Travel & Location
Host Hotel
All conference educational sessions and meals, with the exception of the Tuesday evening dinner cruise, will be held at our waterfront conference venue overlooking Old Tampa Bay.
Please take the elevator to the 7th floor. Event check in will be in the Caribbean A room. The general session will take place in the Caribbean Ballroom.
We’ll gather for lunches in Blu Vu, the rooftop level event space, where panoramic views provide a scenic backdrop for networking. Our opening reception and welcome dinner will take place poolside, offering beautiful views and a chance to enjoy Florida’s pleasant fall weather. Guests can also take advantage of the private beach area, outdoor pool, fitness center, complimentary bike rentals, water activities, onsite Starbucks and other resort amenities throughout their stay.
Transportation & Parking
Airport Travel to Hotel
The Westin Tampa Bay does not provide airport shuttle service. Please use a rideshare service for transportation to and from the hotel. When possible, coordinate with other staff arriving around the same time to share rides and help reduce transportation costs.Parking for Locals
For local staff who will be parking, please pull up to the valet stand and let the attendant know you are attending the conference and would like to self-park. The valet will provide a card for garage access, and all parking charges will be billed directly to the master account. Valet parking will not be reimbursed.Transportation for the River Cruise
Transportation to and from the dinner cruise will be provided. A bus will depart from the hotel and return following the event. We encourage all attendees, including local staff, to take advantage of the provided transportation. Please note that parking in downtown Tampa and rideshare expenses to and from the cruise will not be reimbursed for local attendees.Attire
Attire for the entire conference is business casual, no shorts, jeans or T-shirts. Some meals will be held outdoors. Average Tampa temperatures in October are highs in the low 80s and lows in the high 60s. Meeting rooms tend to run on the cool side. Please pack accordingly.
Dress code for dinner cruise (per Craft Cruises)
To help us maintain a sophisticated and welcoming atmosphere, the following clothing items are not permitted for any guests:
- Excessively revealing attire (examples: bikini tops, sheer garments without underlayers).
- Mesh or see-through clothing.
- Overly torn or distressed pants.
- Attire exposing private areas.
- Clothing with offensive or inappropriate language or graphics.
The following attire is recommended:
- Resort to Dressy/Business Casual (no jeans or shorts).
Learn more about Craft Cruises
Incidentals
Shriners Children’s is covering the cost of room and destination fee on the master account, but the hotel will ask you for a credit card to cover the cost of incidentals. Please check with your supervisor for expense report policies for incidentals.