Summer is winding down. Time to fill up the second half of the year with great UX conferences.

There’s a lot of value in attending industry conferences: new ideas, cutting-edge techniques, rubbing elbows with the best and brightest, using up that last little bit of your budget. Freshen up your UX skills with a trip out of the office. Besides convincing your boss, we’ve done the work for you by sharing some of the top UX events coming up.

Before you go, make sure to see which UX design firms interest you with a quick search on Agency Spotter. Knowing who you want to meet is key to going to conferences. In addition to discovering the top UX firms, you can see how you’re connected to them via your LinkedIn network to keep it personal.

Our Top 4 UX Design Conferences to Experience

UX Week – San Francisco

When: September 9-12

Where: Mission Bay Conference Center

How Much: $2745$2,74$5$2,745

Why?: A lot of big names in UX design from all over the world, all in one place. The four keynote speakers include Amanda Dameron of Dwell Magazine, Ken Jennings (of Jeopardy! fame), author and designer Josh Clark, and creativity evangelist Denise Jacobs. Plus lots of focused workshops to choose from on Days 2 and 3.

Here’s where to register. Can’t make it? Follow @AdaptivePath and #UXWeek to feel like you’re there.

An Event Apart – Austin

When: September 22-24

Where: The Hilton Austin (close to Sixth St)

How Much: $1095 for the conference through September 21, $1390 for the conference + A Day Apart pass

Why?: An Event Apart is know for packing a punch over two days. Although focused on web design, many of the 12 speakers discuss UX design. If you love code as well as content and usability as well as design, you’ll leave this “learning conference” happy.

Here’s where to register. Can’t make it? Check out their stops in Orlando in October and San Francisco in November. You can also follow An Event Apart on Twitter.

UXFest – Boston

When: September 30 – October 1

Where: At the offices of Fresh Tilled Soil in Watertown, MA (just outside Boston)

How Much: $249 for UXFest on Oct. 1, $279 for the Responsive Modeling Workshop on Sept. 30.

Why?: How about an intimate day with the CEO of StumbleUpon and the Head of UX Research at Google? This small scale Boston UX design event brings together an impressive collection of UX practitioners and web designers to explore everything from data visualization to typography to the role of conflict in UX design. Best yet, this is an event that won’t break your budget. (Attendees get free transportation to and from the event courtesy of local startup Bridj.)

Here’s where to register. Can’t make it? Follow host Fresh Tilled Soil on Twitter and keep an eye on the hashtag #UXFest.

Delight Conference – Portland (OR)

When: October 6-7

Where: Portland Art Museum

How Much: $799 for the full conference pass, $599 for nonprofits and students, group passes also available

Why?: Geared towards brands and professionals, this Portland UX design event is focused on the intersection of business, design and technology. On Day 1 you’ll hear speakers from Uber, Intel, Zillow, Facebook, and Google, plus half of the pair behind Dinovember. Day 2 offers deeper-dive workshops lead by experts. Bonus: the Delight Conference overlaps Design Week Portland, meaning there will be lots of supplemental activities to add to your calendar.

Here’s where to register. Can’t make it? Follow Delight Conference on Twitter and their hashtag #Delight2014.

In the Name of UX, Pack Your Bags!

We hope one of these four UX events breaks you free of the office this fall. Remind your boss that standout user experience design doesn’t happen in a vacuum and get packin’. Curious about the UX agency scene in Austin, San Francisco, Portland and Boston? That insight is just click away.

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