Quoted from mhs:

If you're going to compete, Pinburgh is the largest pinball tournament in the world and offers a very unique experience. If you are not going to compete, please keep in mind we use over 200 games in that particular tournament, and so the practice bank at PAPAhq is not nearly as large as in August, when we only use 65.

Quoted from caligirl:

You do need to revisit PAGG. It was quote large last year...yet at the same time it is still small enough to not get overwhelming, and still has very much a mellow vibe. Sure it doesnt have an all star line up of speakers, workshops, etc. Maybe that is because so many people go simply to play, to admire well kept games, and to socialize with each other. Sure there is a tourney too, and you just might get to see a high ranking, recent champ play. The Bay Area has a couple champs in its ranks. And of course its for a good cause.
As for cheap flights, hotels, etc...since it is in Dixon, he has the option of flying into Sacramento, or Oakland, rather than SFO(one of the most expensive airports in the US) There are some cheap local hotels to stay at and use as a base camp.
As someone mentioned, the Jelly Belly factory is near by, and that is better than a trip to Disney. Not to mention all the pinball destinations in the Bay.
Come on, does Texas have the Pacific? the Golden Gate? the Haight, wherthis ee Gold Watch is? Wine country? Redwoods? Highway 1? a plethora of open minded, democratic-leaning, peace loving beatniks? Heck, even tho Sacramento is a bit of a cow town, its not a bad place for a day visit either.
Of course I am stirring the pot, simply because I can
Tho, thanks to this thread, I will have to look into the Texas show.

Quoted from Rat_Tomago:

TPF.....
Two airports (check)
Plenty of cheap airlines (check)
Room Block at the Embassy Suites (very affordable) (check)
Plenty of places for food and entertainment. There is a HUGE mall across the street with an AMC IMAX movie theater, Cheesecake Factory, Dave and Busters etc. (check)
Family friendly area of town (check)
FREE Parking!!! (Yay!) (CHECK)
Steve Ritchie, John Borg, Roger Sharpe (check)
A raffle for a brand new Stern pinball (main prize) and other pinball related prizes, with all proceeds this year going to the "Wounded Warrior Project" (I love that they are doing this!)(check)
40,000 sq ft of convention space!!! (check)
400+ pinball games!! (check)
New this year....A Sotheby's type auction on 100 working games!
What more could you want? Seriously? I don't care what state this show was in, I would be buying a cheap ticket, rent a cheap car or get a shuttle from the airport to the show. Need cheap food? They are surrounded by fast food places all the way up to fancy places to eat. I have been going to the TPF since 2008 and all I can say is Ed in TX has really, really, really outdone himself this year! Frisco is Utopia! Perfect, I mean perfect suburb of DFW to pull this off each year. Come on guys you have close to 4 more months to plan ahead and be here.
On a personal note...I lived in San Diego, CA. for 12 years prior to Dallas and I still consider myself a Californian at heart. I am overdue to go too PAGG. I haven't been to PAGG since 2001.