OK, you should now know when and where Convention is, how about where you’re going to stay? 

Dorm Rooms: 

WWU and the NSS 2006 Convention are pleased to offer dormitories at an exceptional rate of $130 per person for a single room and $113 per person for a double room for a five night stay beginning on Sunday or Monday (all rooms have single beds; double rooms have separate beds or bunk bed configurations).  Extra nights are available for $26 per person per night for single rooms and $23 per person per night for double rooms.  WWU is offering a linen package for an additional $25 including pillow, pillowcase, light blanket, sheets, one bath towel, one hand towel, and one washcloth.  Earliest check in is on Friday, 8/4/6 and latest check out is on Monday, 8/14/6.

We have most of the rooms in buildings 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Fairhaven complex on the WWU campus and you can check out the floor plans at http://www.housing.wwu.edu/facilities/acadweb/fairhaven.php.    Door rooms must be reserved by July 14, 2006.  Room type and availability are limited, so make your reservation soon!!

Don’t forget that these are dorm rooms and a great place for all of us cavers to hole up together.  They are also ideal in their location to the sessions, howdy party, banquet, and other Convention activities.  Rooms do not have phones and hotel amenities cannot be provided.  Bathrooms are shared – a minimum of two rooms per bathroom to a maximum of five rooms per bathroom.  Laundry rooms are available.  Some rooms are part of suites, but rooms are rented by the room, not the suite.  We will do our best to accommodate special requests, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee specific room assignments. 

Camping:

Your least expensive option is camping at Sehome high school near the WWU campus for $15 per person for the entire Convention week.  Sehome has given us permission to use a couple of their open soccer fields, in addition to bathrooms and showers.  This is tent camping only and vehicles must remain in the paved parking area at all times.  We will have wagons available to help you set up camp.  Due to the amount of rain the fields receive during the year, vehicles will cause irreparable damage to the fields, and we want Sehome to be able to continue to use them for their intended purpose.  RVs and the like will be allowed in the parking lot, but no hook ups will be provided.

This camping area is in a convenient location, no more than a ½ mile walk to sessions.

If you don’t want to haul your gear all the way across country, check out the REI in Bellingham (400 36th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225)  to rent your camping gear at http://www.rei.com/stores/rentals.html#washington or 360-647-8955.  The store is practically next door to Sehome High School.

If you’re looking for a Washington State campground, check out Larrabee State Park at http://www.parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Larrabee&pageno=1, but make your reservations early as Washington State Parks tend to fill up well in advance of peak season. 

Note, all prices above for dormitories and camping are quoted for early registration.  Registration after 6/15/6 incurs additional charges, so check our web site at www.nss2006.com for current pricing.

On your walk to sessions, you can find Sehome Hill Arboretum and a great climbing/rappelling rock between WWU and Sehome High School.  We hope to have this rigged sometime during Convention for your vertical fun.

 

Hotels/Motels:

The official Convention hotels are:

Days Inn Bellingham

215 North Samish Way

Bellingham, WA 98225

800-734-0888

360-734-8830

$99-$139/night

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=00996&brandInfo=DI

and

Bellingham Travel Lodge

101 N. Samish Way

Bellingham, WA 98225

360-733-8280

$60-$95/night – weekends are priced higher

http://www.travelodge.com/Travelodge/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=08842&brandInfo=TL

Make sure to check exact rates with the individual hotels for the week of Convention and let them know you’re with the NSS 2006 Convention.

We are informed there are several other events occurring in Bellingham the weekends before and after Convention, so please make your reservations early or you may find yourself without a room to sleep in!!

But, why spend all that money on a hotel when you can be right next to sessions and socializing with other cavers in one of our fantastic dorm rooms.

Can’t wait to see you all there!