamp District is great but crowded.  Walk or take the train to Little Italy.  This area has an eclectic mix of cuisines.
• Don't worry about a rental car!  Take a taxi, SuperShuttle, Uber, etc. from the airport to your hotel.
• Sadly the San Diego Padres are out of town conference week but catching a game is a fun post conference day thing to do to unwind.
• Tour the Midway!

[ChrisCatania]

Thanks for sharing all the tips and advice, everyone! Such a great collection for UC first-timers!  If you haven't seen it yet, here's another useful tool, a handy map of the top 25 things to experience at UC. Enjoy!   http://www.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=98236c04df8644c4a894cb1060ffa36b 

[AdrianWelsh]

I'm adding one more comment to this great comprehensive list. Since Timothy made a top-ten-like blog post, I decided to do so as well, using a five-year-old to tell the story. Enjoy!

/blogs/AdrianWelsh/2017/05/26/top-ten-things-a-five-year-old-would-do-at-the-esri-user-conference 

[KimJackson]

Resist the temptation to sit with your co-workers at the Plenary or other sessions.  Split up and meet new people. Introduce yourself to international visitors and have a business card ready to make new contacts. Even with 15,000 + people, if you make a small effort, you'll be surprised to see some familiar faces by the end of the week.

Put down your phone for a few minutes and enjoy the view over the bridge on the upper floor balconies of the Convention Center.