Shepherdstown, West Virginia

The conference venue is surrounded by history, including battlefields, historic houses, and early railroads. The Shepherdstown Visitor's Center website gives information on history of the town, local business, and things to do.

Activities in the Shepherdstown area include:

• Yankauer Nature Preserve, owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society. For more information see http://www.potomacaudubon.org/yankauer.html
• Kayak lessons, whitewater rafting, bicycle rentals are just a few of the activities offered by River Riders Outfitter located in Harpers Ferry. The area boasts beautiful rivers and trails for of all ages and abilities. If you're feeling adventurous or like the idea of a scenic float trip, contact River Riders at www.riverriders.com or by phone at (800) 326-7238 or River and Trail Outfitters at http://www.rivertrail.com/Rafting.html or by phone at 888-446-7529 for more information.
• Visit Washington, DC museums for a day. Travel by train from Harpers Ferry. See http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc/schedulesSystemMaps/brunswick.cfm- MARC trains operate Monday through Friday only; 2 trains leave Harpers Ferry in the morning and 2 leave Washington, DC in the evening. Six trains run Monday through Friday between nearby Brunswick, MD and Washington, DC. Amtrak operates 7 days a week with one train a day each way. Reservations are required. http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage
• Golf: Rolling hills and plush fairways are found in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Public courses near your venue include Stonebridge Golf Course in Martinsburg, the Robert Trent Jones designed course at Cacapon State Park and two beautifully manicured courses at The Woods Resort in Hedgesville. Other courses include Locust Hill Golf Course in Charles Town and the nine-hole Woodbrier Golf course in Martinsburg.
  
  For more information:
  www.cacaponresort.com (800) 225-5982
  www.thewoodsresort.com (800) 248-2222
  www.stonebridgewv.com (304) 263-4653
  www.locusthillgolfcourse.com (304) 728-7300
  Woodbrier Golf Course (304) 274-9818
•   The Shepherdstown Opera House is dedicated to showing the best of foreign and American independent films on the silver screen and presenting fine musical entertainment in an intimate and friendly music hall.
  
  The music ranges from Bluegrass to Blues, from Folk to Rock, from Jive to Jazz, featuring up-and-coming new artists and nationally known legends. The movies, in continuing our 15-year tradition, are the award winning, critically acclaimed films you can't see anywhere else in the area. See http://www.operahouselive.com/ for more information.

For general information on tourism in West Virginia, see: http://www.wvtourism.com/ You can view the WV Travel Guide on line at: http://www.wvtourism.com/spec.aspx?pgID=18