This will be my fifth in-person re:Invent and I am still tweaking my pre-conference preparation. Here are a few tips based on my experiences that will help you to rock out the week.  

***I also asked the AWS community what tips they’d pass along. You can find their great ideas at the end of this post along with their LinkedIn profiles so you can follow them or connect ahead of re:Invent. ***

📋 Have a Strategy 

The week of re:Invent can be a real blur. Most of us are dealing with jet lag on top of the long hours. The week will simultaneously seem like a lifetime and be over in a blink. Try to set some goals for yourself. A few good examples of daily goals:  

• Meet and connect with 3-5 new people  
• Go to one extracurricular activity  
• Visit one row of booths on the show floor 
• Have lunch with a colleague/customer/partner. You know the saying. Never eat alone!   

👥 Networking Preparation 

While it’s not a bad idea to carry paper business cards, most peeps have gone digital. Here are some tips:   

• Digital business cards (Some people swear by ones such as this one by Blinq). There are a number of solutions available.  
• Use your LinkedIn QR code. Be sure to practice getting to this quickly. If you’re not familiar with it, here’s how you access your code:  
  • Ensure you have the LinkedIn app on your phone 
  • When you meet someone you want to connect with, navigate to the search bar on the app and you’ll see a small QR code icon on the upper right-hand side. Click on that.  
  • Choose between displaying your QR code or scanning someone else’s code. 
  • Be sure to remind people to click the three dots and select “Connect” if you are using the Influencer setting. If not, they will simply “Follow” you and not truly connect.   

🫱🏿‍🫲🏽 Engage the Community 

Building meaningful connections at re:Invent extends far beyond the conference floor. A lot of people call this the “Hallway Track.” The AWS community is one of the most welcoming and collaborative in tech, and there are a zillion ways to plug into this network before, during, and after the event. Being proactive about engagement can turn your conference experience from good to exceptional.  

• Join relevant Discord servers and look in your Slack communities to see if there is a re:Invent channel 
• Follow event hashtags across social media platforms 
• Be sure to comment on posts you see! This is one of the easiest ways to engage.  
• Post pictures and videos on your own social media channels and include the hashtag.  
• Engage with AWS Community Builders and User Group Leaders. You can find them at the Community booth on the show floor and in the Dev Lounge. 
• Participate in community-led side events. The best place to find these extracurricular activities is at www.conferenceparties.com  

🚗 Getting Around 

Vegas transportation during re:Invent requires strategic thinking and flexibility. While AWS provides shuttle service between venues, having multiple backup plans is a good idea. The distance between venues can be deceptive, and what looks like a quick trip on the map might be miles of walking.  

• Study the updated shuttle system schedule and stops 
• Vegas is probably the one place on earth where cabs make more sense than ride shares. They are always at the ready. The one exception is at the end of the day when the line backs up.  
• Keep multiple rideshare apps ready for the times when a cab doesn’t make as much sense, such as at peak times or when you need to be somewhere at a particular time and want to schedule ahead.  
• Consider walking for nearby venues, but beware, the walking adds up. Don’t be a hero.  
• Know the tram/monorail routes 
• It helps to have a map of the Strip available. I like to screen shot an image from Google.  

🧑‍🍳 Have a Meal Plan 

Meal planning at re:Invent deserves more attention than you might expect. The combination of 70,000+ attendees and numerous private events means that casual dining isn’t always possible. Many restaurants in conference venues will be bought out for private functions, so having a plan (and backup options) for meals is crucial. More than likely, there will nothing available to walk into at the Venetian due to these buy-outs. It’s easier than you might think to be 12 hours into the day and realize that you didn’t eat anything.  

• Research restaurant availability in advance if there’s somewhere in particular you really want to eat 
• Make reservations where possible 
• Know the quiet spots for impromptu meetings 
• Keep snacks handy for long sessions 
• Save a list of 24-hour dining options 
• Note quick-service locations near main venues 
• Drink water like it’s your job

🧳 Don’t Pack Like It’s an Ordinary Trip 

You’ll be spending a week in the desert and walking 20-40k steps a day. You’re going to need a different packing strategy than your average business trip.  

• Bring chapstick. No, really. I don’t use this stuff 51 weeks out of the year. It’s really, really dry out there.  
• Make the switch to wool socks. I made the switch because of re:Invent week. You’ll appreciate the antibacterial properties after a long day of walking. That’s all I’m going to say about that.  
• Consider a portable humidifier. There are great travel models where you invert a disposable water bottle in them. Did I mention it’s really, really dry out there?  
• Eye drops are a must. Your eyes will get insanely dry out there. I also like to bring a bottle of Lumify eye drops to eradicate the redness. If you go too hard in the after hours, you want to show up the next day like it never happened.  
• Start test driving your shoes now. Even if they are normally comfortable for walking around (like Sketchers), they will fail you at 40k steps in a day. I personally favor Brooks (the leather ones made for walking). They might not be the prettiest, but they get the job done and I’m not writhing in pain at the end of the day.  
• If you have allergies at any time of the year, bring all of your allergy meds and supplies. Most of us have allergy flares like no one’s business out there.  
• You’ll get blisters. Just plan on it. I’ve recently discovered bandages built specifically for blisters and they are a game changer. They stay on. They actually cushion. Comphead is the brand I buy, but I’m sure they are all fairly similar.  
• I like to bring a spray bottle of Avian. Not to hammer home the dryness factor, but a spritz on the face feels darned good in the middle of a long day.  
• I bring a mini first aid kit with ibuprofen, Claritan, band aids, etc. in it. Even if you don’t use it, you’ll make friends when you can help them out.  
• Fabric refresher. I bring a small spray jar of a combo fabric refresher and wrinkle releaser. Just trust me on this one.  
• Hand cream and possibly even cotton gloves for night time. Yes, even you dudes. Every year, my hands get what looks like frostbite from the dryness. I’ve learned that slathering on hand cream all day and then going to bed with gloves over the top helps a ton.

re:Invent is an absolute whirlwind of the best kind. Take it all in and enjoy yourself!  

💡💡 Tips from the AWS Community 💡💡

Not only are these some amazing tips, but these are great folks to know. Look them up on LinkedIn and connect with them before the conference.  

Refayat Haque AppDev / Cloud / DevSecOps / Formula 1 

• Recommend newbies to take the time post session to talk to the speakers, at the AWS security conference in Philly a few months back I did that. Being able to ask specific questions or clarification on things can reinforce what you watched/heard. 

Brian Tarbox  AWS Community Hero; Alexa Champion, AWS Ambassador, New Voices Mentor, Leader bAWSton User Group, 10 Patents, widely published, frequent speaker 

• bring one dollar bills to tip the people giving you free drinks 
• for each coffee/beer drink one water 
• take a nap on Wednesday afternoon 
• talk to the people in the lines you’re in … they’re your people 

 Gordon Clark  Solutions Architect at Elixirr Digital – formerly iOLAP 

• You can dry up & wither by day 2, so buying lip-balm and saline nasal spray beforehand really helps. 
• Also, make sure you don’t plan too many sessions – the stress of ubering or getting shuttles up & down the strip is real.

Daisy Urfer ☕️  Head of Cloud Partnerships @ Algolia | Driving Revenue and Market Expansion 

• Comfortable shoes are a must! If it’s your first time, you might be underestimating the walking you’ll be doing. Get ready to make the most of your week on your feet! 

 David Shepherd  Senior Manager, Cloud Compliance at Capital One 

• Don’t be slack about getting your water. Your welcome SWAG usually includes a refillable water bottle, but it’s smart to bring one with you. Start drinking when you get on the plane, keep drinking throughout every day. You need it, especially if you drink coffee or adult beverages.  
• Last year the Spacelift folks had a swag bag with Liquid I.V., Alka-Seltzer & Advil. The Liquid IV is a game changer. Easily the smartest swag for re:Invent!  
• https://x.com/reinventparties/status/1730046486854119497 
• Note that there is a Walgreens near Venetian. It’s a good first stop for breakfast bars, bottled water and snacks. Nothing is reasonably priced in your hotel/casino.  
• Lastly, if there is a display of products in your room, just don’t touch it. Most are wired with sensors and simply moving a product means you get billed for it. And you know the same is true of the minibar.

Steve Radich  Consultant at Multiple 

• Have backup sessions planned, and close by. Sessions fill up. If you are lucky enough to get reserved seats remember 10 mins before you must be in session or you go to back of walk up line.  
• The free re:Invent buses are best way around, in many cases better than Uber/Lyft.  
• Others said most tips but comfortable walking shoes deserves a repeat. Did I mentioned comfortable shoes? Really don’t underestimate the number of steps you will do per day.

Kevin Taylor  Technical Leader | Cloud | DevOps | FinOps | Professional Services 

Re:Invent is significantly more spread-out than what most technical conference-goers may anticipate. It’s absolutely key to look at your schedule and identify your “must see” items and WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED. Plan the things you check out before your “must see” items around these tent poles so you don’t find yourself in the unenviable position of your “must see” item starting in 3m being somewhere in another building entirely and it’ll take you 30m to get there.  

Chrystina 👻 Nguyen Master of Taking Things Off YOUR Plate / Community Builder / Speaker / Streamer  

• Tackle the expo hall in sections, there is just to much to see 
• Def do the Datadog Slide 
• There is always a giveback program – making blankets or filling up bags, makes a great daily feel good goal 
• Check out conferenceparties.com  
• sleep when you can, you’re in it for the long haul 
• Don’t be that drunk person at the end of each night with your free event drinks 
• Pick a location for the day and shoot for the sessions there vs spreading them across as walking/ubering is no joke! 
• Single dollars, handsanitizer, lotion and lip balm, and long socks with good shoes and a light jacket 
• Make an effort to attend re:play – its so much fun for all! 
• Be sure to plan your sessions and partner events in advance 
• If you are rolling solo, get ready for all the fun and gang of friends you’ll have at the end of it all! 
• Stop by the Community Hub

Cristopher Daniluk  CEO at Rhythmic. Helping our clients thrive in the modern IT minefield 

Schedule no more than 4 sessions a day. Ideally 3. You aren’t going to crush 40 sessions in 4.5 days and integrate it into your work. Use the time you save for taking notes, meeting people (maybe your next job or your next hire), hydrating, and resting.  

Nathan Hiscock ☁📈🪄  Head of Solution Architecture – Cloud Technologist | Evangelist | Speaker | Entrepreneur 

• Wear good, comfortable shoes. 
• It’s a marathon not a sprint. 
• Stay as close to the venetian as possible. 
• At least 30 mins between sessions. 
• Don’t eat yellow snow. 
• Taxis > uber