by Chelise Simmons
Just like you, we’ve been excitedly scouring the interwebs to figure out which artist is playing at what festival this year. Check out our helpful festival planning tips for 2020. As the longest-running budget campervan rental company in the West, we know a thing or two about festivals. Of course, we recommend checking the website for the festival you are going to for their rules and regulations, but we can give you some helpful tips too. It’s time to get stoked!
Festival Season is Almost Here
Despite the fact that 2020 has just begun, the 2020 festival season is just around the corner. With killer line ups and tickets already on sale, there are so many great festivals to choose from in 2020. From Benny Benassi to Fatboy Slim from Rage Against the Machine to P*ssy Riot and Wu Tang Clan to Lizzo, it’s going to be a great year. Are you excited yet??
Van interior photo by @eyeofshe
Our Vans Double As Your Transportation and Your Accommodation
Our discreet vans will get you to your favourite music festival as well as providing you with comfortable sleeping quarters (bargain!). No need to sleep on the ground (in a tent) because our full-sized mattresses are super comfy. Don’t forget that our Hotel class of van comes with a rooftop tent – so you can bring your friends. Our Moab class of vans include a dual battery, powered cooler and an inverter (for charging your small electronics). Our regular Sierra and Moab class of vans (not the Hotels) come with a shade awning – Bonus!
Lost Campers budget campervan rentals include extras for free! You can find a list of what we include in our daily rate on our website here: Lost Campers Free Inclusions
Please check out all of the vans we offer here: Our Rentals
Sierra van photo by Luke & Emma
Festival Planning Tips 2020
Most of the websites, on the 2020 festival calendar have camping either onsite or nearby. Check out the venue page for their terms on camping and vehicle size etc. You can find the dimensions of our vans down the bottom of each van page on our website. Our vans are smaller than RVs which give you more flexibility and maneuverability. You may have to purchase a parking or camping pass in addition to your festival ticket.
Many festivals sell out well in advance so make sure you grab your camping spot while they’re available. If you aren’t able to grab a campsite at the festival, you might be able to find a spot nearby. We like to use Campendium which a website you can use to search, review, preview and even take a virtual visit to over 21,000 different campgrounds.
Some Questions You May Want to Ask
Does the campsite you’re planning to stay at have electric hookups?
Lost Campers vans don’t need any electric hookups, but you might – if you need to charge any electronic items. You can request to rent a power inverter from us. This will plug into one of the 12-volt outlets in our van so your small devices can get power (when the van is running). Don’t forget that our Moab class of van has a dual battery which can run a power inverter without the van engine being on. If you plan on using a small heater in the van, you will need to find a campsite with an electrical hook up.
Can I sleep in a vehicle at the festival?
Some festivals have a regulation stating you can only car camp if your vehicle has an on-board generator. Our vans do not have this feature, but you can most likely find a campground nearby without that restriction.
Am I allowed to re-enter the camping area?
Some music festivals don’t allow you to drive out of the campground and back in again, during the festival.
Is there a store nearby? What about ice?
Despite planning ahead, you may discover you have forgotten to pack an essential, or didn’t bring enough pre-cooked meals for your group. The bottles of water you froze ahead of time to use instead of ice may have melted and you’ll need to buy more ice.
Remember that Lost Campers includes an ice chest cooler with all of our rentals and you can also request to rent a powered cooler from us, although supplies are limited. If you are staying put for a few days and/or it is hot outside, you’ll want to run your van each day to keep the powered cooler charged. Our Moab class of vans have a dual battery system which runs a powered cooler (included in Moab rentals) overnight. Have you thought about using dry ice, which lasts longer than regular ice?
What About Water?
Many festivals will have water stations and those that don’t (and even those that do) will sell water. Check each festival’s website for more information on that so you know exactly what you need to bring so you can stay hydrated (and brush your teeth).
Don’t forget to bring your reusable water bottle or container.
If your festival campground doesn’t have showers, you can request to rent a solar shower from us.
Find out if you have to pay for the showers at your campsite.
Drink broth and eat fruit to help stay hydrated.
Am I allowed to cook in the campground?
Some festivals are located in active burn ban areas which means you may not use a campfire and some festivals won’t even allow you to use a propane camping stove.
Bring aluminum foil because it can double as a pot lid or be used to cook vegetables in. You can find awesome camp cooking articles online for yummy and simple ideas.
Can I bring steak knives in my camping kit?
Not all festival campsites allow you to bring sharp items or ceramic dishes in with you. If you are travelling to Coachella, we will remove the metal utensils from your dish kit ahead of your rental so you don’t have to think about it.
Photo by Chelise Simmons
Don’t Forget to Ask the Basic Questions
Sometimes the simplest things are overlooked when planning.
What will the weather be like?
Do I have the correct dates?
Am I old enough to attend?
Did I bring my tickets?
Did I grab my earplugs?
How will I recognise my vehicle when coming back to sleep?
Will we have enough food/water for everyone in the group?
Are there showers onsite?
Do we have enough garbage bags?
Should I bring my waterproof jacket?
Did we pack biodegradable baby wipes?
Did we remember TP?
Can I bring my prescribed medicine with me?
Is there a way to get $$ when I am there?
Are we allowed to bring alcohol with us?
Did I pack my sunscreen?
Did I pack my tutu?
Do I have another pair of shoes if I have a flip flop blowout?
What should we pack in our 1st Aid Kit?
Do we have batteries for our headlamp?
Did we pack enough towels to deal with mud if it rains?
Did we pack a spare set of camera batteries and a plastic bag to put over the camera if it rains?
We also suggest reading through our own Terms and FAQs pages and letting us know if you have any questions. These sections on our website are where we commonly get the most questions and the terms page goes over our requirements for a rental.