With a conference of over 30,000 attendees, it can be easy to get lost in the mix. Here are a couple tips to help ease your stress so that you can concentrate on the most important aspect of the trip — having fun, err, learning science!
The information provided on the SfN website itself is great. Take a look at the main site and surf around to find things from SfN featured lectures to general DC information.
You can also check out a list of the workshops, meetings, and events for SfN 2011.
And here are some FAQs the SfN group provides for when you are at the conference.
SfN goes techie!
This year the SfN conference will be at the forefront of the social media wave, having bloggers and tweeting on their Twitter page. Check out the details on how to become a neuroblogger!
And of course you can check out the SfN facebook page for the latest and greatest.
To the Convention Center:
Convention Center 6 miles from DCA (Ronald Reagan Airport)
Taxi from airport to convention – ~$15
Public Transportation – One of the best Metros in the world, so don’t be afraid to venture. It’s very clean, has awesome signs inside that tell you when the next trains are coming, and the price is great. Although unlike other cities like New York, the fee for a trip on the Metro is dependent upon the distance you go and is not a flat fee.
Specific directions on the DC Convention Center website are very useful because it details the metro trip (Yellow Line the whole way) and also gives directions if you’re coming from another airport such as BWI or Dulles.
The SfN site has a great section on travel as well.
To your hotel
Consult the Metro site to plan out a trip from the airport to your hotel.
Taxi service from Reagan Airport can take you directly to your housing. IMPORTANT NOTE: DC used to be on a “Zone System,” which means that fares were based off of what zone you were going to. But as of about 2008, it’s all meters. Do not get ripped off by someone trying to sell you zones!
Still looking for a hotel?
SfN has posted information on hotels for the conference and provided a list of SfN sanctioned hotels, but we always like to consult Trip Advisor for the real scoop!
DC can be a huge place! The city is broken up into four quadrants — the NW, the NE, the SW, and the SE. Most of the action is in the NW, which is where most all attractions, hotels, and the Convention Center is. You can see that the Convention Center is not exactly right smack in the middle of things, but it’s not too far. You can venture west for most everything you’d need to see or do, from visiting the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave, obviously), to stomping around Georgetown (starting around 28th and M street moving west past Wisconsin Ave.)
After a long day learning about neurons, yours will be pretty hungry or interested in entertainment. Here are some resources to help you find things to do and places to eat:
The Washingtonian – local magazine with great listing of interesting events, and local food
Best 100 Restaurants link – enjoy!
2 Amys – AWESOME pizza up near the National Cathedral
DC Foodie blog – great to check out wonderful local food
DC365 – another blog with some phenomenal tips for exploring DC
Since you’re in the heart of US government, check out what the National Park Service has to say about sights to see. The page outlines the sites to see in and around DC, from Downtown, to Embassy Row, to the National Mall.
Enjoy your time at both the SfN conference and in DC. And don’t forget about Northern Virginia, there is lots to do and see there. After all, the National Science Foundation is in Arlington!
Check out our other sites to help you navigate the beast which we call SfN 2011:
Society for Neuroscience General Meeting Information