1) Air travel: Anyone flying in for the party who would like to be picked up at a local airport is encouraged to fly into Washington Dulles (IAD). Reagan National (DCA) is also nearby but can be difficult to reach by car during rush hours. Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) is also in the area but requires a 1-to-3 hour drive to Vienna, depending on traffic. (Direct flights from the West Coast generally fly to Dulles or BWI.)

 

2) Car rental: Anyone planning to rent a car in the DC area to drive up to--and drop off in--the Binghamton area should probably co-ordinate car rental with flight arrangements. For anyone needing to rent a car to be returned in the DC area, there is an Enterprise Rent-a-Car office here in Vienna (Nutley Street--Fairfax location). Check them out at www.enterprise.com Depending on the destination, Enterprise might also permit rental cars to be dropped off at remote locations, but check with them for details.

 

3) Driving directions: Send an e-mail to allan.bennett@verizon.net along with your starting location, and you will receive customized driving instructions.

 

4) Lodging: In addition to the guest rooms (which are currently reserved for some of the California relatives), there are several couches and space for a number of sleeping bags here. In addition, we should have a camper with space for a few guests, and--weather permitting--room to pitch some tents in the back yard. There will also be some rooms provided at the neighborhood motel and possibly also at some other homes in the Vienna area. We will try to make sure that people don't need to spend a lot of money on lodging. In that regard, it would be helpful for people to let us know as soon as possible of their plans to attend. Anyone who might prefer to stay at a motel can contact the Vienna Wolf Trap Motel, which is about 1/2 mile from the party, at (800) 541-5164. They will begin taking reservations for June sometime in March. Once again, though, we intend to provide free lodging for as many people as possible.

 

5) Activities: There won't be much in the way of formal activities--just a big get-together like the old days. To that end, people are welcome to bring along any old family photos (these can be scanned and sent ahead of time to lowen87@owenclan.com ), a deck of cards, or a board or table game (Uno, Yahtzee, and Rummikub were some old family favorites). Bring your favorite CD's and DVD's along if you like. Weather and taste permitting, excursions to the Mall area of Washington DC may be arranged on short notice for those who would like to check out, in particular, some of the newer monuments (World War II and Korean Memorials, etc.). There is also a park nearby in Vienna to allow any restless youngsters to burn off some extra energy. Also, let us know as soon as possible about any dietary restrictions or other special requests.

 

6) Your stay in the DC area: Some people in California have expressed an interest in spending an extra day or two in the DC area, either before or after the party, to do some more extensive sightseeing. Anyone planning to stay in Vienna beyond the weekend of June 8-10 should let us know as soon as possible. Tour guide services can be provided with some advance notice.