Tips for Navigating RootsTech 2020

With just 2 1/2 weeks until RootsTech, it’s time to make sure the details of your itinerary are in place. RootsTech recently published a RootsTech Survival Guide. It contains some great tips including ideas for parking, eating, and what to wear. Here are some of my personal tips based on my last two years of attending the conference as well as my experience as a local to the area.

Session Schedule

If you haven’t yet downloaded the RootsTech app, it’s an absolute must for planning! I like to go through each day and star every class I’m interested in based on topic or presenter. I then go back through the schedule hour by hour to narrow my choices for each hour down to two. To do this, I look at the syllabus for each class to see if what the lecturer will be presenting matches up with what I expected from the session based on the title. I eliminate those that I think don’t fit my expectations. I try to narrow my selections down to just two per hour (sometimes this is VERY difficult!) I then check to see if the classes are going to be live-streamed and recorded for later viewing. If one is, I list that as my second choice and try to attend the other. In this way, I am doubling the number of sessions I am able to access. It’s like getting the best of both worlds. If neither is to be live-streamed, I try to consider which one I feel I absolutely can’t miss and make that my first choice. If for some reason I don’t get in (this has never been an issue for me at RootsTech), I have a backup option. For those “can’t-miss” sessions, make sure you arrive early to get a good seat.

One thing I would highly suggest is attending all the keynote addresses. They are always SOOO good and I leave feeling inspired and excited about family history. There are some great speakers lined up for these keynote addresses. I don’t want to miss any of them!

Another scheduling tip to think about is to give yourself a break from classes once in a while. The chairs get hard by the end of the day, and my brain starts spinning after listening to so many lectures. I sometimes need to walk around in the fresh air or at least sit near a window for a while and think about something else to let my brain rest.

Parking

I live about 45 minutes away from the Salt Palace. I usually drive back and forth to the conference, so I can check in with everything at home and sleep in my own bed. The first year I went, I tried to find the cheapest places to park and often ended up walking some distance to get to the conference. Last year, I decided to park in the parking garage under the Salt Palace. My take on both options: pay the extra few dollars and park as close as possible. At the end of the day when you are tired and it is cold and dark, you will be glad you don’t have to walk the extra blocks to your car.

What to Wear

The most important wardrobe item is comfortable shoes! You will be walking a LOT, and if your feet are killing you, you just won’t be able to enjoy the conference as much as you could if you weren’t thinking about your feet. A close second is to dress in layers – you often hear this advice for being outdoors in the winter, but there is a range of temperatures that can occur inside the convention center as well. It varies from room to room and from day to day. I have been freezing and wishing for a warm sweater, but I’ve also been really hot in the middle of a session. Being able to add or remove layers is important. Again, if you’re thinking about how uncomfortable you are, you won’t be able to enjoy the conference as much as you could.

Another thing to consider is the weight of your bag or backpack. Try to pack as light as possible. The last thing you want is to be lugging 20 pounds around all day. I have always printed my syllabi ahead of time and grouped them by day. I then bring only the ones for that day in a folder with a few sheets of loose-leaf paper. This cuts down on the weight I am carrying. This year, I am going to try bringing my laptop and taking notes with it. I know it will mean extra weight, but it will be great to have all my notes from every conference together in one place, so I hope carrying it around will be worth it in the end.

What to Eat

I don’t know why, but for me, it is easy to go through the day and not eat or drink enough. There is just so much to do! To make sure I am refueling often enough, I like to pack a few snacks in my backpack and bring a water bottle. BUT, I also recommend eating a good breakfast in the morning, sitting down with good friends (old or new) to enjoy lunch, and relaxing for dinner in the evening. The RootsTech survival guide provides a link to a list of restaurants within walking distance of the Salt Palace. They recommend the food court at City Creek as one of the options. The food court has some great restaurants! Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Kneaders – Their Chunky Cinnamon French Toast is legendary in this area. That is because it is SO good! I think what makes it so delicious is their original caramel syrup. Kneaders also serves breakfast sandwiches, omelets, and smoothies. For lunch or dinner, I am partial to their chicken a la mondo salad, with their chicken salad sandwich on a croissant as another favorite. Kneaders is also home to a tantalizing selection of pastries and desserts. Their chocolate mousse domes are my personal favorite.

Chick-Fil-A – This is another local favorite and if you want fast food, it’s a great option. I personally love their chicken nuggets and waffle fries. For breakfast, their mini chicken biscuits are fun and filling! The best part of all is their Chick-Fil-A sauce! Don’t forget to put it on your sandwich and use it as a dip for your nuggets and fries. If the Chick-Fil-A sauce is too sweet for your taste, some prefer their honey roasted barbecue sauce. It’s a sweet and smoky version of the original sauce.

Costa Vida – This is one of my all-time favorites for lunch or dinner. I love their sweet pork! Sweet pork salad with tomatillo ranch dressing is what I often get, but lately I’ve been loving their pork quesadilla. Get some tomatillo ranch dressing on the side to dip it in. Here’s my life hack for Costa Vida: for 5 bucks, get their kids’ pork quesadilla. It comes with your choice of rice or beans, a soda (you can upsize to an adult-size soda for a few cents more), and a cinnamon tortilla for dessert. Plenty of food for the price! Again, don’t forget the side of tomatillo ranch for dipping!

Blue Lemon – Billed as “pure, clean food with a twist.” Their pear and gorgonzola salad is my go-to choice when I stop in for lunch. I also love their black bean ravioli, their sweet potato fries, and their spinach artichoke dip.

Enjoy Yourself!

My biggest tip is to enjoy yourself! You are attending the world’s largest gathering of like-minded people. It’s a great place to be, especially as Roots-Tech celebrates its tenth anniversary. Soak up everything you can and enjoy the new knowledge and associations you gain from being there.