Whether you’re basically a groupie or a first-time gig-tripper, here’s what you need to know.
In 2022 , I flew from New York toMiamiwith two friends to see the terminal concert ofBad Bunny’sEl Último Tour Del Mundotour . He was perform three nights a row in the city , and even though he had date at the much - nearer Barclays Center , we wanted the experience of seeing him perform live in Miami . We made a whole weekend of it ; with a carefully craft budget and a thoroughitinerarycrafted in anExcel sheet . We spent the weekend sipping mojitos on the beach and eating Peruvian ceviche . By Sunday night , we entered the concert perfectly sated with great tans .
It was a perfect weekend . One that would n’t have been possible without some preparation beforehand . That Excel sheet was our guiding light as we encountered unexpected hitch , like the Airbnb reservation that we had lined up weeks before melt just Clarence Day in advance of our comer . Including a concert in your tripper — or planning a trip around a concert entirely — have in mind you do n’t have the flexibility of changing the weekend you ’re drop dead to be travel . Bad Bunny may have been performing for three nights in Miami , but he ’d be gone by Monday .
If you ’ve never done a concert stumble before , the logistics can be consuming . Not only do you have to do the gymnastics of really securing the concert tickets , which can be a challenge even when you are n’t traveling , but you also have to fasten the details on theodolite , hotels , activity beyond the concert . Then , of course of action , comes the interrogative of how to tally your concert outfit into your luggage .
Kevin Mazur/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
These logistical challenges are n’t slowing anyone down . concord toTripItdata partake in with Thrillist , more than 56 % of Americans plan on taking a tripper for a music event in the near future . These traveller are spend big , too . late AAA datashowed that some fans are paying as much as $ 5,000 on ticket alone . Whether that ’s overseas to see the 2nd stage of Taylor Swift’sErastour , or across the res publica to see Bad Bunny or Olivia Rodrigo , there ’s an art togig tripping .
So , what do you need to jazz about planning a head trip around a concert that dissent from planning a music - free trip ? allow ’s get into it .
Book your concert tickets first.
Traditional travel wisdom typically suggest that in ordination to save money , you need to reserve your flight based on the cheapest just the ticket prices , and then build out the relaxation of your slip from there . But with a bushel date like a concert , there ’s circumscribed tractability . So you ’ll need to get started with securing your concert tickets .
After you book your concert just the ticket , you should also ensure you ’re booking your escape and hotels well in advance . A late study from CheapAir.com bump that the good clip to book flight to save the most money is42 days in advance . you may also reserve a bit earlier if you favour — Going ’s expert advice is to book aboutthree month in advanceon average .
For hotel accommodations , book as soon as possible is the way to go . This is especially lawful if you ’re live on to a major arena show . data point share with Thrillist from theMastercard Economics Instituteshowed that during Taylor Swift ’s Eras tour of the US last year , the fitting spending growing norm rise up by 47 % in the immediate vicinity and 32.1 % for the 10 - mile radius of the venue when Swift was passing through Ithiel Town . That mean the supply for hotel room and vacation rentals is endure to dwindle down as the concert date obtain closer . While not every touring artist is strap up the same spirit level of buff fervor as Taylor Swift or Beyoncé , getting a fair price and enough fitting will be easier if you book in the first place .
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Don’t arrive on the day of the concert
As you design out your traveling , try out not to make your arrival day the sidereal day of the concert , specially if you ’re traveling a longer distance . Frequent gig rubberneck and Delta Air Lines employee Paul Anderson advises to give yourself at least a day in the destination before the show . " You want to tolerate yourself time to adjust to the different sentence zones and be well rested for a full sidereal day of concert - going , " Anderson say .
arrive a day before the concert also allows cushion times if you encounter delays . Whether you ’re traveling via plane , string , or car , there are mint of ways time lag can fall into your track . Having that superfluous mean solar day mean you wo n’t be racing against clock time if something does go wrong .
Plan your arrival and departure from the venue
Plan on visit the venue and the area the concert will be ( or at least scope it out on Google Maps ) forrader of time , so you’re able to get a feeling for where you ’ll be arriving and exiting , and how you will be able-bodied to get back to your adjustment . One popular tip on Reddit is to hold your hotel within walking distance of the venue . If that ’s not possible , check that to think about and plan for how you ’ll get to the venue — can you call an Uber or taxi ? What prison term does the public transportation cease run ? reckon out a plan so you ’re not standing on tired pegleg run aground in a metropolis you do n’t make out at the death of the night .
At a late Hozier concert out of town , I seek to captivate an Uber back to my hotel — only to determine that the rate for leaving the concert was more than four times what I ante up to get to the locus . Ride - hailing app billow pricing is no joke , specially at a place as in use as a concert rent out . I ended up walking for more than an time of day until the price drop . If you plan on using an app like Uber or Lyft to get back to your hotel from a show , see if there is a bar or restaurant nearby where you’re able to grab a small bite or something to fuddle — or choose an alternative location a bit of space from the venue to be your pickup point . It ’ll save you a lot of headache .
Plan for your concert and your trip
The most recapitulate advice in ther / Travel subredditthread for “ Is it worth it to travel to go to a concert ? ” is that when you ’re traveling for a concert , you should still project the rest of your misstep like a vacation .
" I have traveled from the US to Europe for several concerts . call back of it like plan a holiday to a city with a lot to do , " one Redditor wrote . " And one nighttime you just happen to go to a concert . Build the tripper around that nighttime and it can perfectly be worthwhile . "
This means get a morsel of enquiry done on your name and address — what there is to do , where will you eat , etc . The concert may be the focal point , but do n’t omit the rest of the details . you may also be realistic about how much energy you ’re going to have — if the concert is going to be a full night of dancing and screaming your throat raw , your itinerary surrounding the show can ( and probably should ) be more relaxed .
If I were to travel again for a concert , I would attempt to make certain I pass the conform to solar day relaxing by the pool or sea .
Pack for a concert and a vacation
When you ’re preparing to attend any concert , there ’s a pre - show genial checklist to run through that includes finding out what sort of bag the venue allows and determining if you should have on your fashionable shoes or a more comfortable pair . None of that goes away when you are traveling to a concert — you’ll just need to check the contents of that list into your luggage .
check that you have a venue - appropriate pocketbook ( these are often limited by size or are necessitate to be clear ) , go for the comfortable shoes , and check that any portable battery you blame is also take into account in the venue , as some venues also have size restrictions on these . Then , make certain you take your barrage in your carry - on , not your check baggage , in accordance withTSA rule .
Packing and planning out your concert outfit first will also allow you to be smart about how much luggage real estate you have for the rest of your stuff . Do n’t underestimate the amount of room a cowboy hat takes up , for good example . " Have your kit planned and pack ahead of metre , " Anderson advise . " If possible , plan composition that can be repurposed on your trip , so you are not using a fully see bag on your concert attire . "
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
Pack your concert essentials first , then go about add together the rest of your packing lean into your baggage . Beyond that , stay hydrated , mind your concert etiquette , and have some playfulness .
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