Travel/Expenses

Dates

NISE Net Advisors, Guests, and Thinking Partners

The NISE Net meeting starts with lunch on Wednesday, November 16, and runs through Friday, November 18 at 4:30 pm. You will want to arrive in San Francisco on Tuesday the 15th or early on the 16th, and depart either late Friday evening or Saturday morning so that you may participate in the entire conference. Allow one hour to and from the airport; it’s about a 30 minute ride, but traffic can be heavy.

NISE Net Subawardees

The NISE Net meeting starts with lunch on Wednesday, November 16, and runs through Friday, November 18 at 4:30 pm. In addition to the regular meeting schedule, a post-meeting session will be held on Saturday, November 19th.   You will want to arrive in San Francisco on Tuesday the 15th or early on the 16th, and depart either late Saturday evening or Sunday morning so that you may participate in the entire conference. Allow one hour to and from the airport; it’s about a 30 minute ride, but traffic can be heavy.

Travel Planning: Flights and Airport Shuttles

Please contact our travel agent to book your flight.  Based on your needs, she will provide you with a proposed itinerary, and will advise you of any applicable restrictions.   As we will be billed directly for your ticket, we appreciate you booking at your earliest convenience, but no later than October 15 , to take advantage of the group discounts.  You may contact our travel agent at: Vanita Louie, 1 Stop Travel, ph (415) 775-8989/ (800) 321-7739, email: vanita@1stoptravel.com

The most convenient airports to fly into are San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Oakland International Airport (OAK). We have set up an account with Super Shuttle to help you travel to and from the hotel; you will receive a voucher from the NISE Net Meeting administration shortly before your arrival. Please remember to print two copies of this voucher, one for arrival and one for departure. Please book reservations in advance for the Super Shuttle. For more information, contact http://www.supershuttle.com/htm/cities/sfo.htm .

Location

NISE Net 2005 sessions will be held at the Officer’s Club in San Francisco’s historic Ft. Mason, located near the Exploratorium. A shuttle bus will run between the Argonaut Hotel, the Exploratorium, and Ft Mason, although many people may prefer the short walk.

Hotel

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Argonaut Hotel, located at 495 Jefferson Street, San Francisco. Room reservations will be made based on the travel information we receive from the travel agent and based on your online registration. If you wish to stay additional nights in San Francisco, please contact the hotel directly to arrange the details.  Please contact us if you have questions about your booking.

Additional information on the hotel can be found at: http://www.argonauthotel.com/

Parking

For local travelers, plenty of free parking is available at the Exploratorium. Driving instructions to the Exploratorium can be found at ( http://annex.exploratorium.edu/visit/directions.html ). If you drive to San Francisco and stay at the Argonaut Hotel, we recommend that you park your car at the Exploratorium and shuttle or taxi to the hotel. If you prefer, the hotel has parking available for $32/day, plus tax and tip.

Meals

Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the Fort Mason Officer’s Club during the meeting. Additionally, we will hold an evening reception on Wednesday the 16th. Please be certain to include any dietary restrictions when you complete your registration form.  We are usually able to accommodate most restrictions; if we are unable to meet your needs we will contact you individually.

Computing

The Argonaut Hotel provides high-speed internet access in the guest rooms, and we are planning on installing a wireless network at the Ft. Mason Officers Club.  If you need email or internet access, please bring your own laptop as we will not be able to provide computers for general use. 

What to wear

Due to proximity to the Pacific Ocean, weather in San Francisco can range from sunny and warm to foggy, windy, rainy and cold all in the same week. You will want to bring a sweater or two, as well as clothes for warmer weather. Dress in layers so you can change on demand. Current weather conditions in San Francisco can be found at http://www.wunderground.com/US/CA/San_Francisco.html

If you have any general information questions, please contact Thomas at thomasc@exploratorium.edu , or at 415-528-4484. We wish you safe travels and look forward to seeing you in San Francisco.

Expenses

Most expenses for the 2005 NISE Network Meeting will be covered directly, without the inconvenience of waiting for reimbursements. Standard federal spending guidelines will apply - please let us know if you have any questions.

Plane tickets should be booked through our travel agent, (Vanita Louie, 1 Stop Travel, ph (415) 775-8989/ (800) 321-7739, email: vanita@1stoptravel.com ) who will bill us directly. Please retain your ticket stubs and mail them to us after your return flight.

Transportation to and from the airport will be provided by SuperShuttle. Vanita at 1 Stop Travel will email you a shuttle voucher form. Please print a copy for each leg of your trip; we will be charged only for those that are redeemed. If you prefer to take a cab, please retain the receipt and we will reimburse you up to the price of a shuttle. Cabs typically run around $45-60, shuttle fare is approximately $15-20. Cab sharing is often a reasonable alternative.

The Argonaut Hotel will bill us directly for your stay. Please keep in mind that you will need to provide a credit card at check-in to cover any additional costs or nights.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided for group meals during the meeting, starting with lunch on the 16th. We will also host a welcoming reception at the Exploratorium that evening. Your registration packet will include a guide to local restaurants for your convenience in planning your additional meals.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:

NISE Net Meeting 2005
Exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 528-4824

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