Association of Southeastern
State Park Directors
2016 Conference Information
October 30 – November 3, 2016
St. Augustine, Florida
The 2016 Association of Southeastern State Park Directors
Conference is October 30 to November 3, 2016, at the
Holiday Inn & Suites Hotel in historic St. Augustine,
Florida. Florida State Parks is pleased to host this annual
conference where we meet, celebrate and learn from each
other to enhance our efforts with providing world class
service and recreational opportunities to the millions of
state park visitors who come to re-create and enjoy some of
America’s finest public lands.
Historic St. Augustine provides the perfect location to
experience both the public side and “behind-the-scenes” of
some of Florida’s state parks, the Castillo De San Marcos
National Monument and historic tourism attractions.
Onsite and offsite educational programs will focus on
successes and challenges in managing diverse state park
systems in a dynamic environment. Participants will learn
from both peers and industry professionals about best
practices and innovative ideas that can be applied at state
parks throughout the southeast.
Registration
The registration fee includes all conference activities,
materials, local transportation to conference venues, opening
reception, three lunches and three dinners. Breakfast is
included for those staying at the conference hotel. The
conference registration fee is $275 if you register by
September 30, 2016. Registrations made after September 30,
2106 are $350. You may register online at
www.2016.asspd.org or by using the attached Conference
Registration Form
Conference Hotel
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites St. Augustine-Historic District
The room rate is $119 (plus $12.50 tax) per night for single
and/or double occupancy. Each room consists of two queen
beds, a work desk, a microwave, refrigerator and single cup
coffee maker. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is in all
guestrooms and there’s free parking. Those staying at the
conference hotel also receive a complimentary hot breakfast each
morning.
Reservations are made directly with the hotel by calling (877)847-3736 and ask to book
under the block “Park Directors Conference” or you may go to www.staugustinehi.com and
use the Block Code “FAS” on the dates 10/29/16-11/03/16. Reservations must be made prior
to October 6 to receive this group rate.
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites St. Augustine-Historic District, 1302 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.,
St. Augustine, FL 32084, 904-494-2100
Transportation
The conference is located in historic St. Augustine, Florida which is readily
accessible by driving or flying. St. Augustine is about an hour south of Jacksonville
near I-10 and I-95. Conference participants are responsible for transportation to St
Augustine, however transportation from and to the airports can be arranged
through conference registration. Those needing airport transportation will be
contacted after registering to coordinate.
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is the closest (1 hour) and largest airport near St.
Augustine. Additional airports serving the area include:
 Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) (1 ¼ hours)
 Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) (1 ¾ hours)
 Orlando International Airport (MCO) (2 hours)
Once in St. Augustine local transportation to the conference venues will be provided.
Spouse/Guest Program
Spouses/guests of conference attendees are invited to participate in all conference
programs and special spouse/guest activities when registered. Regular conference
registration rate applies. Registration includes all activities and meals as detailed
in this package.
Historic St. Augustine has plenty of special activity options including walking and trolley
tours, St. Augustine Lighthouse, San Sebastian Winery and much more.
Offsite Educational Tour Locations
Visitor Information Center: For half a century, visitors to St. Augustine have made
the St. Augustine/St. Johns County Visitor Information Center their first stop upon
arriving in the Nation’s Oldest City. The center offers information on special and
cultural events, brochures and guidebooks for the area’s attractions, clean
restrooms and a gift shop. In addition, the center is staffed with friendly fully
licensed tour guide hosts who gladly share information on attractions, museums,
tours, accommodations, restaurants and unique shopping opportunities.
Fort Mose Historic State Park: A 40-acre waterfront historic site complete with picnic
areas, observation and birding boardwalk and a visitor center and museum. Fort
Mose offers many educational opportunities, particularly for visitors interested in
history or wildlife viewing. Those inclined towards history will enjoy the interactive
museum that tells the complete story of the first legally sanctioned free African
settlement in what would become the United States.
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Updated June 10, 2016
St. Augustine Amphitheatre: Built in 1965 to commemorate St. Augustine’s 400th
Anniversary as our nation’s oldest permanent European settlement, the St.
Augustine Amphitheatre is a 16-acre section of Anastasia State Park that includes
an old quarry where coquina rock was obtained to build early St. Augustine homes
and commercial buildings, as well as the Castillo de San Marcos. The Amphitheatre
is a state of the art performing arts venue with the capacity to hold up to 4,100
concert goers. A brand new conference room, four concession stands, a merchandise
area, a large plaza and an elaborate arboretum of walking trails make up the new
facility.
Anastasia State Park: The Park includes 1,600 acres of rich ecosystems, four miles of
beach and estuarine tidal marsh teeming with plant and animal life. The Coquina
Quarry is an archaeological site where coquina rock was mined to help construct the
nearby Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, earning it a spot on the
National Register of Historic Places. There are many recreational activities to enjoy
including hiking, swimming, beachcombing, bird watching and much more. The
campground contains 139 campsites all located within the beautiful maritime
hammock and just a short walk or bike ride from the beach.
Historic St. Augustine Downtown: St. George Street is a delightful historic district,
with its cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, unique shops and bed-and-breakfast inns.
Experience the sights and sounds of a leisure stroll of this unique centerpiece to
historic St. Augustine.
Castillo De San Marcos National Monument: A monument not only of stone and mortar but
of human determination and endurance, the Castillo de San Marcos symbolizes the clash
between cultures which ultimately resulted in our uniquely unified nation. Castillo de San
Marcos was for many years the northernmost outpost of Spain’s vast New World empire. It
is the oldest masonry fort and the best-preserved example of a Spanish colonial fortification
in the continental United States.
Colonial Quarter: Take an immersive, captivating journey through centuries of St.
Augustine's rich history, brought to breathtaking life at the Colonial Quarter—the
revitalized two-acre signature attraction in the heart of the downtown historic district.
Marineland Dolphin Adventure: Marineland opened in June of 1938 as Marine Studios – a
facility designed for Hollywood film makers to create underwater footage for their
movies. Throughout the years, Marineland has pioneered studies in marine science, animal
training, water chemistry and more. Marineland served as the model by which so many
other aquariums, oceanariums and marine parks based their own development and design.
Marineland was also the first to successfully breed and train Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park: Although the formal gardens are the centerpiece of
this park, Washington Oaks is also famous for the unique shoreline of coquina rock
formations that line its Atlantic beach. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Matanzas River, this property was once owned by a distant relative of President George
Washington. The gardens were established by Louise and Owen Young who purchased the
land in 1936 and built a winter retirement home.
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Updated June 10, 2016
Schedule (Tentative)
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m.– 8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
2:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
5:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
3:15 p.m.– 4:45 p.m.
4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m.– 10:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
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Sunday – October 30, 2016
Check in and Registration
Welcome Reception (heavy hors d'oeuvres)
Networking @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Monday – October 31, 2016
Hot Breakfast at Cafe St. Augustine (1st Floor)
Opening Program and Education Program Block @ Flagler Room
(3rd Floor)
Break @ Hotel
Onsite Education Program Block @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Trolley to Visitor Information Center
Lunch provided at Visitor Information Center
Educational Tour Visitor Information Center
Trolley to Fort Mose Historic State Park
Educational Tour Fort Mose Historic State Park
Load bus and travel to St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Educational Tour St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Load bus and travel to Anastasia State Park
Dinner provided at Anastasia State Park
Load bus and return to hotel
Networking @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Tuesday – November 1, 2016
Hot Breakfast at Cafe St. Augustine (1st Floor)
Education Program Block @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Break @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Onsite Education Program Block @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Trolley to Lunch Location
Lunch provided
Self-guided educational tour of Historic St. Augustine Downtown
Meet at St. George Street and Fort Alley to walk to Castillo De
San Marcos
Educational Tour Castillo De San Marcos National Monument
Walk to Colonial Quarter
Educational Tour Colonial Quarter
Dinner provided at Colonial Quarter
Load trolley and return to hotel
Networking @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Wednesday – November 2, 2016
Hot Breakfast at Cafe St. Augustine (1st Floor)
Load bus and travel to Marineland Dolphin Adventure
Offsite Education at Marineland Dolphin Adventure
Load bus and travel to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Updated June 10, 2016
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
8:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
6:30 a.m.
Partner Showcase and Lunch provided at Washington Oaks
Gardens State Park
Educational Tour Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Educational Tour Coquina Beach at Washington Oaks Gardens
State Park
Load bus and return to hotel
Free Time
Trolley to Dinner
Networking and Refreshments
Banquet Dinner provided and Closing Program
Load trolley and return to hotel
Networking @ Flagler Room (3rd Floor)
Thursday – November 3, 2016
Hot Breakfast at Cafe St. Augustine (1st Floor)
Return Travels
For any registration questions, please contact Melanie Wright at (904) 461-2002,
[email protected].
For general conference questions, please contact Leylani Velez at (850) 245-3033,
[email protected].
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Updated June 10, 2016
Association of Southeastern
State Park Directors
2016 Conference Registration Form
Attendee:
First Name
Last Name
Title
Name Tag Preference:
Representing:
State:
Guest name (if applicable) _____________________ Guest Email:
Phone: Work:
Cell:
Email Address:
Mailing Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Driving or Flying:
Dietary or Accessibility Request:
Conference Shirt Size (circle one)
Registration Payment (Choose)
Medium
Check
Credit Card Number #
Large
X-Large
2XL
3XL
Credit Card
Exp Date:
Code:
(Note: Credit cards are processed through PayPal)
Name on Card:
Signature:
Conference registration fee is $275 if registered by September 30, 2016. Registrations made after
September 30, 2106 are $350. Payment must accompany registration. Register and pay online at
www.2016.asspd.org. Make checks payable to the Friends of Anastasia State Park. Mail
registration and payment to:
2016 ASSPD Conference
Friends of Anastasia State Park
300 Anastasia Park Road
St Augustine FL 32080
Registration Questions: Melanie Wright, 904-461-2002, [email protected]
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Updated June 10, 2016