MLA ’25: Packing for Pittsburgh
Submitted by: Barbara Epstein
Springtime in Pittsburgh can be warm, cool, rainy, sunny, breezy, and cloudy – all in the same day! Be sure to check the weather forecast before you leave!
With thanks to last year’s excellent column on Packing for Portland, here are some reminders about what to bring.
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Chargers for all devices: earbuds, iPad or tablet, laptop, phone, iWatch,
toothbrush, etc.! - Meeting Planner (include appointments for meals and meet-ups).
- Raincoat or umbrella, depending on the weather forecast
- Business cards for colleagues, vendors and follow-up contacts
- Sweater or jacket for the air-conditioned Convention Center rooms.
- Notepad to jot down ideas during meetings and program events.
- Cash or banking card for essentials and extras.
- Extra dose or two of prescription medicine
- Reading glasses, sunglasses, or extra contact lenses.
- Earplugs and eye masks if you’re sharing a hotel room.
- Comfortable clothes for relaxing or working out after a long day at meetings. Dress for the meeting is generally “business
casual”, i.e. what you would wear to work. - And finally – COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES (can’t say this enough!!).
And don’t forget to leave a little room in your suitcase for bringing home vendor giveaways and souvenirs for friends and family.
A final reminder: if you are coming to Pittsburgh by air, you must have a REAL ID by May 7, 2025. After this date, you’ll need a REAL ID or a valid passport to board domestic flights. To learn more, see https://www.dhs.gov/real-id.
See yinz soon in da ‘Burgh!