What are your experiences with anime conventions?

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I'm a casual anime fan so I'm generally not looking for conventions to go to, but I've been to a few with a friend who really wanted to go. They weren't major national conventions, but fairly big regionally. Honestly they were like any other convention I've ever been to except with costumes. Maybe a little more social generally with people taking pictures and complementing the cosplay stuff, but outside of that you could have switched the anime out with just about anything else and I'd never have known the difference. It was always a good time. Don't know that I'd go out of my way, but if someone wanted to go asked me to come along I'd go happily.
- What other types of conventions have you gone to?

I've been to a few with friends, although I'll say I'm more of a casual anime dabbler than a full on fan. Normally, I don't much care for social gatherings or large of events of any kind. I found I didn't have much issue with the conventions though, as everyone was really focused on their own things, costumes, interests, etc.
There was one time I went in cosplay with a friend, as a sort of pair. It was not a cosplay I created, but a really well-made loaner. Anyway, while walking down a hallway someone sprinted, running up to me and jumping completely onto my back... clung to me like a wild gibbon or something! I had no idea who they were, what they wanted, and just sort of stood there confused / shocked.
So anyway, that's when I learned what a "glomp" was and that some people get really into the anime characters and stuff. 😅
- TIL what a "glomp" is. That sucks - people really ought to remember cosplayers are people.
  What did you do other than walk around and cosplay? Spent too much? 😂
  
  Yes, I did not approve of said "glomp" and it was super uncool to just leap onto someone. I was too stunned to do much, but other people told them off. It didn't stop them from following me around the con for some time after, but I didn't let that ruin things.
  Unfortunately, I did mostly walk around, haha. Actually didn't end up spending too much, as I was part of one of the con's performances, being part of the aforementioned cosplay pair. I ended up befriending a group of people seemingly outta nowhere who invited me back to their hotel (I promise it doesn't get bad lol). They were all using this big room as a sort of hub to meet up, do costume repairs, swap out cosplays as some had 2-3 planned per day. A nice person bought me food and the evening ended with 4-5 of us sitting around on this patio outside the hotel sipping fancy drinks and beers.
  It wasn't bad, and I feel like I got to experience people more like me than not. Somehow I didn't get the "con crud" so that's cool.

As someone living in city with big exhibition center I only notice some cosplayers in public transport.
Last time I was there for IDET, ISET, PYROS exhibitions.

I went to Anime Boston with a few friends back when I was living on the east coast. I brought my 3DS and received TONS of Streetpasses. I definitely had a lot of fun, even if I'm a bit of a casual regarding anime. I also felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb because I was one of the few people not in cosplay. I never have been able to do cosplay, really. I won't do male characters for obvious reasons, and I never really thought I could pull off female characters. Maybe I can now, I dunno. One of these days I'm going to cosplay Aerith, damnit!
- Yeahhh, I get the feeling of looking out of place when not cosplaying but on the hand, it's just so much more convenient!

Anime Central in Chicago was super fun. Lots of artists making prints badges shirts and body pillow covers. They had arcade machines set up in the back, and multiple fighting game tournaments. Some Wit Studio animators for Spy x Family were there to observe the cosplay meetup and later gave a panel about how the OP was animated.
My only regret is that I didn't get a hotel closer to the convention center.
- Did you travel there? I've been meaning to get an hotel for a convention but I can't justify the price when I don't live that far.
  
  I live on the north side of Chicago metropolitan area so it was about 40 minutes of travel one way. We weren't able to find any rooms in the adjacent hotels for a remotely reasonable price. I think the best strategy is to make friends and make plans to room with a group.

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