We've all been there or at least dreamed about it. Our favourite band announces a tour, our team qualifies for the final or the festival lineup drops and suddenly there's a trip on the calendar that we didn't plan. The city wasn't our choice and the dates can't be moved. Travelling for events differs from regular trips because the location and dates are decided for us. It's our job to organise everything else around that.
Planning a trip around an event tends to be more challenging than regular trip planning, simply because there are hordes of people planning their travels around exactly the same dates. While it can take a bit more effort, an event can also be the starting point of an amazing trip to a place that you otherwise might never have visited.
Step 1: Secure the ticket first, but plan more than the event
The event ticket is obviously the first purchase, because without it there's no trip. Once you have it, it's worth thinking about more than just the event itself. You're already paying for the flights and the accommodation anyway, so it makes sense to get as much out of the journey as possible, unless you just want to fly in right before the event and fly out the day after. While that might sound like the most efficient solution, having a buffer is nice in these cases because you don't want to miss out on the only reason you're going if your plane is delayed.
Before you book anything else, look at the dates around the event. Do you have the time and budget to add a day or two before, after or both? Even one extra day can change the trip completely. You arrive relaxed instead of rushing from the airport straight to the venue and you actually get to see some of the city you're visiting.
Step 2: Book the accommodation and flights early, because event prices only go one way
The tricky thing about event travel is that you're planning the exact same trip as thousands of other people, on the exact same dates. Accommodation near a big concert, a final or a festival sells out fast and the prices climb while it does. A hotel room that costs a normal amount on a regular weekend can cost double or triple when the tour comes to town. The closer you get to the date, the fewer and worse the options become.
So once the ticket is secured, book the accommodation and the transport as early as you realistically can. It's also worth looking a little further out from the venue. Staying a few public transport stops away often cuts the price considerably while only adding a few minutes of travel. Just make sure you check how you get back after the event ends. In some cities, public transport stops running earlier than you would expect and you don't want to find that out at midnight while everyone is looking to get an Uber at the same time.
Step 3: Budget realistically, not optimistically
Event trips are usually more expensive than a normal city trip to the same place and it's better to accept that upfront than to be surprised during the trip. Beyond the ticket itself, there's the accommodation premium, the food and drinks at venue prices and possibly some merchandise. Transport on the day of the event can also cost more than usual, since everyone else has the same idea at the same time and ride-sharing apps often use surge pricing when demand is high.
None of this needs to ruin the fun. It just requires you to make peace with splurging a bit on this special trip beforehand. To get a realistic view of what you will pay, try to put a price tag on the whole trip in advance, from flights and accommodation to the event evening itself and the days around it. Being aware of what to expect is much better than constantly worrying about your spending during the trip.
Step 4: Plan the event day itself
The event day requires a bit of logistics planning of its own. When do the doors open and when do you actually want to be there? How do you get to the venue and how do you get away from it afterwards, when tens of thousands of people are trying to do the same thing? Is your ticket on your phone? If so, will your battery survive the day or should you bring a power bank? What can you bring in and what will security confiscate at the entrance?
Fifteen minutes of reading the venue's own information page answers most of this. It isn't the most fun part of planning your trip, but it helps you arrive relaxed and keeps you from getting stressed for avoidable reasons. It's also a good idea to plan the rest of the day loosely. A packed sightseeing programme before a five-hour festival evening might sound efficient, but it will most likely leave you exhausted before the main event even starts.
Step 5: Build the rest of the trip around the event
Now for the fun part, the days around the event. You already know the where and the when, so what's left is deciding what those extra days should look like. Maybe there is enough going on in the host city to keep you busy and entertained. Oftentimes though, the event city is more of a starting point and a day trip or a second stop nearby turns the event trip into a proper holiday.
To find out what the event destination has to offer, just search for its info page on travelfilters via the search bar at the top of the site and you will find all the info you need.
Step 6: Insure the trip against the things you can't control
Event trips carry a risk that normal trips don't. Tours get postponed, matches get moved and festivals occasionally get cancelled because of weather or other reasons. Your flights and hotel bookings aren't automatically refunded when that happens. So before you book, check the refund and rebooking policies of everything, not just the event ticket. Booking accommodation with free cancellation costs a little more, but it gives you a lot of flexibility. Depending on the price of the whole trip, travel insurance that covers event cancellation might also be worth a look.
The ticket gives you the reason to go, the rest of the trip is up to you
An event trip starts with less freedom than a normal one, since the where and the when are handed to you with the ticket. But everything else is still up to you and your choices decide whether it becomes a stressful in-and-out mission or a mini holiday.
Plan everything as soon as possible. There's no use in waiting around for a better deal on flights, train tickets and hotel stays around a major event. You're in a race against everyone else and the earlier you start, the more options you'll have.
