Tips for planning your next festival getaway

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Whether you’re finally fulfilling a long-held dream to attend one of the world’s biggest festivals or you’ve decided spontaneously to try something quirky and offbeat for your next holiday, there are a few basic rules you should keep in mind when planning your trip, to ensure that you achieve maximum enjoyment and minimum fuss. Here are our five of our top tips for planning your next festival getaway.

1. Plan your itinerary well in advance. Some of the most popular events along with accommodation sell out well in advance. Festivals like Rio’s Carnivale and Pamplona’s Festival of San Fermin are attended by more than a million people each year: that’s a lot of hotel beds! We recommend that you start planning at least a year, and in some cases two years in advance, to ensure that you don’t miss out.

2. Ask your personal travel manager about complete packages. Often you’ll find that there is a selection of tour operators who have done the hard work for you, putting together event tickets, accommodation; even meals and sightseeing. They usually still allow plenty of freedom for you to do your own thing, but they can take some of the planning out of your hands, plus it’s a good way to meet with other like-minded attendees.

3. Think laterally. Consider what other events, attractions and destinations you might want to include in your itinerary. For example, if you’re going all the way to New Orleans to experience Mardi Gra, you might also want to go on a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi or attend an LSU college football game. Conversely, consider adding a festival or event to spice up your holiday: if you’re going to visit Aunty Edith in Wales next August, you could allocate a day to watching the World Bog Snorkelling Championship in Llanwrtyd Wells.

4. Do your research. Find out what the weather is typically like so that you can pack wisely. Visit the event website and browse their FAQ section for useful tidbits of information: sometimes it’s the finest details that have the greatest impact on your enjoyment.

5. Think about your route. Are there specific stopover points that appeal? How much time are you likely to need either side of the actual event for travel and/or relaxation? Have you considered every mode of transport? For example, if you’ve always wanted to experience Bastille Day in Paris, should you fly from London or take the Eurostar?

Spend some time with your personal travel manager and come up with a list of everything you want to accomplish with your trip. They will then be able to help you design the best possible itinerary to fit.

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