Oshkosh lodging recommedations anyone?

[RickWoodall]

I have some relatives in their 60's who want to plan for Osh 2008. They are looking for hotel/dorm/bed and breakfast type lodging where they can eat most meals out, but make getting to and from the show daily as simple as possible. Just wondered if there are any pireps i could pass along so they can book something early. I have heard some places have shuttles etc. I just park my trailer and walk a ton every day so i have no advice for them. Any suggestions welcome.

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

Most of the hotels are probably booked within a reasonable distance. However, right up until the last minute, there were still houses people were renting out.

In some cases, families rent out rooms for the week. The Oshkosh visitors Bureau is their best place to start.

[RScott]

I stayed in the dorms this year. Rooms are a little tired, bathrooms are down the hall, boys on one floor, girls on the next. Not particularly expensive.

Pros: Eating at the cafeterias was cheap, good and convenient. Breakfast at the cafeteria was the exception for cost but you could eat at the student union for about $3-5. Transportation to the airport was easy on the bus which ran frequently until about 9 or 10 in the evening. You can buy a ticket for the week which worked out to about the same as 3 days paying for each trip. Buses to other parts of town shut down around 5 or 6 in the evening. Lots of good conversations with other folks from all around the world--Australia, New Zealand, Germany, etc. You could have probably gotten into the dorms at any time, although there was one night when they maybe were full.

Cons: Our dorm was not air conditioned, although some now are, but they cost more. Most people brought or bought small fans for ventilation and there was one evening where some sort of air movement was essential.

A couple previous trips I stayed in a private house in town, which the owners vacated for the duration--they stayed at their house on a lake somewhere. Several people stayed there. Some had beds, others brought sleeping bags & air mattresses. We used the kitchen to prep food we bought at the grocery stores.

Pros: Cost was reasonable, about $60 per day if I remember correctly. House had air conditioning & a TV. Good folks to visit with.

Cons: Transportation to the airport. City bus was 2 blocks away, but quit running at 5 or 6 which meant we had to be back to the house early or have a rental car. They charged something like $5 or 7 per day to park at the airport.

A friend stayed in a house and the folks were very hospitable, driving them to the airport every day, picking them up when they were ready to come back & even fixing meals for them. Their cost was somewhere around $50 per day.

How good staying in private homes works out is pretty much a matter of luck. I suspect most folks are happy with the arrangement, since I haven't heard any horror stories. But I think it is important to be in a house near the dorms or near the bus line to the dorms, near the airport or or have a car.

Richard Scott
RV-9A Fuselage

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

If I were ever to stay in a house -- and I'm getting to that point -- I think a place on Lake Winnebago with a little dock...a view of the airshow to the left...the seaplane base to the right... a pair of binoculars and a stocked cooler would be about as good as it gets.

Oh yeah, throw in one of those inflatable things with a place to put the can. Yeah, that'd be cool too.

[Geico266]

We stay with locals. They have B-fast in the AM, beer at night, they do our laundry, TV, A/C, quiet, $40 / a night. We have been staying with them for 10 years now. You can find local folks offering rooms for rent on the OSH website. Defeinately the way to go for me.

[Pmerems]

I have stayed at WICS 3 years in a row and plan on staying there a forth time in 2008.

You can find their information on the EAA website.

They rent out classrooms space (with large cots) in them and house 75-100 people during AirVenture. Breakfast is included in the price and free shuttle service to the Airfield. The rooms are air conditioned. It is similar to staying at summer camp, common sleeping areas, common eating areas and common shower facilities. Many of the people I have met their have returned year after year from all over the country and the world. Many friendships made (at no charge). I highly recommend staying at WICS.

Paul

[craigvince]

Anyone have private lodging suggestions for this year? I'd like to find something with Air Conditioning, and near a bus line to OSH.Any su

[John Clark]

http://www.oshkoshcvb.org


John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

[Bob Axsom]

If they are only in their 60s they should still be mobile and if they are interested in going to AirVenture Oshkosh they should be motivated. They may have to drive 60 or 70 miles each way every day but I used to do that in LA and I find the Wisconsin highways a pleasure to drive. There is no way to avoid the significant out of car distances you have to cover. The method for I is walking (God I wish I were back in my 60s).

Bob Axsom

[rwarre]

You know the song, I stayed there. Indoor camping, air conditioned, access to pool, showers, exercise equipment(if you are energetic), and quick type meals. Shuttle to Oshkosh morning and evening. Bring a tent or sleeping bag. About $30 per night.