So, you’re heading to VMware Explore for the first time. Maybe you’re excited, maybe you’re slightly nervous, or maybe you’re just wondering how you ended up lucky enough to snag a conference badge. Either way, you’re not alone.
We asked our communities what they wish someone had told them before their first Explore, and wow, did they deliver. From the practical (yes, you really do need good shoes) to the strategic (those standby lines are your friend), here’s the inside scoop from people who’ve walked these halls before.
It this year your first #VMwareExplore? Make the most of your event experience with these community-sourced tips ⤵ Share on X
Pack For Function Over Fashion (Your Feet Will Thank You)
Let’s start with the obvious-but-not-obvious: you’ll be doing a lot more walking than you think. Multiple community members mentioned this, and the numbers back it up.
“Comfortable shoes are a must, and you might even want to have two pairs. You’ll be walking A LOT. I average over 14,000 steps a day during the event,” says Dave Bradley, Senior Cloud Engineer. He’s not exaggerating–Rodney Barnhardt from Charlotte Pipe and Foundry confirms: “I have easily hit 13,000-14,000 steps per day!”
Andrew Nash, Senior Managed Services Engineer at Xtravirt, breaks it down practically: “Wear comfortable shoes, hydrate often, if it’s your first time, try to find a buddy that will help you and show you where to go and how to get around.” His team always looks after new people from their VMUG group.
The hydration part isn’t just nice-to-have advice. You’re walking miles in Vegas, probably carrying a laptop bag, and your brain is processing tons of information. Don’t be the person who crashes on day two because you treated water like an optional extra.
Plan Smarter, Not Harder
Here’s where first-timers often mess up: they either over-plan or wing it completely. The sweet spot is somewhere in between.
“Have a general plan. There are so many things happening that you need to make a plan and have things added to your calendar. Otherwise, you might miss something important or get distracted by peers and networking,” advises Pawel Piotrowski, Solution Architect. But here’s the key–your plan needs flex room.
Jim Harter, IT Manager at C&S Engineers, shares this crucial session strategy: “Do not be discouraged if a session you want to attend is full. There is always a standby line, and chances are good that within five minutes of the session starting, there will be an opening.”
Nathan Savolskis, Systems Engineer, adds: “Plan some free time where you can take a break to digest what you are learning…or, use that time to try and squeeze into a session (as a stand-by) that you couldn’t ‘reserve’ but wanted to attend.” The standby approach works more often than you’d think.
Jared Pamperin puts it simply: “Do not be afraid to wait for an open spot for that hot session you were not able to get in.” The most popular sessions always have no-shows.
👉 P.S.—The Content Catalog is live! Check out our full session lineup.
Don’t Be Shy
The networking aspect is where you’ll get some of the biggest returns on your conference investment. The conversations you have in session lines and community areas often turn into lasting professional relationships.
Jim Harter nails the mindset: “Don’t let the crowds intimidate you. These are your peers, and we are all here to learn and connect. Introduce yourself to those at a lunch table or when standing in line for sessions. A good opening question: ‘How many VMware conferences have you attended?’”
That’s a solid conversation starter because it immediately identifies who can give you insider tips and who might be feeling just as lost as you are.
Evert Amssoms keeps it simple: “Go out of your way to meet people. Explore is a blast and it is that much more fun when you have other people to hang with.”
Travis Robertson from Toppan Interamerica gets to the heart of why this matters: “Reach out of your comfort zone to connect with peers and share your challenges and feedback. Explore is an opportunity to make life-long connections with others that have the same passion for technology.”
These aren’t just feel-good networking platitudes. The person you meet in a session line-up might end up being your go-to contact for that architecture question six months from now.
👋 New to networking? Check out this handy guide on where to find friends at Explore.
Explore Beyond the Breakouts
Don’t make the rookie mistake of thinking the only valuable content is in the official breakout sessions. Some of the best conversations happen in the spaces between.
“Be sure to schedule time in The Expo,” reminds Mikael Jensen, System Administrator at Terma. It’s not just about vendor swag (though the swag is pretty good). The Expo (located inside the newly consolidated Hub this year) is where you can have real conversations with the people building the tools you use daily.
Nick Merlevede, System Engineer at Axxes, emphasizes: “Take time to hang out at The Hub and the community booths.” These areas are less formal, which often means more honest discussions about real-world implementations and challenges.
Pawel Piotrowski, Solution Architect, adds: “Don’t forget the community area, there are plenty of great sessions—it’s not only about breakouts!” Community-led sessions often cover the practical stuff that doesn’t make it into official product presentations.
Daniel Moses suggests: “Check with your vendors for any special meetings or get-togethers.” These smaller gatherings can be goldmines for getting direct access to product teams and engineering folks.
Maarten Van Driessen from Brisk-IT sums up the social aspect: “Talk to strangers hanging out in the community areas.” The community areas are designed for exactly this kind of interaction.
🎰 Looking for after-hours fun? Check our our Las Vegas Visitor’s Guide for inspiration and ideas.
Optimize For Walking And Swag Hauls
Vegas throws some curveballs that catch first-timers off guard. Patrick McGraw, Systems Engineer, learned this the hard way: “The hotels are farther away then you think. Just because you can see Caesars Palace doesn’t mean you can walk there in five minutes.”
Vegas distances are deceptive. What looks like a quick walk can easily turn into 15-20 minutes, especially when you factor in crowds and conference bags.
Dave Bradley has packing advice: “Pack a larger than you need suitcase to make sure you have room to bring back any cool stuff you might win or get from the Vendor Expo. If you do need to ship stuff home, don’t wait till the last minute to find FedEx!”
The swag situation is real. Between vendor giveaways, conference materials, and things you actually want to keep, your bag situation can get out of hand quickly. Plan accordingly.
The Bottom Line
VMware Explore can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Wear good shoes, plan flexibly, talk to people, explore beyond the obvious sessions, and remember that everyone there is dealing with the same infrastructure headaches you are.
The community members who shared these tips have been where you are. They’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. Take their advice, and you’ll spend less time figuring out logistics and more time learning things that’ll make your job easier when you get back to the office.
Will we see you there?
