Festivals are a great way to experience music, culture, and community, whether in the UK or further afield. Driving to a festival can be part of a memorable road trip and is a great chance for you to take in the sights along the way. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of driving to a festival, what to consider when driving, and highlight some of the best festivals to drive to.
Best festivals to drive to in a car
- Glastonbury Festival
- Reading and Leeds Festival
- Latitude Festival
- Camp Bestival
- Wilderness Festival
- Creamfields
- Rewind Festival
- Boardmasters
- Wireless Festival
- Rock en Seine
Benefits of driving to a festival
You can set off and leave at a time that suits you
Public transport to festivals can be minimal and restrictive, with people often finding themselves bound by timetables that don’t align with their schedules for the festival. Driving gives you the freedom to start your journey whenever you choose, avoiding the rush and potential delays of trains and buses, and giving you complete flexibility over travel times. You can leave the festival at your own convenience, ensuring a smoother and more relaxed travel experience.
Packing is easier
One of the major perks of driving is the ease of packing. Unlike the limitations of what you can carry on public transport, a car allows you to bring all your camping gear, food, and other essentials without worry. This means no lugging heavy bags through crowded train stations or on to buses!
The journey can be enjoyable
The journey to the festival itself can be a fun part of your trip, especially when travelling with friends. Pack some snacks, prepare a playlist, and enjoy the excitement and anticipation of the festival buzz. The journey is a great opportunity to get into the festival spirit before you even arrive.
It can help reduce costs
Driving to a festival can also be cost-effective when compared to getting public transport, especially if there is a group of you travelling together. By choosing when to travel, you can avoid the high costs of local accommodation or pricy bus and train tickets. Sharing fuel costs among your group can make the trip even more economical.
What to consider when driving to a music festival
Traffic
The traffic around festival sites can be intense, especially in the build up to the event. It is not uncommon for traffic in the local areas to the festival to be seriously congested. To avoid getting stuck in long queues, plan to arrive early. This not only helps you avoid congestion but will also give you a better choice of camping spots. If you have an electric car, it is also a good idea to search where your nearest charging stations are located along your route so you won’t be caught out.
Tiredness
Driving long distances can be tiring and potentially dangerous. Sharing the driving responsibilities with others in your group can help keep everyone alert and safe. Plan for regular breaks to rest and recharge.
Parking
Festival parking can be expensive and may need to be booked in advance. Be sure to check the festival’s parking arrangements before you set off on your road trip! Often, cars aren’t allowed onto the actual festival sites and the parking is a short walk from the site or campsite, so be prepared to carry your festival gear a short distance.
Which festivals can I drive to?
There are lots of festivals that lend themselves to being driven to, with car parking often advertised as one of their perks. We’ve put together a list of festivals that you might want to road trip to.
Glastonbury Festival
Usually taking place during the last weekend of June, Glastonbury is a 5-day festival of contemporary performing arts held in Somerset. With world class acts, this is one of the most popular festivals in the UK and is a must-visit for many, often making tickets difficult to get hold of. Car park passes can be purchased for the festival, with over 55 separate car parking fields available for festival-goers.
Reading and Leeds Festival
Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend, Reading Festival and Leeds Festival are major events in the UK music calendar. Taking place at Little John’s Farm in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds, they are two of the biggest rock festivals in the UK. Car parking for these festivals is actually included with all tickets, and clear signage directs drivers straight to the site.
Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival is held within the grounds of Henham Park in Suffolk, usually on the last weekend of July. It is not only a music festival but also has acts performing poetry, literature, dance and more on stages throughout the festival site. Car parking is included in the price of your ticket which is a big positive and makes it a cost-effective festival to drive to.
Camp Bestival
Perfect for families, Camp Bestival offers various parking options as it’s often the easiest travel option to attend this festival if you have children. Taking place in Lulworth Castle in Dorset, it is one of the UK’s most successful family festivals. The festival is well-organised with different gates for parking and camping, making it easier for families to settle in.
Wilderness Festival
Held in Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, Wilderness Festival is a four-day party like no other. Celebrating individuality, creativity and the thrill of the unexpected, this isn’t a festival to be missed. Wilderness festival provides several car park and camping pass options, so whether you’re looking for a standard spot or something closer to the action, there are plenty of choices to suit your needs.
Creamfields
This Cheshire-based dance music festival takes place over the August bank holiday. Creamfields offers multiple parking options, including day parking, camping parking and non-camping parking tickets across the four days. This flexibility allows you to choose the best option for your plans.
Rewind Festival
Rewind Festival, held across three UK locations, is a celebration of music from the past decades, celebrating all things 80s and beyond. Car park passes are available with ticket purchases, making it a very convenient festival choice for drivers.
Boardmasters
Usually held on the second weekend of August, spanning 5 days, Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, Cornwall is a combination of live music acts and surfing competitions. Due to the nature of the festival, it’s split over two festival sites. The festival offers an onsite car park as well as an accessible car park and you should buy your parking pass in advance to guarantee availability.
Wireless Festival
If you’re a fan of rap and hip-hop, Wireless is the festival for you. Generally taking place over the second weekend of July in Finsbury Park in London, this festival is a great event if you aren’t a keen camper as you can easily head back to a hotel in the city. There’s no car parking available at the festival site itself so if you’re driving by car you will need to pre-book parking in the city beforehand so you don’t miss out on a space.
Rock en Seine
Located near Paris at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, Rock en Seine is a three-day rock music festival and offers the perfect chance to incorporate a festival into your European road trip. Enjoy the festival and explore the beautiful French countryside on your way.
How to pack the car when travelling to a music festival
Pack the biggest items first
Start by loading the largest items first, such as tents and camping chairs. This creates a solid base and makes it easier to fit smaller items around them. You can make sure you pack your car as best as you can for your road trip with our handy guide.
Maximise space
Consider using a roof rack for extra storage space. You can also fold down the back seats in the car, if you have no passengers, which will provide you with even more room. Make sure to utilise all available space in your car when packing, including the floor area behind seats.
Use a trolley
A trolley can be incredibly useful for transporting your gear from the car park to the campsite, especially if the car park is a distance away from the site. This will save you from making multiple trips and eases the load.
Keep essentials to hand
Ensure you have easy access to essentials, such as water, snacks, and directions. This way you won’t have to rummage through packed items during your journey.
Share the festival driving with temporary car insurance from Dayinsure
Make your festival road trip even more convenient with temporary car insurance from Dayinsure. Whether you’re sharing the driving with friends or you need European cover to visit your favourite festivals in the continent, Dayinsure offers flexible options to suit your needs.
Find out more about our temporary car insurance here and get a quote today.
