A ticket to rock: Getting the most out of summer music festival season

April 06, 2023

It’s a feeling like no other: seeing your favorite musical artist, deep in a crowd of fellow fans, in perfect summer weather. If you’re planning on heading to any of the world’s top music festivals, another dimension of the experience is traveling to a new destination and exploring a new city—or even a new country! With so many types of festivals — some focused on a wide variety of musical genres, others going deep in a specific style —hitting a festival is your ticket to crafting a music lover’s bucket-list trip.

Preparing for music festivals travel

Planning a music festival vacation can be complicated, as there are many details to be sorted out ahead of time. Considerations include:

Festival details: Research your festival options beforehand to find out who’s playing and on what days. Check to see if there’s a single event-wide ticket; some festivals require additional ticket purchases for the headliners. Scan the schedule of events, map of the venue, and rules about what is allowed and prohibited. Learn about the festival location and consider transportation arrangements.

Day-of considerations: Here’s a short list of music festival essentials. Research the local weather so you can dress (or pack) properly. Don’t forget a simple first-aid kit (a few band-aids come in handy when you’re on your feet dancing for hours). A fold-down rain poncho is a good idea for outdoor shows as well; a refillable water bottle (stay hydrated!), sunscreen and sunglasses are a must for summer festivals. And remember that everyone is there to have fun, just like you—and the easiest path to that is to respect the performers, the grounds, fellow concert-goers and the people there to facilitate your experience.

Safety: Protect both your health and your safety. Specially designed earplugs minimize damage to your hearing without cutting down on your enjoyment. Since you’ll be in large crowds, make sure you’re up-to-date on vaccinations—particularly if your festival destination is overseas. Find up to date information about required vaccinations on the CDC website. And while you’re in the crowd, avoid the crush of the center and stay along the edges, as well as being aware of emergency exits and where emergency personnel are located in case you or someone near you needs help. The simplest rule: Be aware of your surroundings.

Budget and Travel Coverage: A festival trip can be a large investment, especially when you add the cost of travel and accommodations. Some festivals have affordable campgrounds nearby, and tent lifestyle for a few days can be a remarkable way to meet other music fans from around the world. Be sure to budget not just for travel but also for the local food, drinks and that must-have concert T-shirt.

Another purchase consideration: purchasing travel and medical protection. Whether you’re traveling to a U.S. music festival or headed overseas for a bucket-list experience, travel protection can protect your investment in case of flight cancellations, unexpected changes in itinerary, and more. If you are traveling overseas, be aware that many U.S. health insurance plans do not cover accidents or illness in other countries.

SafeTrip* offers coverage that lets you simply enjoy your festival experience, knowing that in case of emergency, you have a backup. The Travel Protection plan insures your trip if there are flight cancellations or delays, or a hotel snafus. You can add on rental car coverage if you’re road-tripping to your music festival or getting wheels for in-town transportation. 

Overseas, International Travel Medical Plus plan includes both medical insurance, assistance services, and travel protection overseas. Meaning illness or accidents are covered as well as trip cancellation and interruption. You can call the 24/7 customer support line, so if you lose your luggage or find yourself sick, one call and you are connected to support. And International Travel Medical coverage makes sure that you have access to proper health care if you need it—even if it’s a dental emergency or quick prescription need.

*Policy availability varies.