This page has travel-information for the2016 Annual Meeting of the
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Wynn Academic Center, declaring "God First" at APU |
When you arrive on the campus of APU, your first stop can be ASA Registration in Engstrom (Thursday) or Wilden (starting Friday), or getting your room key & meal card at Lodging Registration in Engstrom. A useful map for the ASA Meeting, made by Sarah Richart & Lyn Berg, shows where activities will happen: parking (in Lot A),* ASA Meeting Registration (Thursday in Engstrom, later in Wilden), Lodging Registration (Engstrom), meals (Dining Hall), devotions (Munson), plenaries (Munson), other talks (Munson, Wilden), banquet (Upper Turner), and Lodging Checkout (Monday in Trinity). The tentative meeting schedule tells you “what, when, and where.” * You can park only in Lot A, in any unrestricted space but not a faculty/staff space or red zone. (or you will get a ticket that's reported to DMV of CA) / To park in a handicapped space, hang an official sign (from CA or another state) on your front-windshield mirror. For navigation with GPS or web-maps, the address of Azusa Pacific University (APU) is 901 E Alosta Ave, Azusa, CA 91702. A “big picture” of APU, both East Campus (location of ASA Meeting) and West Campus, is on a map I made from APU's campus map that has mouseovers to show the names of buildings and, in another version, also parking lots. (and a printable pdf-map) The website of Azusa Pacific University (sitemap) has Maps & Directions and a page about APU with lots of links, for History - Beliefs (Worldview, Faith-Statement, Mission, Motto, Essence,...) - Facts - Athletics - and more. (APU in Wikipedia) for Azusa, the Time Zone is PT (PDT in July) and you can get a |
Whether or not you rent a car (at an airport, Union Station, or elsewhere) you can use local bus-and-train services to move around SoCal, if you're arriving by plane or train or bus.
Los Angeles Union Station – maps (TripAdvisor & Google) – is a hub for ground transportation in Southern California. {visiting Union Station} Many travel options — long-range by train (Amtrak) and bus (MegaBus), plus plane followed by bus from LAX or from SNA, BUR — go to Union Station, where you can take a local train to APU. Or you can rent a car. / The address — if you want to find transit options to APU by using GPS, GoogleMaps, Metrolink, or Metro — is 800 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (for Amtrak) or 801 Vignes Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (for Metro).
And it's a tourist attraction, as described by Great American Stations & Wikipedia (re: History, Architecture, Location) – Union Station LA (Art & Architecture Tours) – Trip Advisor (photos + nearby attractions) Travel-in-USA – Yelp (photos) – and in 2016, GoCalifornia.com said "even if you're not catching a train, it's a lovely building to wander through."
MetroLink has trains with Routes & Stations (including Union Station) throughout Southern California, in Los Angeles and westward into Riverside, and southward thru Orange County. Metrolink connects with Metro Gold Line, which goes near APU (within 0.5 mile) and also near some hotels in Pasadena, Arcadia, and Monrovia. And it connects with airports: LAX, SNA, BUR.
Metro gives you many options, using train (Metrolink) and/or local bus to travel around Southern California. You can explore the many options with tabs for Maps, Timetables, Line Maps, Station Connections, and (for Airport Routes from LAX, BUR, LGB) Other.
Metro Fares (Regular & Reduced) and TAP Cards (TAP-FAQ) — Metro Reduced Rates are available for Seniors (in-state or out-of-state,* age 62 or older, show your drivers license at a Metro Customer Center in Union Station or elsewhere, to get a Day Pass for $2.50 instead of $7.00, and 1-Way Ride for $.35 or $.75 instead of $1.75) or Disabled (show official proof of disability) or College (but only if you're a student in Los Angeles County, and a request takes 4-6 weeks to process). {* based on a phone call to Metro Reduced Fare Office, 213-680-0054}
In the 1930s/40s there were long-running jokes, on the radio – by Mel Blanc, Jack Benny, Fred Allen – about "Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga."
• by DRIVING
Whether you're driving long-range or renting a car locally, for your GPS (or GoogleMaps or Mapquest) the address of Azusa Pacific University is 901 E Alosta Ave, Azusa, CA 91702. {and APU provides driving directions with GoogleMaps} For details about where to park, see "When you arrive..."
If you're driving (or flying), maybe you can help others get to the conference (they will appreciate this) if you use our Ride-Forum Threads, and do this ASAP.
Why ASAP? Because using our forum-thread for Car Drivers & Riders early may help others make their plans. For example, if they can ride with you, they may do this instead of buying a ticket for a plane or bus. But they must know that you're driving before they buy their ticket — and usually the sooner a ticket is purchased the cheaper it is, and more scheduling options are still open — so if you post your “ride offered” information ASAP this may help someone make plans. Thanks! :<)
Why share? Sharing is cheaper for everyone, more planet-friendly (conserve resources, reduce emissions), and you can “start the conference early” (and make it last longer on the way back) with interesting conversations during your trips.
How? To use one of ASA's forums for travel, click this link and Sign In (as a member of ASA, or first register for free); enter one of the two forums for "ASA Meetings" — for Car Drivers & Riders or from an Airport (sharing rides) — and read the first post (by me, C. Rusbult) for an overview, look at messages already posted, then (if you want) write your message.
• by FLYING
If you're flying (or driving), please use the Ride Board, and do this ASAP. Why? Because for ground transport some options are cheaper when shared, and using our Ride Forum from Airport might help you find a partner(s) to share a ride. And ASA will help you plan your return trip from APU to an airport.
Southern California has many airports, including these:
• Los Angeles International Airport is LAX - ground transport - iFly - World Airport Guides - Wikipedia. LAX is the largest airport, and is probably where you'll find the lowest fares.
• Ontario International Airport in Ontario (closest to APU) is ONT - ground transport - iFly - World Airport Guides - Wikipedia.
• John Wayne International Airport in Santa Ana (Orange County) is SNA - ground transport - iFly - World Airport Guides — Wikipedia.
• Bob Hope Airport in Burbank is BUR - ground transport - iFly - World Airport Guides - Wikipedia.
• Long Beach Airport is LGB - ground transport - iFly - Wikipedia.
and others: to find them, and compare fares, in expedia.com (for example) do a search for LAX, then use the link for "Nearby Airports".
Traveling from Airport to APU
Information: Each airport has information – use a "ground transport" link above – for travel options, for shuttles and more. APU has a page for Airports and Transportation. The section about Traveling in Southern California links to information, from Metrolink and Metro, about traveling from airports (LAX, SNA, BUR, LGB) using local buses and trains.
Plane-Bus-Train: Metrolink has a system of trains with bus-connections between airports (LAX, SNA, BUR) and local stations, for trains that go to Union Station and thus APU. One of the Plane-Bus-Train journeys is...
from LAX to APU — Sarah Richart (a Local Chair for the meeting) has provided information for two ways to travel from LAX to APU.
• Shuttles from LAX: A useful option - Shuttle2LAX - is $20 each way, plus $13 for each additional passenger.
• Public Transportation from LAX: In two steps — riding a bus (FlyAway) from LAX to Union Station in Los Angeles, then a light rail train (Metro Gold Line) to APU — the total cost is $10.75 one way (plus $1 the first time you buy a TAP-Card), then a free shuttle to APU.
Step 1, Bus — On the Arrival Level outside a baggage claim area of LAX, find a “FlyAway Bus” pick-up area, usually toward your left as you leave a terminal. Take the bus that goes to Union Station, leaving about every 30 minutes, with this schedule. You can either pay ahead online here or pay $9 when you arrive at Union Station (and give the receipt to the driver to get your luggage). {Also, Metrolink describes a return trip from APU to LAX if you don't (or do) have a Monthly Pass.}
Step 2, Train — Once you arrive at Union Station (from LAX or SNA, BUR), go inside the station and follow signs for the Metro Gold Line. When you get to its rail platform area, purchase a TAP-Card ($1 initial cost, refillable) and add $1.75 for the ride to APU. Make sure you then tap the post with the card before going up to the platform. / Take the train east to the very last stop, APU/Citrus. When you get off the train, you can wait near the street at the bottom of the stairs of the parking structure, and a free shuttle will take you to APU; tell the driver you want to get off on East Campus. {information for Steps 1-and-2 was provided by Sarah Richart, a Local Meeting Chair} {or, GoogleMaps shows transit options using Gold Line and/or bus}
• For the return trip, from Azusa Pacific to airports, at the conference there will be an old-fashioned physical Sharing Board where you can write information, offers, and requests.
Amtrak has California Routes — 5 of 8 go to LA (to Union Station where you can take a local train to APU) and other stations in CA — plus National Routes & Routemap. Buy 14 days before your trip and save 20%. {cost}
• by BUS
Megabus has routes to Los Angeles, but only from (and to) San Francisco & San Jose & Oakland, and Las Vegas. Megabus drives you to Union Station where you can take a local train to APU.
Fares are very cheap if you buy far in advance, are fairly cheap (similar to Greyhound) when buying closer to your trip. {cost}
Greyhound Bus has routes throughout the country (map) to explore. LA is a hub for many Express Routes.
Prices: Usually, fares are much cheaper if you purchase in advance. And check for Deals & Discounts (types of fares).
Unlike Amtrak and Megabus, Greyhound does not stop at Union Station. Of the 5 stations in Los Angeles, the one closest to APU is El Monte Bus Station (3501 N Santa Anita Ave, El Monte, CA 91731, 12 miles from APU), and another close station is #1 Los Angeles at 1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. GoogleMaps shows several ways for traveling (arbitrarily starting at 3:00 pm) to APU from El Monte and from Los Angeles. {cost}
COMPARING COSTS (checked in early April, for trips on July 21, or 21-and-25, from Portland or Oakland)
Plane: on March 22, from PDX [in Portland, OR] to LAX there were many flights from 170-205 round trip; to SNA (11 flights from 236-270); to ONT (6 from 236-268); BUR (12 from 236-277). LAX is clearly the cheapest from Portland, and probably most other airports. But maybe for some cities the relative prices are different. Or for some airlines, if they're not listed by Expedia. And it could change for tickets bought later. So do your own experiments, and observe the results.
Train: Amtrak, Portland-to-LA was $230 for round trip; Oakland-to-LA (12 hours) was $100 round trip.
Bus: Megabus - Oakland-to-LA was $1 or $5 or $10 one way for July 21, is fast (only 7 hours, with 3 convenient departure times) and is cheap IF you buy a ticket early. If you buy closer to the trip, it's a little more; one-way fare is $20 if buy 12 days early, and $33 or $40 if 5 days early.
Bus: Greyhound - Portland-to-LA was $76-$89 one way, with traveling times of 21-24 hours. Oakland-to-LA was $18-23 for one way, with 10 departure times, and traveling times of 7-11 hours.
Both are available at Azusa Pacific University – see Meeting Brochure, pages 6-7.
Social Benefits of On-Campus Lodging & Meals: ASA's Annual Meetings are my favorite conferences, and one reason is their meal policy because we all eat together. This is a great way for everyone to meet and get involved with informal conversations, 3 times each day. (in addition to discussions between talks and at night) Most people stay on-campus, which also makes meeting-and-talking easier, as I (Craig, the writer of this travel-page) explain here.
ASA Field Trips: ASA offers three Field Trips, described on page 4 of the Meeting Brochure: Joshua Tree National Park - Crystal Cove State Park - San Gabriel Mission and Huntington Library & Gardens.
Southern California: LAtourist is a good overview, with links for further exploring - Union Station (while traveling to APU?) - TripAdvisor (travel guides things to do Orange County [things to do in OC]) - DiscoverLosAngeles - Visit California (DiscoverLAC DiscoverOC) - LosAngeles.com - and San Diego (in travel-page for ASA 2012).
APU's West Campus at night