Many large music festivals have options to camp, and there are many amazing benefits to doing so. Camping at a festival means that you are close to the festival venue so you don't have to worry about driving to the venue or dealing with traffic. Many festival campgrounds also have vendors, activities, and parties happening, so by camping you'll get the most out of your festival experience as well.

If it’s your first time going to a camping festival, it could be a little overwhelming to prepare for one, and a lot of times you may not know what to expect when you are camping. Here are 4 secrets to having the perfect camping festival experience, these tips will help you be prepared for any situation!

Get early arrival tickets when it’s an option.

Getting ready daily for a festival takes a lot of time, so if you have the option to get to a festival early, you’d want to do that. Many festivals have early arrival tickets as an add-on, and it is honestly worth the extra money—though for some festivals, early arrival may require an application process.

If you are able to set up camp early, that means you get to relax until the festival starts—it also gives you some extra time to explore the campgrounds and check out and pre-parties that might be happening. You would also want to get to the campgrounds earlier during the day as well. Traffic getting into some festival campgrounds can get bad later in the day, so getting there early could also help you skip the long lines. Plus, it is a lot easier to set up camp when you have daylight, so plan ahead of time to get there early for a stress-free camping experience!

Make a camping check-list before you pack.

Having a checklist is very important when you are camping at a festival. It makes packing a lot easier and ensures that you pack everything you need. Many festivals provide a checklist, and you can also add onto those lists to personalize it for your own needs. Here is an example of a packing list for festival camping! If you need to stop by a store to pick things up like ice and food on the way, make sure to write a shopping list as well.

Pro tip for packing: if your festival outfits fit in gallon sized Ziploc bags and pack your outfits and accessories into Ziploc bags separately by each day, so that you won’t have to dig through your bags to find your outfits! If you are looking for cute festival outfits, iHeartRaves has you covered!

Photos by Divisuals

Personalize your camp for comfort.

Even though you will be spending a lot of time at the festival venue, your camp is going to be your home for a few days when you are at a camping festival. So why not make it comfortable and fun?

Bring an air mattress with pillows and blankets so you get a good night’s sleep even in chilly weather. Bring a flagpole and a flag for your favorite artist so you can find your campsite easily after a long night of going hard at a festival. Bring a canopy and some camping chairs so your camping squad has a shaded and comfortable area to hang out before and after the festival. Decorate your camp area with some tapestries and fairy lights. There is so much room for creativity to make your campsite your own home! 

Be prepared for any type of weather.

The weather can be unpredictable at times when you are at a festival, so it is important to be prepared for any type of weather when you are camping. Many summer festivals are hot, so be prepared by having lots of water and shade structures. Being layers and blankets in case it gets cold at night. Bring a poncho and tarp for your tent in case it's storming (this occasionally happens!) It’s good practice to be prepared for any type of weather so that rain or shine, you can still have the best festival camping experience.

Even though it is impossible to be prepared for every scenario while you are camping, planning ahead of time helps to avoid situations that could potentially be stressful. Hopefully these tips will help enhance your camping experience, and your camp will be your home away from home while you are at a festival!