Written by: Katie Curran
Calling all fangirls, fanboys, and fan people! Have you ever traveled to see your favorite artist in concert, maybe more than once? In this week’s blog, we’re giving you all the tips and tricks you need to know about traveling for shows. 😍
#1. Travel with your friends
While we love a good solo concert moment, concerts can be much more fun with friends, as well as cheaper! If you and a group of your besties are traveling to see your faves, it can be cheaper to book flights and/or hotel rooms with a group of people. Plus, if you travel with multiple people, you’ll feel safer than you would be if you were traveling by yourself! Whichever decision you make, be safe and look out for each other. ❤️
#2 Book flights on Tuesdays
If you’re flying to see your fav artist in concert, you’re probably going to be concerned about airline ticket prices, and TBH; we are too! Fear not, though. When looking to book flights, we suggest looking at flights leaving the Tuesday before your show. Flights on Tuesdays tend to be cheaper, which leaves you more room to splurge on merch! We also recommend looking for flights around 6-8 weeks out, so you don’t have to panic about flights and prices right before the show. 😉
#3. Get gas/groceries before driving
If you’re going on a long road trip or to multiple of your fav’s shows, make sure to get plenty of snacks and drinks! Hit up your local grocery store or gas station to stock up on everything you think you will need. If you’re going to multiple shows, this is super important so you don’t have to make extra stops when driving to the next city. And don't forget about stocking up on energy drinks or coffee so you (or whoever you go with) doesn’t fall asleep. Make sure to get gas before you hit the road, too! While you’re probably going to have to fill up again on the way, it’s always a good idea to have as much gas in the tank as possible before you leave. 🥤
#4. Check-In age for Airbnbs & hotels
You’re probably wondering, “Where am I going to stay when I get to where I’m going?” And that's a totally valid question! A lot of fans look at local hotels, while some look at Airbnbs. When booking a place to stay, it is SO important to look at the minimum check-in age! At most hotels, they will not let you check in if you are under 21. If you’re looking at booking an Airbnb or a VRBO, the minimum check-in age for most places is 18. However, some owners may raise the minimum age, so be careful! 🤔
#5: Consider methods of transportation
Congrats, you’ve made it to your destination! In a lot of big cities, traffic leading up to the show will be chaotic. In those situations, make sure to check out the nearest (and fastest) method of transportation. For example, if you’re seeing Harry Styles in New York, it’s always a good idea to check how far your hotel or Airbnb is from the nearest subway stop. If you’re in a city that doesn’t have a subway system, make sure to check the bus routes and see how close the bus is from where you’re staying and how close it can get you to the venue! 🚌
#6: Stay in safe areas!
This is definitely the most important thing to keep in mind when planning concert trips! A lot of venues around the country are not in the safest parts of town and sometimes can be dangerous for concertgoers. That being said, we recommend finding a place to stay in a safer area of town and getting to the venue via public transportation or Uber, depending on which is fastest! 🤍
#7: Check hotel rewards system
If you or your parents have a hotel rewards number with a certain chain, this can be super helpful in getting rewards/benefits for your trip! When staying at certain places, you can acquire loyalty points, which lead to upgrades during future stays (perhaps even your trip)! We recommend checking your respective hotel’s rewards system before you arrive so that you can enjoy your trip and use those potential benefits. 🏨
#8: Chain hotels are more reliable
While we love cute boutique hotels, they can be pretty expensive! When traveling for concerts, we suggest looking into chain hotels such as the local Holiday Inn or Hilton for better prices. Additionally, because those hotels are more widely known, they tend to be both more reliable and cheaper. Another big perk is that these hotels probably have free breakfast, which is super important if you’re looking to save money on food! 🤩
#9: Arrive the day before the show
If you are traveling for a show, we recommend that you try to get there at least the day before! If you have a seated ticket, getting there the day before means you don’t have to stress about arriving at the venue on time. If you have a pit ticket, there will most likely be a numbering/wristband system in place. By getting to the city the day before, you’re able to get in line and get a number so that you can get wristbands either later in the day or the next morning. 📆
#10: Check venue policies
A big part of concerts over the years has been camping and camping culture! While a lot of fans love to camp and get as close to the barricade as possible, venues are starting to ban camping or lining up on the site until the morning of the concert. In this case, we strongly encourage you to check your venue’s camping policies if you have a pit ticket. That way, you can enjoy the trip without having to stress about buying supplies and not using them! 😌
#11: Buy your ticket first
When planning to attend a show, it is SUPER important that you get a ticket before getting anything else. Luckily, tickets are on sale for most artists from the moment the presale happens! If you’re not a fan of Ticketmaster, there are some super reliable retail sites in the US that we recommend, including VividSeats, StubHub, and SeatGeek. If you’re buying your ticket from Twitter, make sure the tickets you’re interested in are not scams! Regardless, make sure to buy a ticket before spending money on anything else. 🎫
#12: Plan your route to the venue
Congrats, it’s finally the day of the concert! We’re so happy that you get to see your fav, but we have one more recommendation before you do. Getting to the venue is super important and can get pretty hectic depending on the size of the show! Whether you plan on driving or are having someone else drive you, make sure you plan out the quickest, most efficient way to get to the venue so that you’re able to make the most of your concert experience. 🚕
#13: HAVE FUN!!!
Lastly, HAVE FUN! This moment is never going to happen again, so make the most of it! You have a chance to make core memories with people and an artist that you love. Be sure to be safe, and dance the night away! Happy concertgoing! 💜
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