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Parking at the BFD

chriscoli

Administrator
I've had a few questions about long-term parking at the upcoming event. Let me simplify your options:

If you're ok parking near the hotel - IMO this is your best option:
- there are several county-managed garages very near the hotel. The Waverly garage is really really close to the hotel. If you arrive on Friday, you can park in any of the "long term" spots in that garage and pay the meter $1/hour until 10:00 pm Friday. After that the garage is FREE Friday after 10:00 pm through Sunday night. There's a map of the county-run garages HERE. You'll know you're at a county garage because it'll have the county seal on the garage entrance sign. The Waverly garage has a height restriction of 6' 10" and is open and well-lit inside.

If you want to park at the hotel (follow the signs that say "Ballroom" if you want to enter the hotel on the same level as the event):
- if you do not need to leave once you park, go with the $12/day parking that the hotel's garage offers as-is. No need to do anything else.
- if you're going to want to come and go multiple times a day, go with the $22/day parking. You'll need to get your parking validated at the hotel's front desk.
 

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Staff member
I missed this before the event. My fault.

I was worried driving through the garage in my truck but all worked out. The ballroom entrance was very convenient.

I parked on Thursday night and left on Sunday afternoon and by parking bill was only $18.00. Thought that was great.

If anyone ever asked me I would say yes to this hotel again.
Those people were great.
 

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
Thanks for the feedback Pat.

I heard from several people that they paid less than the posted rates, so hopefully that was a pleasant surprise for everyone.
 

JLW

CCA Members
I was in and out a lot, and I was always able to find parking for free at the garage across the street (except on Friday, but I was in the garage then). Parking was no problem, and actually pretty darned convenient.

I agree with Pat, the staff and everyone was wonderful. There's SO MUCH around the place, and its overall a great venue.
 

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Staff member
There's SO MUCH around the place, and its overall a great venue.

The food within walking distance was great. We hit several places.
The funny one was me trying to find the dunkin on Friday morning. I am walking around with my google maps and cant find it. I finally realized it was under the street
level in the metro. Can tell I am from the country. LOL
 

chriscoli

Administrator
The food within walking distance was great. We hit several places.
The funny one was me trying to find the dunkin on Friday morning. I am walking around with my google maps and cant find it. I finally realized it was under the street
level in the metro. Can tell I am from the country. LOL

I wouldn't have found it either!
 

Becca

Members
All things considered, parking was not nearly as expensive as was listed. Being able to unload directly into tha ballroom area was amazing. The commute was a b*tch, but the hotel was nice, service was great, and there were a lot of cute little fish-centered touches. Also, the hospitality suite was sweet.

Any chance they're willing to book next year at a similar rate to this year?
 

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
I heard a few people say the same thing about the Dunkin Donuts. Guess the local Starbucks wasn't enough of a draw, but glad people eventually found it. I enjoyed being able to walk to Chipotle for dinner one night.
 

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
All things considered, parking was not nearly as expensive as was listed. Being able to unload directly into tha ballroom area was amazing. The commute was a b*tch, but the hotel was nice, service was great, and there were a lot of cute little fish-centered touches. Also, the hospitality suite was sweet.

Any chance they're willing to book next year at a similar rate to this year?
Glad to hear the feedback is overall positive. We still need some time to download the results of this year's BFD before we start talking about next year, but it'll be worth asking them soon if we decide to go that route.
 

Becca

Members
In regards to finding places to eat, We walked for a while late Friday and didn't find much, so just ate at the hotel. I strongly suspect we headed the wrong direction, but we were both so tired and cold we really didn't have it in us to keep looking. In the future, whether it's here or elsewhere, I'm sure folks would love a little map in the program, or even by the registration desk, that shows where some nearby eateries can be found. Maybe there was one there and I was just too loopy to notice it.
 

chriscoli

Administrator
In regards to finding places to eat, We walked for a while late Friday and didn't find much, so just ate at the hotel. I strongly suspect we headed the wrong direction, but we were both so tired and cold we really didn't have it in us to keep looking. In the future, whether it's here or elsewhere, I'm sure folks would love a little map in the program, or even by the registration desk, that shows where some nearby eateries can be found. Maybe there was one there and I was just too loopy to notice it.

we had a list of restaurants ranked by distance from the hotel, type of food, and cost that was laminated and posted several places at the registration desk.
 

lkelly

Members
In regards to finding places to eat, We walked for a while late Friday and didn't find much, so just ate at the hotel. I strongly suspect we headed the wrong direction, but we were both so tired and cold we really didn't have it in us to keep looking. In the future, whether it's here or elsewhere, I'm sure folks would love a little map in the program, or even by the registration desk, that shows where some nearby eateries can be found. Maybe there was one there and I was just too loopy to notice it.
When you guys are done chipping in to buy Bruce a new knife, start up a new fund to get Becca a smart phone with a maps app.

#justkidding
 

FishEggs

Well-Known Member
When you guys are done chipping in to buy Bruce a new knife, start up a new fund to get Becca a smart phone with a maps app.

#justkidding
And it has to be easy enough to use while being sleep deprived for 3 days.
So it should jump out of your pocket when you're hungry and yell at you to "follow my nose, it always knows" and then lead you there floating in air while flashing bright lights so you can follow it and not lose it. Now that's a smart phone.
 

Becca

Members
When you guys are done chipping in to buy Bruce a new knife, start up a new fund to get Becca a smart phone with a maps app.

#justkidding

Good point, though. I probably could've used my phone if I hadn't left it in the hotel room. I'm a relatively late arrival to the smart phone party and am fairly terrible at remembering to bring it places. I made it 20 something years without a cell phone - what's another day here or there?

chriscoli chriscoli - hence why I said I might've been too loopy to notice it. I'd blame the scotch, but I didn't open that up until midday on Saturday.;)
 

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Staff member
out the front door to the right there were a bunch, but if you went to the right about 2 blocks and turned right another block it was packed with different places.
I found a taco place to try and a fancy cupcake place. Both for lunch one day lol
there were a good 25 places in a cluster of 2 blocks I would say
 
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