2017 Tacoma Convention Update - By Bob Carter RM #6620
We are a little over 2 months from being finished with our 47th Annual Convention. This is the first time we’ve ever been in the Pacific Northwest for our convention, so don’t let it get past you without making an effort to come visit the beautiful city on the Puget Sound, Tacoma. Washington.
Many of you wanted your convention team to try and schedule a convention in that part of the country and we did it. Now, do your part. Come and enjoy the sights, weather, food and outstanding tours that are lined up for your enjoyment.
Our wonderful hotel is the Murano. A downtown hotel that is only one block from the free trolley line that will transport you from the hotel area to some outstanding eating venues, an Almond Roca company store where you can get some really great deals on that delicious candy, including sugar free for those of you watching your diets or are diabetic, several museums right on the trolley line so there is a minimum of walking and it’s safe!
The weather is promised to be wonderful. July is not the rainy season in the NW. Typically warm, how does 70’s to 80’s sound for that time of year? Sure beats the 100’s we usually have in the Dallas area, not to mention Phoenix, Charlotte and even Buffalo. Hey Buffalo, remember 2011? It was cooler in Dallas that year than Buffalo. WHOO-HOO!!
The hotel is a “boutique” type of facility that features different glass artists on each floor and showcases some of their work as you exit the elevator on each floor. This is unlike any hotel you have probably ever stayed in. In addition to the glass sculptures and art on display, you may be fortunate enough to have a room that overlooks the harbor or the downtown area with the trolleys running in the street.
There will be three train excursions for you during the week. The first will be on Monday, July 24, with a ride on the Mt. Rainier Scenic RR. The other two rides will be the Snoqualmie Scenic RR with views of the Snoqualmie Falls and the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum. These old logging lines will take you through the richly scenic, wooded areas the made the NW a popular logging site.
At Tacoma, we are only a couple of hours south of the Boeing airplane assembly factory, in Everett, WA, with the world’s largest building by volume. This gigantic structure in on a tour that you certainly will not want to miss. And if planes of history are your thing, then the Boeing Frontiers of Flight Museum is for you. This is a sight where you can literally spend hours looking, reading and taking pictures. This too is on the schedule of tours, but you may have to return to get your fill of all the sights this museum has to offer.
Let’s return to Tacoma and check out the LeMay Auto Museum, or as they claim, “America’s Car Museum”. This facility is four floors, which are ADA compliant, with cars, from the ridiculous, the Flintstone’s Mobile, to Dale Earnhardt’s #3 NASCAR. If you live for automobiles, then this is right up your alley.
So, as you can see, we have a little bit of everything planned for you in Tacoma for our 47th Annual Convention. Plan now to fly, drive or take the train to the beautiful Pacific Northwest and take in all it has to offer. And if it’s more you want, then how about a cruise to Alaska with a stop in colorful Skagway where you can take another train ride. This one aboard the historic White Pass and Yukon. This offering is separate from the convention, but it’s being planned so you can take this popular trip while you are in the area, saving you from having to make a special trip to take an Alaskan cruise. Be sure to check out the details on the website and the upcoming issues of TLR. While the Pacific Northwest is certainly picturesque, but sure to check whether or not photos are permitted at the tour venues. Some areas prohibit taking photos, especially in the Boeing assembly factory. Ladies, your purses may also not be allowed at certain locations, but lockers will be available or you may be able to leave your purses on the bus. Please check to be certain of the requirements at each location. Also, no flip-flops will be allowed on any of the tours.
More info will be posted on this web site and in the February issue of TLR!
The Hotel Murano can be contacted directly for the LCCA convention at http://reservations.travelclick.com/15048?groupID=1564833