It doesn’t matter if this is your first Gen Con, your last, or if you’re a veteran; there is something here for you. Lisa and I are well-seasoned veterans of not just Gen Con but many conventions, thanks to our volunteer and judging experience. I have been attending Gen Con since 2002, and Lisa hasn’t missed since 2018. Which has positioned us to be your travel advisors, well, not really, but we can certainly share a lot of information from packing to the return trip home that we have learned over the last twenty years.
One of the first things I would say you might want to look at is your budget. This is something I learned the hard way. I used to travel blindly (not just to Gen Con) with extra Magic the Gathering cards to pay for my way and hopefully not have any out of pocket expenses – that I didn’t have money for. I was foolish. I hope I can give you a lot of wisdom with this. I have learned to look at conventions the same way I was taught to look at survival – food, water, and shelter. If you take those three things to heart, your Gen Con experience will be much more enjoyable. Of the three, water and food are the two easiest to take care of, especially if you drive to the show as we do. Even if you are flying, you can pack enough snacks and protein that you can survive. Shelter is a big expense and could be difficult to obtain. With that said, I have never used the room draw, and we usually manage to stay out by the airport or within twenty minutes.
If you take water with you, it will help you save money and it will make you feel much better mentally and will help with those aches and pains. Dehydration is probably a gamer’s biggest demon; it sneaks up on you, fogs your brain, makes you ache, changes your blood flow, and much more. I try to drink 20 oz. or more of water every hour when I am as active as I am at a convention. The fact is, Gen Con is as much work as it is a vacation for me. It is often hot, I drink, and I am physically. All of which help set me up to be dehydrated. So please, pack yourself one water bottle or refill one at the water stations that are all over the convention center. This also saves you space – one water bottle over a case is a lot less to pack. Bonus Drip Drop hydration packets go a long way to keep you hydrated and alert
Food is a much bigger monster to tackle because there is so much to consider. It comes down to what you are interested in: food trucks, local restaurants, or cooking in the room. I will speak a lot more on food in the future, but we think that balance is a good thing. Lisa and I really try to maintain a budget when we travel. One of the best ways we do that is with what we eat. For us, the first thing we look for is a Hotel with breakfast, preferably a hot one. I can’t tell you how important this meal is for me at a convention. If I don’t eat a good breakfast, I get tired fast. We almost always complement our hotel breakfast with a protein shake. If you can’t get a hotel with breakfast, make sure you get a microwave. You can always hit a grocery store and cook your own eggs – just make sure you pack the needed utensils. If you’re staying downtown, there is a Whole Foods a couple of blocks from the Indiana Convention Center. After that, we pack our lunches – we almost never pay for our lunch. In most of our travels, we ate out of cans, usually tuna or salmon and canned vegetables, but we are evolving, and now we do prepare everything from meat and cheese boards to chicken pesto salads. It doesn’t stop there, we reward ourselves every night with dinner. We only eat out two times over our six days at Gen Con. On the other nights, I cook us a relaxing meal in the room. This year or hotel menu is going to include Mediterranean power bowls, black bean and and corn quesadillas, and a stir fry. I know those aren’t all easy to do in a microwave, and I am not only going to use a microwave this year. I got an induction burner for Father’s Day this year, and it’s a perfect hotel cooker. There are a million things you can cook in your room if you are responsible with your time, like chilis and stews. If any of you want tips or ideas for your hotel room meals – just ask. The only thing I didn’t touch on is snacks. We pack protein bars, Epic bars, a high-protein trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, and usually some pork rinds.
It doesn’t matter if you are walking to your hotel, driving, or getting a cab, it’s important that you learn the area. I highly suggest you get a local map of the downtown area. I don’t trust GPS in the city of Indiana. I can’t tell you how many appointments I missed because my GPS couldn’t find me. If you are walking, know how much time it takes to walk from A to b and plan for extra time just in case something goes wrong. If you are traveling at night, pay attention, and if possible, use the buddy system.
When packing, before you leave for Indy, consider your comfort. A good pair of shoes is a key to success. I buy fresh socks and underwear for every show I attend. I bring a rice pack and a heating pad. If you are flying and need a special pillow, then by all means bring it, these things make your mental health well healthy. Whenever I travel, I take two extra pairs of socks and underwear, a t shirt for everyday, at least one button down shirt, and one extra pair of pants. Beyond that, I bring along all of the standard hygiene stuff. Please, make sure you shower. You may not always be alone in the space that you call yours. Besides, I find that a nice shower to end the day is often relaxing. With that said, if you are worried about germs, I find the restrooms outside of the convention center to be less crowded and therefore more likely to have less germs.
Up to this point everything has been about what to pack, but once you arrive at Gen Con, I suggest you explore. Every year I arrive on Wednesday and walk my trail. That is, I take may schedule and walk it from each event, and interview that is on my schedule so I have an idea of where I need to be. This does two things for me: one, it allows me to take in some of the surroundings before I really start, for example, I may stumble across a tournament area that I was thinking was elsewhere. Two, it allows me to scout, take notes, and pictures of things I may want to do. In other words, explore, stop and listen to one of the performers, check out some miniature terrain, participate in paint and take, and parous Authors Alley. Gen Con is so big, and it is really easy to put the blinders on. I know from experience it is really easy to miss something I wish I had seen – I do it almost every year.
A trip to Gen Con wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Vendors Hall. Here is what every attendee should know. One, they no longer allow carts/dollies in the hall except for special needs. Two, use the map to scout your targets before the show and plan you entry points. If you come in the wrong door, it can add five or even ten minutes to your trip. Three, respect the space of others. I shouldn’t have to say this, but every year I see something happen, like cutting people off, or not paying attention, and knocking something out of a booth. Remember, everyone is there to have fun.
If you are going to try and see the entire exhibitors hall there are a few things that I think should never be over looked. Entrepreneurs Avenue is where the newest game companies can be found. And if you move through it on Sunday, you might just stumble across that crazy deal. While moving through and playing the demos, don’t forget about the coupon book – some really good deals. Keep in mind the hall is broken down into blocks like the family fun zone and the RPG aisle. If you play every demo and check out every booth, you can make the exhibitors hall a four-day trek.
I hope this brings some basic principles, like food, shelter, and water, to the forefront of not just your Gen Con travels but all of your travels. If I have given you ideas about food for your trips, I would love to hear about them. Again, if you want some ideas about lunches and/or hotel dinners, just reach out.
Matt Lemke