Indy, I did not really consider the Tahoe conference, since it seemed like a "mini-conference", not the full meal deal. Much as I would have liked to have visited with the folks there, it seemed more like the regional chapter meeting than the annual meeting. It is nice if it is a short trip, but not for a long one.
It really depends on your definition of what constitutes a "conference."
I think Tahoe was very much a conference. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Very low key. It was very much like how the original AC users conference was planned, but that then blossomed to 100 folks.
We did not have a hard formal agenda, although there were topics we all wanted to cover and did.
I suspect that what you get out of a conference is what want.
Indy, CME may be nice but there is a long process to get it. While it makes it easier to make it deductible, it should still be deductible as a training expense for EMR.
I think the large cabin worked out fine.
Driving, I would say 2 hours semi max. While I like to drive and see the landscape, I also would rather get to my destination and explore there. Hiring a bus might be an option. Depends on how much time we allot and how many people show.
