The LA Times Travel & Adventure Show is back! Every year, Unicomm brings this amazing travel show to Los Angeles (and Washington DC, and NYC). The Los Angeles Convention Center fills up with eager travel lovers, travel industry people and media for the largest travel event on the west coast. This will be my third year attending the LA Times Travel & Adventure Show; it feels chaotic on the floor at times, but obviously the overall experience is positive since I keep coming back.
Like all of Unicomm’s events, the LA Times Travel Show is organized exceptionally well. Lots and lots of exhibitors (over 500) set up in booths: the Travel Show focuses on vacation destinations, of course, with specific travel-related products, activities, attractions, and resorts having some time in the spotlight as well. This year’s speakers include some people affiliated with the LA Times, plus Samantha Brown, Andrew McCarthy, Rick Steves — whom I love — and Arthur Frommer of Frommer’s Travel Guides fame.
How about those headliners? As a travel nerd, I think it’s very exciting: Arthur Frommer is talking about “Thinking Outside the Suitcase,” Chris Reynolds is interviewing — well, “having a conversation with,” Andrew McCarthy at 1:00PM, and Rick Steves is talking about traveling Europe on a budget at 3:00PM on Saturday, on the Los Angeles Times Travel Stage.
There are many other interesting presentations from which to choose, as well. I plan to attend Beauty and Adventure in Costa Rica at 11:00AM and Conservation Adventures with Earthwatch at 4:15PM. There are others to enjoy, but I think I’ll make up my mind about those when I get to the Convention Center.
On Sunday, Rick Steves will have a repeat performance of his Budget European Travel Skills talk at 11:00AM, local TV personality Huell Howser will talk about his show, “California’s Gold” at 1:30PM, and Samantha Brown will close down the show with what is sure to be a very popular talk, “Lessons from the Road & Life on the Go” at 3:00PM. There are a lot of talks, presentations, and things to see and do in between.
Southern Californians looking for something fun and exciting to do this weekend need look no further. Downtown Los Angeles is where it’s AT this Saturday and Sunday…well, if you have a passion for travel adventures, in any case. Even if you don’t, consider coming by; the LA Times Travel and Adventure Show is exciting, and you never know — there could be an additional surprise or two there as well.
Disclaimer: Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) is a media sponsor for the LA Times Travel & Adventure Show, and The Vacation Gals are both members and on the organizing committee of TBEX11.
i like it LA Times Travel Adventure ceremony 2011 — The intermissio holidays Gals since im your rss reader
I don’t live near the travel shows, which is too bad because it sounds like they are really good times.