- Plan to arrive before 4:30pm Thursday (consider coming Wednesday if you’re a presenter)
- Plan to leave after 2:00pm Sunday
Registration is Thursday afternoon. Scheduled events begin late afternoon, but you can arrive as early as noon. Once you settle in, there are lots of trails to explore plus you can help with setting up the labyrinth.
Which airport?
Toronto Pearson International Airport is our main portal to the world. Our other airport, Toronto City Centre Airport, is good if you want to spend time downtown, but it’s not as close. Porter Airlines flies out of City Centre and the combination of great service and a small airport makes it a flying experience worth having.
Flight Times
Ideal flight arrival times on Thursday would be noon–2:00pm (earlier if you’re a presenter). Remember that a domestic flight will go faster at this end than an international one requiring the attention of Customs and Immigration.
On Sunday, ideal flight departure time would be after 5:00pm. For flights within Canada, you’ll need to check in at least 90 minutes prior to departure. For flights to the U.S., the recommended minimum is 3 hours as you will have to clear US customs and immigration here, at this end. For international flights, check in is a minimum of 2 hours prior to departure.
Most airlines will let you check in online up to 24 before departure; this definitely saves time.
What should I bring with me?
Every day is “Casual Day” at Mindcamp. We encourage an atmosphere of comfortable informality so save your “business attire”. We recommend comfortable, easily laundered apparel because you may be sitting on the floor or outside. We advise rain gear and a sweater or jacket. Early September weather is unpredictable: it could be cool (about 15 Celsius or mid-60s Fahrenheit), it could be a heat wave (25+ Celsius or 80+ Fahrenheit). Pack for everything.
- Comfortable, casual clothes; running shoes, jeans, sweaters, shorts, etc.
- An old blanket to use as a meditation cushion, picnic blanket, extra warmth at night, etc.
- Sunglasses, sunscreen
- Writing paper, pens, pencils
- A sense of humour
- Your ability to take risks
- Instruments, tap shoes, etc, to show/learn your talent
- Flashlight, especially if you’re staying in the yurt
Where should I stay in Toronto before/after Mindcamp?
If you’re coming from out of town, you might want to stick around in Toronto and see a few sights. Be warned: the Toronto International Film Festival will be happening at the same time. This means a lot of hotels will be full, so book early! Here are a few good hotels you might like to know about. All are centrally located and on the subway line unless otherwise indicated.
- Hotel Intercontinental, very centrally located across from the Royal Ontario Museum
http://toronto.intercontinental.com/ - Pantages, a “boutique hotel”, chic and priced accordingly
http://www.pantageshotel.com - Cosmopolitan Hotel, also chic…
http://www.cosmotoronto.com/ - Metropolitan Hotel or Soho Metropolitan Hotel
http://www.metropolitan.com - Drake Hotel, ultra funky, not near the subway line (all the others are) but the neighbourhood is extremely interesting
http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/ - The Strathcona Hotel, downtown, not as expensive as the others
http://www.thestrathconahotel.com - You want cheaper? We’ve got all the chains, e.g. Best Western, Comfort Inn, etc. Just google it, you’ll find plenty.
