7 Essential Tips – ACL Music Festival First Timers

It’s September, which means it’s ACL music festival season in Austin, TX.  I’ve been to ACL multiple years, and made every mistake in the book, so I’ve partnered with SkinnyPop to bring you the 8 essentials tips any first timer needs to know before they come to ACL!

Wear Shoes, Not Sandals

You’re going to be walking from stage to stage all day – for multiple days. Ditch the sandals and wear a comfortable pair of shoes.

Bring Credit Cards + Cash

Credit cards are convenient, but vendors in the past have had issues processing them.  Bring some backup cash to make sure, if things go south, you get to enjoy the fantastic food trucks and all the beverages you want.  There will be ATM’s available in the festival, but the fee can be quite high.

Ziploc Bags

We have a lot of beautiful sunny days in Austin, but when it rains – IT RAINS.  Bring a few Ziploc bags just large enough to fit your phone inside, and they’ll keep it nice and dry if you get stuck out in the rain. They don’t take up much space, and if the rain hits, you won’t have to make a decision between leaving the spot you staked out for your favorite band or sacrificing your phone.

Blanket or Chair? Neither!

Unless you have a medical condition, leave the chairs and blankets at home.  You’re going to be standing the entire time.

Wear Sunscreen

The sun in Texas won’t be kind to you, even in October.  If you want to make it to the second day of the festival, throw on some 30 SPF and forget about it.

Drink More Water

Festivals are a time when some people want to fill that empty hole inside with beer – and lots of it.  If you want to make it to the second or third day, cut back on the beer, and drink more water. As Ice Cube said, it “ain’t a track meet, it’s a marathon.”

Portable Charger

I have to charge my phone multiple times on a normal day – ACL has over 10 hours of bands playing per day. Your phone is your last lifeline if you lose your group, so you’ll want to keep a backup charge ready.

Getting to the Festival

There are many options to get to the ACL Festival: Rideshare, Pedicab, Walking, Bus, but I’ve always preferred biking.  They have lots of extra bike racks for locking your bike up (don’t forget a lock), and even the guys from Mellow Johnny’s are there to help you with any bike problems. Don’t have a bike? Try Austin B-Cycle. You can rent a bike for $8 per day, and they’ll valet your bike for you at the festival entrance. If biking isn’t an option, the buses run quickly and are convenient.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the SkinnyPop Pedi-cabs around ACL.  They’ll be offering up free rides and SkinnyPop popcorn!

Thanks to SkinnyPop for sponsoring this post. It’s a great, health conscious, delicious snack summed up by their motto “Simple Tastes Better.”

Sponsored by SkinnyPop. All thoughts and opinions are my own.