The conference will take place at Stoney Creek Hotel in Onalaska, Wisconsin, located 6 miles (10 km) from the La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE).
The conference rate is $103/night ($117 including all taxes) for a room with 2 queen-sized beds or 1 king-sized bed OR $125 ($142 including all taxes) for a room with a king-sized bed, pull-out queen-sized bed, single-sized top bunk and double-sized lower bunk. The bunk bed rooms are excellent for those wishing to share a room with multiple people to save money. Click here to book a room at the conference rate at Stoney Creek Hotel. This link will allow you to book during the conference (Sunday, October 21 through Saturday October 28.) If you want to come early or stay late and book days outside the conference window, book your conference dates using this link first, then contact Stoney Creek Hotel's front desk to speak with someone on-site to add dates at the regular rate to your stay (+1 608-781-3060, choose option 2 for "guest services"). If you are outside of the country and calling the hotel is not easy for you, book your normal conference dates first, then email us and let us know the extra dates you need to book and we should be able to make the call for you. If needed, the conference code is 2102INTERN, and the code for Saturday, October 21 is 21WOC2. Contact us if you would like us to help connect you with one or more other roommates. Stoney Creek Hotel is situated at the edge of the La Crosse River Conservancy, a 215-acre (87 hectare) tract with trails that begin literally out the back door of the hotel. You can even follow a trail through the marsh and end up at the Olive Garden for dinner! Days Inn & Suites is located within easy walking distance of Stoney Creek Hotel. Please note that although Baymont by Wyndham - La Crosse/Onalaska and Microtel Inn are relatively close, it is not physically possible to walk to Stoney Creek Inn from them due to a fenced interstate highway in between the two hotels--a car is required. |
FLYING to La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE) is a nice, small airport. It is recommended you arrive at the terminal for your return flight 70 minutes in advance of departure time, even for international flights. Flights arrive at La Crosse from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) through American Airlines. (As of early June 2023 Delta is ceasing flights into La Crosse due to a pilot shortage.) Although your airline may not fly through to La Crosse, it may work to book one flight to Chicago (ORD) and then book a separate flight with American Airlines to La Crosse (LSE).
If you fly into Minneapolis you may also book a shuttle through Groome Transportation to the La Crosse airport. Please note that you can request special times if needed. As a result of the recent news about Delta no longer flying to LSE, we are working to see if we can arrange additional transportation options between MSP and La Crosse.
Stoney Creek Hotel offers a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Please mention your flight arrival time when you book your room so they can plan for an appropriate number of shuttles, as they do not normally have shuttles standing by at the airport.
TRAIN
While Amtrak does run from Minneapolis and Chicago to La Crosse, service is regularly delayed and not expected to be on time. Additional travel is required between airports and Amtrak stations in both Minneapolis and Chicago.
ON THE GROUND
Once you have arrived in La Crosse you may rent a car at the airport (it is recommended that you reserve your car in advance.) You may also call an Uber or Lyft. La Crosse MTU provides bus service throughout La Crosse, but note that the airport is an "on-demand" route which requires you to call to request a pickup. Buses normally stop every 30 minutes at designated locations on each route.
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE) is a nice, small airport. It is recommended you arrive at the terminal for your return flight 70 minutes in advance of departure time, even for international flights. Flights arrive at La Crosse from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) through American Airlines. (As of early June 2023 Delta is ceasing flights into La Crosse due to a pilot shortage.) Although your airline may not fly through to La Crosse, it may work to book one flight to Chicago (ORD) and then book a separate flight with American Airlines to La Crosse (LSE).
If you fly into Minneapolis you may also book a shuttle through Groome Transportation to the La Crosse airport. Please note that you can request special times if needed. As a result of the recent news about Delta no longer flying to LSE, we are working to see if we can arrange additional transportation options between MSP and La Crosse.
Stoney Creek Hotel offers a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Please mention your flight arrival time when you book your room so they can plan for an appropriate number of shuttles, as they do not normally have shuttles standing by at the airport.
TRAIN
While Amtrak does run from Minneapolis and Chicago to La Crosse, service is regularly delayed and not expected to be on time. Additional travel is required between airports and Amtrak stations in both Minneapolis and Chicago.
ON THE GROUND
Once you have arrived in La Crosse you may rent a car at the airport (it is recommended that you reserve your car in advance.) You may also call an Uber or Lyft. La Crosse MTU provides bus service throughout La Crosse, but note that the airport is an "on-demand" route which requires you to call to request a pickup. Buses normally stop every 30 minutes at designated locations on each route.
RESTAURANTS/BARS
Stoney Creek Inn has a saloon (bar) that is open every night. They do not have a hotel restaurant, but there are many restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel:
Chick-fil-A (fast food)
Caribou Coffee
Noodles & Co.
Chipotle (Mexican)
Olive Garden (Italian)
Texas Roadhouse
Hy-Vee
HuHot Mongolian Grill
China Max
Kobe Japan
Black Forest Bistro (German)
Culver's (fast food burgers and frozen custard)
Perkins Restaurant and Bakery
Burrachos Fresh Mexican Grill
Starbucks
McDonald's (fast food)
Fazoli's (Italian fast food)
Applebee's Grill & Bar
Stoney Creek Inn has a saloon (bar) that is open every night. They do not have a hotel restaurant, but there are many restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel:
Chick-fil-A (fast food)
Caribou Coffee
Noodles & Co.
Chipotle (Mexican)
Olive Garden (Italian)
Texas Roadhouse
Hy-Vee
HuHot Mongolian Grill
China Max
Kobe Japan
Black Forest Bistro (German)
Culver's (fast food burgers and frozen custard)
Perkins Restaurant and Bakery
Burrachos Fresh Mexican Grill
Starbucks
McDonald's (fast food)
Fazoli's (Italian fast food)
Applebee's Grill & Bar
Other things to check out on your own before or after the conference:
NATURE-RELATED:
International Owl Center
Sax-Zim Bog (THE place to go for northern owls. They start arriving AFTER the conference)
National Eagle Center
Tundra Swans and waterfowl starting to congregate on the Mississippi (Conference is peak puddle duck migration. Tundra Swans start congregating AFTER the conference)
Fall colors drive (fall colors peak shortly BEFORE the conference)
Grandad Bluff
Norskadalen Nature and Heritage Center
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center
Genoa National Fish Hatchery (they also raise mussels and an endangered dragonfly)
Niagara Cave (BEFORE the conference. They close the end of October)
Biking: Root River Trail, many Wisconsin trails
Nearby Minnesota State Parks:
--Great River Bluffs State Park
--John Latsch State Park
--Whitewater State Park
--Beaver Creek Valley State Park
Nearby Wisconsin State Parks:
--Merrick State Park
--Perrot State Park **especially Brady's Bluff trail near sunset
--Wyalusing State Park
ARTS/HISTORY/OTHER:
Dahl Auto Museum
La Crosse Queen paddleboat tour on the Mississippi (BEFORE the conference)
Winona History Center
Minnesota Marine Art Museum
International Owl Center
Sax-Zim Bog (THE place to go for northern owls. They start arriving AFTER the conference)
National Eagle Center
Tundra Swans and waterfowl starting to congregate on the Mississippi (Conference is peak puddle duck migration. Tundra Swans start congregating AFTER the conference)
Fall colors drive (fall colors peak shortly BEFORE the conference)
Grandad Bluff
Norskadalen Nature and Heritage Center
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center
Genoa National Fish Hatchery (they also raise mussels and an endangered dragonfly)
Niagara Cave (BEFORE the conference. They close the end of October)
Biking: Root River Trail, many Wisconsin trails
Nearby Minnesota State Parks:
--Great River Bluffs State Park
--John Latsch State Park
--Whitewater State Park
--Beaver Creek Valley State Park
Nearby Wisconsin State Parks:
--Merrick State Park
--Perrot State Park **especially Brady's Bluff trail near sunset
--Wyalusing State Park
ARTS/HISTORY/OTHER:
Dahl Auto Museum
La Crosse Queen paddleboat tour on the Mississippi (BEFORE the conference)
Winona History Center
Minnesota Marine Art Museum