For a first-time attendee? Is parking easy and obvious? Food is expensive, I've heard. Take a list and your reference materials (Greysheets, Red Book, smartphone, etc.) Other helpful hints?
Take a back pack/man bag with you and include some snacks in it along with your reference/lists materials. Walk the floor to get the big picture as to who has what. Only after you've perused the place do you consider making purchases.
If you take time to think about a coin you like. Write down the booth number because you may never find the dealer again
I make a note of the table numbers of my favorite dealers - about a dozen or so - and go see them first. After that I take my time walking the bourse to see what other dealers are offering. As for parking: I never had a problem finding parking. There are a few large parking garages within walking distance but they're a bit pricey. You might get an early bird rate if you're there before 9:00 a.m., but if not expect to pay about $20 for all day. The show is well worth the money IMO. Good luck Dougmeister! Bruce
"Is parking easy and obvious?" Parking meters are on three sides of the convention center but they are mostly limited to two hours at $2.00 an hour. Parking garages are all over. Some are $10.00 if In by 9am and leave by 6pm. I park on the "C" lot of the stadium for either $8.00 or $10.00 all day. "Food is expensive, I've heard." Yes it is, however, directly across from the convention center is a large office building with several eateries in it. I prefer the buffet on the second floor. Not fancy, inexpensive, but I like to eat light because of all the walking. Check several dealers for the same coin because prices may vary. Good luck. Enjoy!
Walk over to the Inner Harbor; use the Sky Ramps. Large food court; lots of options; not expensive. As for the show, spend at LEAST one hour just looking; let your excitement level cool down. But make note about things you see that you'd like to revisit, particularly the dealer's name/table number.
At the summer ANA I am planning all my meals around the auctions. At the Baltimore show, Stacks had lunch and dinner set up every day except Saturday. I had free lunches all week, but passed on the dinners. At the summer ANA I plan on eating dinner there too....plus you get to watch some awesome coins go across the auction block!
Helz ya! Well not in the viewing area, but in the actual auction rooms. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner set up depending on what time of day the auction is being held. Pretty good stuff too!!!! Plus they have refrigerated units with free soda, water and other drinks.
That is freaking amazing! I could have saved $75 in the 2 days I was there! Of course, they didn't serve beer... If they had, though, they may have gotten more bids, lol!
