Best/largest orchid show to attend in the U.S.?

[tropterrarium]

Originally Posted by Orchidreamer

I'm back on this thread! Last year I went to Redland's, and it was a blast. Next year I want to go to the Santa Barbara Orchid Show. Do you guys think the show's worth going to? I'll be flying across the country. Just need an excuse for a "vacation"!

What orchid nurseries can I visit? For some reason I'm drawing a blank and I can only think of SBOE, Cal Orchid, and Norman's Orchids. I grow intermdiate orchids, can't really do cool growers. Don't like Noid clones or cyms. I'll stay a few extra days in the LA area, and I don't mind driving a bit to get around.

You may know that SBIOS 2018 is also the AOS 2018 spring meeting. So a big show will be even bigger! There will be other additional show benefits that you will find exciting. I'm in Santa Barbara, so know a few things that are in the pipeline, but can't spill the beans quite yet. So if you wanted to see SBIOS, 2018 is a particularly good year.

Re nurseries: Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, CalOrchids, Hatfield Orchids, +++, or you can take a drive down to San Diego and see Andy's which will blow your mind.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

Re nurseries: Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, CalOrchids, Hatfield Orchids, +++, or you can take a drive down to San Diego and see Andy's which will blow your mind.

If you are in the LA area for an extra couple of days, definitely visit Andy's, and while you're down there, Sunset Valley Orchids in Vista (about 15 minutes from Andy's) is also a treat. In both of those cases, contact them ahead of time to be sure that a visit is possible, neither of them is set up for "drop-ins". (Might mean that you have to go a day or two BEFORE the SB show, i know that except for Open Houses, Andy's isn't usually open on weekends, and early in the week they're busy shipping so don't want visitors)