Travel

Wildacres Retreat Center is an isolated location in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. It might take more planning than usual on the part of the delegates to get to Wildacres, compared to other conference venues. There are no public trains, buses, etc. that travel to Wildacres from nearby cities or airports. Delegates who have the ability are encouraged to rent a vehicle and drive themselves to Wildacres, ride with someone else who has rented a vehicle, or book their own taxi/Uber/private ride. It is an approximately 2.5 hour drive to Wildacres from Charlotte (CLT) airport and a 1 hour drive from Asheville (AVL) airport. These driving times could shorten if additional roads are re-opened between now and May. Ground transportation options for getting to Wildacres include the following:

• Rent a vehicle and drive to Wildacres - All airport locations listed below have numerous options for renting cars. Almost all car rental companies will rent vehicles to individuals holding an international driver's license. It's a good idea to visit the website of the rental company you intend to use to confirm their specific requirements and necessary documents. Likewise, most car-sharing services will accept your international license. Please read the rules on driving in the U.S. with an international driving permit. There is a free parking lot at Wildacres where you can safely leave a car throughout the conference.

• Hire a Taxi / Uber / Lyft / private vehicle / etc. 

• Ride with another delegate who is driving to/from Wildacres or has booked a ride - If delegates would like to coordinate ride sharing with one another (personal vehicles, rentals, Uber, etc.), they may use the Ride Sharing Communication Sheet (link shared in 2nd Announcement) to offer or request rides. Use of this sheet is voluntary. Its purpose is to facilitate travel-related communication between delegates. Delegates using it are responsible for reaching out to others and updating the sheet as needed. Note that the sheet is publicly available to anyone with the link (which is why the link is not included on the website).

• Ride on one of two LOC-scheduled shuttles from Asheville/AVL or Charlotte/CLT - The LOC will schedule two shuttles to transport people between Charlotte and Wildacres on Monday, May 19th and return on Saturday, May 24th. See details below. Limited seats are available. You may express your need for one of these shuttles on the Registration Form. NOTE: The deadline for scheduling a seat on the schedule has already passed. If you arranged a seat on the shuttle, an email with pick-up instructions will be sent to you by May 13.

The closest regional and international airports to Wildacres Retreat Center are listed below, ordered from closest (AVL in Asheville, NC) to farthest (RDU in Raleigh, NC) from the conferene venue. 

Delegates are responsible for ensuring their own eligibility to enter the United States and, if required, for obtaining the appropriate visa. The organizers will issue a formal letter of invitation to any bona fide delegates that require such a letter for visa or funding purposes. If required, please write to sdob12meeting@gmail.com (Subject: sdOB12 Invitation Letter) and provide your full name, institute, contact details, and any specific content that needs to be in the letter. Please review the U.S. government website on travel to the U.S.