How do you get to the conference? It will be easier for you than for the first arrivals to Los Angeles.

Here’s some basic travel information.

Travel Information: In addition to Los Angeles International Airport, there’s also Burbank (Bob Hope), Ontario, Long Beach and even John Wayne Airport (Orange County). Shuttles are available from the airports to the hotel (information will be posted). Amtrak’s Union Station is not far from the JW Marriott at LA LIVE. There are bus lines into downtown terminals. Driving in? Reduced parking at the hotel for conference attendees has been negotiated.

The Joys of Los Angeles: The LA LIVE area includes the Grammy Museum, Nokia Theater, Staples Center, as well as broadcast studios, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, bowling lanes, music club. Dining options include Trader Vic’s, The Farm of Beverly Hills, Katsuya, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Rósa Mexicano, Lawry’s Carvery, New Zealand Natural and others. Universal Studios, Disneyland, The Getty Center and the Skirball Cultural Center are just a short drive away. Additional information on the city, tourist attractions, beaches, sightseeing and more will soon be on the JGSLA 2010 website. Check out the Official Guide to Los Angeles at discoverlosangeles.com or download a guidebook.

Is a family vacation part of your trip? Check out www.visitcalifornia.com and learn about sights about two hours away (San Diego, Sea World, SD Zoo) or north to Hearst Castle and Monterey. Las Vegas is about a four-hour drive, San Francisco or Yosemite, about six hours.

Physical Challenges: Special rooms are available (make sure to discuss this with the reservations department). All conference programming will take place on one floor. In January, information on reserving scooters or wheelchairs will be announced, as well as devices for audio enhancement or assisted-listening devices.

JW MARRIOTT: The 879-room hotel opens February 2010. In addition to WiFi in all rooms, amenities include a rooftop outdoor pool, spa and fitness center, lobby lounge and bar, and a full-service restaurant on the first floor. All meeting spaces are on one level, making it easy to navigate throughout the day.

Here’s just a hint of what to expect:

• More than 130 speakers and over 250 programs!
• An onsite Jewish genealogical library, with professional translators, Yizkor books, LDS microfilms, and more
• Holocaust research resources, including books and videos from the Museum of Tolerance and the Shoah Foundation
• Day trips to Los Angeles’ historic Jewish neighborhoods, with tours of Boyle Heights and the Breed Street Shul
• Lectures on using DNA and genetic genealogy to trace your family story
• A focus on the Entertainment community, with a Jewish genealogy film festival and new programs on Yiddish theatre, klezmer music, vaudeville, and of course Hollywood!
• New beginner genealogist programs for the Converso/B’nai Anousim community and the Persian Jewish community
• …and much more!