I drove a half hour for my first SQL Saturday in Orange County, CA a couple of years ago. I have since been a speaker AND attendee to many more. I would drive a couple of hours to attend as an attendee, no further. I will go above and beyond that to speak and share as I believe in the teaching.

As a speaker in 2015 I:

Drove to Orange County > 30 minutes

Drove to San Diego > 60 minutes

Drove to Sacramento > 8 hours

Drove to Las Vegas > 4 hours

Flew to Oregon > half day travel time

In 2016:

Austin > wasn't selected but would have flown.

Orange County > repeat

San Diego > event not held

Sacramento > scheduling conflict/to far to drive

Las Vegas > event not held

San Antonio > Flew, half day travel each way

Oregon > will go, half day each way

I wanted to do Pittsburgh but have a scheduling conflict.

Different perspective from a Speaker/Attendee but good data points.

Cheers