Venue & Travel Info for the Essex Conference & Retreat Center

                                                                                                                                                   Mar 8, 06

 

The Center

     The Essex Conference Center is a lovely, wood-beamed residential facility, nestled in the woods of Massachusetts, about 1 mile from the sea, with an excellent chef. The venue also has a Jacuzzi and sauna (please bring a bathing suit). It has free wireless access as well as a computer with Internet access and a printer.

     The Center is located in Essex, MA, which is northeast of Boston, in an area called the North Shore. Their website is: http://www.eccr.com, but please don’t contact them directly about our classes or about rooms as Ric (someone organizing for him) will be handling all that. When a deposit is received, a space is automatically saved for you at the center.

     Because this is a residential facility, classes are listed as starting on the evening before the first day of class. Although you are expected to arrive then, there is no class or meeting that evening, just dinner, which is usually served at 7pm that first night and 6.30pm for subsequent nights. Please arrive that first night after 5pm. Class, as well as registration, will begin the next morning.

 

     Costs for Room & Board for 2006: First of all, payments for room and board will be made separately to the Essex Conference Center (although Ric or an organizer will be collecting that payment for them). So, you need to either bring a separate check (in US dollars) or cash for them; they will not take credit cards. Our rate for 2006 is $90 + tax per day ($95 total), which includes all food, and gets you a bed in shared room. Most of the rooms are 2-bedded rooms, there is one 3-bedded room, and three single rooms, for which there is an extra charge of $15 + tax per night. If classes are not full, double rooms can be converted to singles for the extra charge, if there are enough rooms available. Again, contact Ric, not the center, to reserve a single room, or if there is someone you agreed to share a room with, and to let him know of any food issues/allergies so some accommodation can be made. (For anyone wishing to stay over an extra night, for the night the class ends—if there is no other group coming in—the Center considers that to be outside the time frame of the class, where we have large numbers and are given a special rate, and charges $110 + tax for that night, which includes continental breakfast. If you are staying over because you are waiting for the next class to start, that is different.)

 

     Staying at the Center: The Center sleeps 44 people, but there are 14 bathrooms plus an extra toilet, so even at fully capacity, this potential issue should be (and has been) trouble-free here.  All linens and towels are provided and there is daily maid-service. Just bring your toiletries and appropriate clothes for the New England area for the time of year you are coming. Please note that walking barefoot in the building violates local health codes for the facility; shoes or just socks are okay. Please refrain from use of perfumes and aroma essences as some students may have allergic reactions to these. There is no smoking in the building. There is one designated area outside on the property. It is okay to bring a bottle of wine with you.

     The center also provides chairs, cushions and backjacks for the class, but feel free to bring any extra padding.

 

Travel

 

     If you are flying in, you will probably want to fly into Boston Logan Airport. (If you are going to rent a car, you also have the option of flying into MHT in Manchester, New Hampshire, about 70 miles away. Southwest Airlines flies into MHT, and uses ATA airlines to fly into Logan Airport.)

     Once you land at Boston Logan airport, you need to either:

1.     rent a car and follow the Detailed Directions below, or

2.     go by taxi (there is a suggested list of taxi services below, in Detailed Directions below), or

3.     you can get yourself to North Station in Boston, to take a commuter train. You can get to North Station from Logan Airport either by taxi, or by a shuttle bus to the subway and then 2 short subway rides. See the Detailed Directions below.

 

Detailed Directions to the Essex Conference Center & Retreat

 

DRIVING

> From Logan Airport

Exit airport, follow signs to Route 60 West. Drive a short distance to Route 1 North. Take Route 128 North to exit 14. At bottom of ramp take left on Rte 133 toward Essex. Travel 1.7 miles, turn right onto Harlow St. opposite the Red Barrel Restaurant. ½ mile to entrance of The Center.

 

> From the North

From I-95 South take Ext. 45 to Rte 128 North. Take Exit 14 onto Rte 133 toward Essex. Travel 1.7 miles, turn right onto Harlow St. opposite the Red Barrel Restaurant. ½ mile to entrance of The Center.

 

> From Boston

Take Rte 1 North to Rte 128 North/Gloucester. Take Exit 14 onto Rte 133 toward Essex. Travel 1.7 miles, turn right onto Harlow Street opposite the Red Barrel Restaurant. ½ mile to entrance of The Center.

 

> From the West

Travel East on I-90/Mass Turnpike to Rte 128 North. Take Exit 14 onto Rte 133 toward Essex. Travel 1.7 miles, turn right onto Harlow Street opposite the Red Barrel Restaurant. ½ mile to entrance of The Center.

 

TRAINS

     For schedules call the MBTA at 800-392-6100.

 

From Boston: all trains to Gloucester leave from North Station. Take the train marked “Rockport” and get off at “Gloucester”, not “West Gloucester”. Taxis are available at the train station to drive you to The Center.

 

To get to North Station from Logan Airport: you can either take a taxi, or a shuttle bus to the subway and then 2 short subway rides. To take the subway route, you take the shuttle bus from the airport to the AIRPORT subway station on the Blue Line (you don’t want the Silver Line) going into the City Center towards Bowdon. You get off at the 3rd stop labeled STATE. Then you switch to the Orange Line going towards Oak Grove. You go 2 stops, and get off at NORTH STATION. Then follow the instructions From Boston, above.

 

To get to North Station from South Station: either take a taxi, or you can also go by Subway. From South Station, take the Red Line towards Alewife. Go 1 stop and get off at Downtown Crossing. Take the Orange Line towards Oak Grove. Go 3 stops and get off at North Station. Then follow the instructions From Boston, above.

 

TAXI & LIMOUSINE SERVICES to and from Logan Airport and Essex Conf Center

     Please recheck the prices below before booking:

     A & K Lighthouse Taxi, at 978-281-6161, have only a few cabs, but they are only $60.

     Tri-City taxi, at 978-922-6999, needs to be prepaid, but they are only $60.

     C & A Taxi, at 978-774-1772, is $65.

     Atlantic Taxi, at 978-281-5550 is $70  

     North Shore Airport Limo at 800-328-2292, is $78.50, depending upon number of passengers, www.nsalimo.com.

 

LOCAL TAXI to and from Gloucester Train Station

     Atlantic Taxi, listed above, will pick you up at the Gloucester Train Station. Some of the other Taxi companies listed above may be willing to pick you up there as well. Please call ahead to confirm your arrival time. Fee to the Center from Gloucester is $10.00. Directions for driver are: follow Rte 133 to Essex. Take a right onto Harlow St., (opposite the Red Barrel Restaurant). Continue ½ mile to Center’s driveway.

 

Upon Your Arrival: at the top of our driveway, the large building on your left is the Center. There is a sign marking the “Main Entrance”. If you have bags to unload, stop at the “Unload Here” sign and leave your bags. Please follow the signs marked “Visitor Parking” to park before signing in for your event.

 

 

**   SEE MAP, NEXT PAGE **
ADDRESS: One Conomo Point Rd,   P.O.949,   ESSEX, MA 01929  

Phone: (978) 768-7374   FAX: (978) 768-3649  Website:  WWW.ECCR.COM