An RVers Guide to Getting Music Festival Ready in 2018
04-12-2018
Author: in Education
The signs of summer are starting to appear, the evenings are lengthening (depending where you are in relation to the equator) and the sun is getting some heat (also depending on where you are in relation to the equator) but most importantly this summer's festival tickets are going on sale - and selling fast.
If you have access to an RV you are already in a fantastic position to enjoy a festival in a state of luxury, yet this isn’t to say that you can sit back and put your feet up after you have booked the tickets. In order to pull off a stress free festival experience (especially if you have kids in tow) it’s worth putting in a stint of preparation to ensure all goes seamlessly. With this in mind, we have compiled you a list of five tips that will save your life once you are on the road.
Related Read: It’s Festival Time-Let the Music Play
Choosing your festival
With everything from country western to electronica and glow in the dark festivals (sometimes all three in one) there’s an option out there for everyone, but choosing which can be tricky. You have a few important things to factor in here.
1. Are they campervan friendly? It sounds obvious but you don’t want to drive 9 hours and find that they aren't… here’s a list that are definitely RV friendly:
Country Thunder – Arizona (April)
Coachella – California (April)
Sasquatch – Washington (May)
Ogden Music Festival- Utah (June)
Telluride Bluegrass Festival – Colorado (June)
Red Ants Pants – Montana (July)
Burning Man – Nevada (September)
2. Are they child friendly?
Not necessary for everyone, but if you are travelling with a family you will know there is a huge difference between a festival you can take your kids to or a festival that’s family friendly. Nowadays, the latter have everything from kids play areas, to science tents and arts and crafts - so a festival can truly be a viable alternative to Disneyland.
Getting Your Van
If you are an aspiring Rver but you haven’t managed to take one out on the road yet, then a festival can be the perfect place to test run a camper van holiday. Here’s why - there’s plenty to do, they’re outdoor focussed and you can be smug living in luxury compared to the tent bound campers - if you don’t feel good in a camper in these circumstances then you never will. If you haven’t invested in your own yet, you can look into renting from hire companies. But if you are constrained by a budget or just looking for a good deal, you can affordably rent a range of camper vans from other owners on peer-to-peer rental sites like Fat Lama.
Essentials to bring
I am not going to waste your time with a long list of every item that would be useful for a festival holiday - the blog isn’t long enough! However, I will do is highlight a few unlikely items that may not of occured to you but will stand you in excellent stead when you arrive:
Bottle caps sounds odd, but many festivals will open the bottles of water they sell you and throw away the tops. This is annoying. Outsmart them by bringing your own.
Phone battery pack very useful if you are out and about all day with a group - especially if your phone is also your camera.
Hand sanitiser see next paragraph on toilets.
Head Torch 101 camping essential at the best of times but absolutely necessary if you wish to find your camper again.
Ear plugs if you intend to have any sleep.
Toilet humour
This is one essential that you cannot afford to forget… whether you are a glamper or a low-cost camper there is one feature of festivals creates all visitors equal… the loos. No one wants to face a long queue when you are crossing your legs in desperation, but the temptation to put it off to the last minute is real when the result is an unclean and occasionally frightening facility - on the plus side you will sculpt your quad muscles hovering! Just make sure when you are far away from your own camper that you have some hand sanitizer close by and for those ladies tired of hovering a ‘shewee’ in reserve (desperate times etc).
Go with the flow
Yes I said that the pre-planning was key for a relaxing festival experience, but there is always a danger of taking this too far. If there is one holiday that requires a good measure of zen then its a festival. By all means, mark out the artists/ performers you want to see, but if you go in with every minute of the day allocated you will end up missing out on half the fun.
Festivals are famous for their secret areas and fabulous events so just chill out, wonder around and see what you encounter along the way.
If you have access to an RV you are already in a fantastic position to enjoy a festival in a state of luxury, yet this isn’t to say that you can sit back and put your feet up after you have booked the tickets. In order to pull off a stress free festival experience (especially if you have kids in tow) it’s worth putting in a stint of preparation to ensure all goes seamlessly. With this in mind, we have compiled you a list of five tips that will save your life once you are on the road.
Related Read: It’s Festival Time-Let the Music Play
Choosing your festival
With everything from country western to electronica and glow in the dark festivals (sometimes all three in one) there’s an option out there for everyone, but choosing which can be tricky. You have a few important things to factor in here.
1. Are they campervan friendly? It sounds obvious but you don’t want to drive 9 hours and find that they aren't… here’s a list that are definitely RV friendly:
Country Thunder – Arizona (April)
Coachella – California (April)
Sasquatch – Washington (May)
Ogden Music Festival- Utah (June)
Telluride Bluegrass Festival – Colorado (June)
Red Ants Pants – Montana (July)
Burning Man – Nevada (September)
2. Are they child friendly?
Not necessary for everyone, but if you are travelling with a family you will know there is a huge difference between a festival you can take your kids to or a festival that’s family friendly. Nowadays, the latter have everything from kids play areas, to science tents and arts and crafts - so a festival can truly be a viable alternative to Disneyland.
Getting Your Van
If you are an aspiring Rver but you haven’t managed to take one out on the road yet, then a festival can be the perfect place to test run a camper van holiday. Here’s why - there’s plenty to do, they’re outdoor focussed and you can be smug living in luxury compared to the tent bound campers - if you don’t feel good in a camper in these circumstances then you never will. If you haven’t invested in your own yet, you can look into renting from hire companies. But if you are constrained by a budget or just looking for a good deal, you can affordably rent a range of camper vans from other owners on peer-to-peer rental sites like Fat Lama.
Essentials to bring
I am not going to waste your time with a long list of every item that would be useful for a festival holiday - the blog isn’t long enough! However, I will do is highlight a few unlikely items that may not of occured to you but will stand you in excellent stead when you arrive:
Bottle caps sounds odd, but many festivals will open the bottles of water they sell you and throw away the tops. This is annoying. Outsmart them by bringing your own.
Phone battery pack very useful if you are out and about all day with a group - especially if your phone is also your camera.
Hand sanitiser see next paragraph on toilets.
Head Torch 101 camping essential at the best of times but absolutely necessary if you wish to find your camper again.
Ear plugs if you intend to have any sleep.
Toilet humour
This is one essential that you cannot afford to forget… whether you are a glamper or a low-cost camper there is one feature of festivals creates all visitors equal… the loos. No one wants to face a long queue when you are crossing your legs in desperation, but the temptation to put it off to the last minute is real when the result is an unclean and occasionally frightening facility - on the plus side you will sculpt your quad muscles hovering! Just make sure when you are far away from your own camper that you have some hand sanitizer close by and for those ladies tired of hovering a ‘shewee’ in reserve (desperate times etc).
Go with the flow
Yes I said that the pre-planning was key for a relaxing festival experience, but there is always a danger of taking this too far. If there is one holiday that requires a good measure of zen then its a festival. By all means, mark out the artists/ performers you want to see, but if you go in with every minute of the day allocated you will end up missing out on half the fun.
Festivals are famous for their secret areas and fabulous events so just chill out, wonder around and see what you encounter along the way.
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