This article is a part of the Big Bad Con Advice series! These articles aim to give general advice to attendees who are looking to connect with more of their peers in a professional capacity. While the articles tackle general information, our video series will zone in on special topics.

Hello again! This article will be a little different from the others, in that we are going to do a step-by-step simulation of what it might be like to travel to San Francisco for Big Bad Con, and how things might play out once you arrive. This is specifically targeted at congoers who will be traveling to Big Bad Con for the first time, and/or congoers who have never traveled or rarely traveled to the United States.

1. Pre-travel Reminders

Make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. We have an article called The Pre-Big Bad Con Checklist, which outlines some of the things you will need before you fly. Give it a read over ##here##. This doesn’t just have a checklist of stuff you’ll want to have on hand; we have also included advice on things you will need in order to check in to your room quickly, and things that can help you cut down on stress and financial costs.

Pack two copies of all relevant travel and immigration documents. Have one easily on hand in case you need it during any pre- or post-flight processes at Immigration, and another one for emergencies in your luggage.

Ready prescriptions for any medication you need to bring to the convention. The likelihood of being questioned about medication is rather low, but it can’t hurt to have this ready. This doesn't necessarily have to be a hard copy, just something you can present to people in a pinch.

Double check your luggage. Put baggage tags on everything you’ve got, and lock your luggage. Review your airline’s policies on baggage weights. If you’re checking bags in, try and put some kind of distinct marker on your luggage so that it’s easy for you to find in the mess of bags during baggage claim.

As a final reminder, please review our Public Health Policy carefully. People who do not follow our regulations will not be allowed to attend the convention.

2. While in Transit…

Arrive at your airport earlier or within the recommended time stated by your flight carrier. For domestic flights, this is approximately 1-3 hours before your flight. For international flights, they tend to recommend being at the airport approximately 3-4 hours before your flight. Pre-flight security and immigration processes can hold you up unexpectedly, so be ready for anything.

Find a currency exchange counter. While you can exchange money when you’re in San Francisco already, I’ve found it best to make time for this before you even get to the United States. Having some cash on hand could save you a lot of trouble.

We strongly recommend staying masked throughout your whole travel period: while you’re at your departing airport, on your plane, and upon your arrival. Airports are hotspots for all kinds of disease, especially COVID-19. Avoid dropping your mask for anything beyond taking water or food, or for security checks.

3. Upon arrival

If this is relevant to you, check SFO’s website for border patrol and customs clearance. This needs to be completed before you can claim your baggage and clear out of the airport. On average, going through immigration can take anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours, or longer.

For first-time travelers, we have some pointers with respect to handling the immigration process. They will almost always ask:

• Why are you visiting the US
• What do you do
• Where are you staying
• How much money (USD) do you have on you
• Are you bringing any food into the country, if yes what
• When will you return

Additionally, they may ask how you are funding your trip, and if you have friends/family in the United States. Answer with confidence. Instead of saying that you are in the US for work, you may want to specify that you’ve come to meet peers in the industry and make connections at an industry conference.

After you have exited baggage claim, follow signs for the shuttle service out of SFO. You do not need to book a taxi or a transportation service for yourself.

4. Traveling to Big Bad Con

The convention is hosted at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport at 1333 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010. Here's advice on how to get there:

• If you flew in: From SFO, take the Hyatt shuttle, which runs every 10-15 minutes. The hotel provides shuttles with lift gates upon request. Before you fly out, call the hotel (650) 347-1234 and let them know your arrival time to have an accessible shuttle pick you up.
• If you’re driving/flew in and rented a car: The hotel is right off Highway 101. Get driving directions here. Parking is available for $12/day.
• Public Transportation: We recommend either taking BART to SFO Airport and catching the Hyatt shuttle, using SamTrans, or taking Caltrain (stops 5 minutes from the hotel).

When traveling, please be conscientious of COVID exposure. We suggest masking whenever in public spaces.

For information about Hyatt Regency Hotel (SFO), check this part of their website. If you are staying at another hotel in the vicinity of the convention area, they may have a complimentary shuttle of their own. All hotel shuttles have the same pick-up and drop-off points. Keep an eye out for the shuttle that has your hotel’s name on it!

If you are staying at a hotel beyond the Bay Area, there is a BART train in and out of SFO. In general, BART trains are a great way to get around San Francisco, and are a lot cheaper than booking taxis or other transportation services. You can use their website to see how this works, and plan your trips.

4. General Advice

Prepare a reasonable daily budget for the duration of your stay. San Francisco can be extremely expensive, especially if this is your first time traveling to the area. Try to budget $50-100/per day to cover meals and other expenses. Please be advised that most places in SFO will ask for a debit/credit card, and that cash-only establishments won’t always have change on hand. Small bills are good to have!

Check in with folks once you’ve reached San Francisco! If you’ve got an eSim or data running, you can see if other folks arrived at SFO at the same time you did. Traveling together can be very helpful.

Having an ID other than your passport to show at establishments and for any other purpose is safer. I don’t think this needs to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: losing your passport is hellish and stressful. The less you have to bring it out during your stay in San Francisco, the better.

If you have any last-minute printing needs for bulk orders, there are printing services very close to the Hyatt. One of the printing services that some of our con-goers have used in previous years was JASK Digital Printing Solutions. The UPS store is also close by. Try to avoid printing at the hotel itself - that’s going to end up being rather costly for you.

There are cheaper food options outside of the hotel! If you’re able to walk around or have an Uber account, there are many excellent places to go before, during, and after the convention. Broadway has a wide variety of restaurants and cafes; there’s also a smattering of restaurants and cafes that are a walkable distance from SFO. Furthermore, you can order food to the hotel at any point through services like UberEats or GrabEats.

We hope this advice helps! Check the rest of our articles out for more.