There are so many amazing annual festivals around the world, including Mardi Gras in Louisiana, Oktoberfest in Germany, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain and Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, just to name a few.
Oftentimes, these festivals sell out early, are jam-packed and take months of preparation to enjoy and get the most out of.
Thus, we asked travel agents for some tips and suggestions on how to plan for and enjoy these and other upcoming festivals.
Oli Russell-Cowan, startup founder of Rad Season based in Sydney, Australia urges festival-goers to buy tickets well in advance: "Tickets go quickly and hotels will book up soon after that, as festivals like Coachella have people preparing for months in advance. Don't miss out because you failed to plan."
Planning means thinking about all of the details.
"For example, the reassurance of having a confirmed shuttle may be more beneficial than waiting around for an Uber with 10,000 of your closest friends at the end of the night," added Russell-Cowan.
Festivals are a wonderful way to indulge in another countries culture and traditions, so Olga Leonetti suggests dressing appropriately and comfortably for them.
"Make sure to bring comfortable footwear, dress for the occasion, and bring a knapsack or a shoulder bag that has a security-locking system, for such things as a portable phone charger, water bottle, energy bar, rain jacket, hat, cash and so on," said Leonetti of Northstar Travel & Associates in Kitchener, Ontario. "I usually wear my knapsack in front of me so that all compartments are easily accessible to me."
Russell-Cowan has a few tips for the actual day of the festival: "Stay hydrated. Eat a good meal just before you enter the festival. Oftentimes, we start having fun and forget to eat or hydrate. Pack a power bank for your phone in case of emergency. Don't bring any drinks or containers into the festival. Nine times out of 10, they will be confiscated at the security checkpoint."
Finally, he said to research the travel path from your accommodations to the festival and plan for traffic in your commute time: "No one wants to miss the party because they're stuck in traffic."
Money is always an issue during travel, and Leonetti noted that it's better to have some cash on hand: "It's easier to replace cash than having to replace a lost or stolen credit card."
She also suggests downloading a festival's app to keep track of events and any last-minute event or schedule changes.
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