Let's all keep in mind: ACL Fest is three long days and takes some readiness and advance planning. Here's the news you can use not just about how to survive, but how to thrive. Read on for key information about:
- Getting there (and back again!)
- What to wear
- Key items to include in your backpack (and what's not allowed in)
- A note for smokers
Getting to the Fest & Back Home & to Hotels Again
Whatever way you wanna cut the cake, traveling to and from ACL Fest is a bit of a pain as there is no onsite or adjacent festival parking. But there are a number of transportation options for arrival and departure. Here are the choices, and more details can be found on the ACL Fest website:
- By Car: You can park with reasonable walking distance in the garages at One Texas Center (505 Barton Springs Rd.; free after 5 p.m. Friday and $10 Sat./Sun.) or the Palmer Events Center (900 Barton Springs Rd; usually $7 for most events), plus some nearby business surface lots are often offered ad hoc for a price. Passenger drop-off is by Austin High School on Stephen F. Austin Drive (by MoPac and off W. Cesar Chavez; no parking in lots there; consider car-pooling and a rotating designated driver to go park the vehicle and use alternate means). Limited mobility impaired accessible parking is available adjacent to the Fest site, first come, first served, permit holder must be in the vehicle and ID will be checked.
- By Bus: A regular shuttle service runs from Republic Square (Fourth & Guadalupe Sts. and not too far a walk from many downtown hotels) to and from Zlker Park. If you are going to try parking on the street anywhere downtown, mind the signs and meters and make sure any garage has day-into-night ACL parking). Many Capital Metro buses run to stops within walking distance of the fest; one-way is a buck (in dollar bills or change other than pennies; no credit/debit swipes, alas) but get a 24-hour day pass for $2 if you plan on round trips. Scan signs with QR codes at stops to store the arrival schedules both ways in your smartphone; a text option is also available. See map below or the Cap Metro website for more info.
- By Bike: One of the best ways to get back and forth, though the rides back uphill in South Austin can be daunting if you’re not in shape. Loads of bike racks at both entrances and Mellow Johnny’s Bike Stations for repairs and needs. Here’s a Google search of nearby shops with bike rentals.
- By Motorcycle/Scooter: Very close by parking a short stroll from the Barton Springs Rd. fest entrance at the Robert E. Lee ballfield lot.
- By Pedicab: They’ll be roaming looking to make big book as they do during major downtown events. No set rates but $10 to anywhere along Barton Springs Rd and $15 or $20 across the river; it’s all negotiable (though last year one cycle coolie tried to bilk one of our writers for $75). Pay ‘em well as they work every weekend and usually get no more than a bag of peanuts.
- Austin car2go, a car-sharing service, has a 1:30-8:30 p.m. drop off site at One Texas Center. Out-of-town members can use the sharing service here.
- By Parachute: Expensive, inadvisable. Plus no return trip option.
– Rob Patterson
What to Wear Dos & Don'ts
ACL Fest veterans know that there are right ways and wrong ways to dress for a three-day outdoor music festival in Austin. Looking cool is nice, but its nicer to be prepared so you can skip ant bites, heat exhaustion and staining your favorite duds.
Ladies
- DON’T wear something that you can’t throw in the washing machine. A floaty, gauzy dress may seem like a good idea because it keeps you cool, but if it is dry-clean only, leave it at home. At the very least, whatever you wear is probably going to get some grass or dirt stains from sitting on the ground, and if we see rain you could end up six inches deep in mud.
- DO layer up. Start with a bikini or very light tank top underneath that you can strip down to if the heat becomes too extreme, or you want to wander off and take a dip in the springs. Then add a light shirt or dress. Top it with a light, hooded jacket or sweater that can handle getting wet in case of rain. Just because it drizzles, doesn’t mean the music will stop, and neither should you.
- DON’T leave your legs uncovered. The big field where ACL Festival takes place is a giant park, complete with spiny grass, ant hills and other bugs. So while shorty shorts or a mini skirt may seem like a sexy or comfortable option, it's going to be way less comfortable when you’re trying to take a break on the grass and are being stabbed or bitten on the backs of your legs. If you must show off your gams, bring a blanket to put down underneath you.
- DO wear sunglasses and bring ponytail holders.
- DON’T wear your $300 Chanel sunglasses.
- DO bring storage space: a backpack with plenty of room to hold any layers that you shed during the day, as well as show shirts and CDs that you can pick up from merch when you realize that band you’d never heard before kind of rocks.
- DON’T wear heels of any kind. Maybe you are one of those women who can walk a mile in stilettos, or maybe you have that favorite pair of platform sandals that you swear you can wear anywhere. That’s cool. I’m jealous and you are better than me. Now please, ditch the pride and dig out some comfortable flip flops or tennis shoes. There is plenty of uneven ground in the park where a wrong step in heels could mean a twisted ankle, and transportation being what it is, I have on several occasions been forced to walk from the park to downtown Austin after a day of being on my feet.
- DO bring extra shoes in your bag. Flip flops break, and sometimes shoes get really uncomfortable when you have been walking in them for hours. It’s a little anal, but having an extra pair on hand can save you a lot of hassle.
Gents
- DO wear your cargo pants. Even if your girlfriend or boyfriend hates them, you’ll need the storage space for the schedule, merch and stuffing your hands in while you try to look cool listening to music.
- DO bring a wind breaker. Layering doesn’t matter as much for dudes, because you can always throw off the shirt when it gets too hot and let it all hang out (as long as you don’t mind a probable sunburn). If you prefer to keep your belly under wraps, then stick with a light T-shirt underneath, and bring a good rain-resistant jacket or windbreaker in case of rain or cool breezes.
- DO bring your shades.
- DO wear the most comfortable shoes you own, because if anyone in your party wore uncomfortable shoes, you’re probably going to be the one walking four miles back to wherever you parked your car and then returning to pick them up. – Jackie Stone
What’s In Your Backpack? And What Should Be.
A well-stocked backpack makes your festival experience far more comfortable and positive.
First consideration in what you carry, aside from the basics, is the weather. As of Thursday morning, the prediction from Friday through Sunday is mostly cloudy with a slight possibility of daytime rain Friday, a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday night falling to 40 percent on the final day and 20 percent Sunday evening. So be prepared for some precipitation. Anticipated temperatures by day are high 80s falling to 70 degrees on Friday and Saturday night and as low as 60 degrees on Sunday night. It is supposed to be breezy and even a bit gusty all weekend.
Then again, this is Texas and the weather can shift rapidly, so be prepared for all options.
Wisest to stash your wallet, keys and other essentials plus much of what you usually carry in your pockets.
So here are the basics:
• Two one liter sealed bottles of water per day as the festival allows. Save your second empty when done to fill at the refill stations onsite. Note: Beer is a wonderful elixir for your mood but not the best source of hydration.
• A hand towel. Whether you end up sweating or getting rained on, it might well come in handy (no pun intended). Also useful if something drips or spurts from your lunch or dinner choice at the food court.
• If you’re not already donning headwear for the day, a ball cap or foldable/crushable hat with brim. Whether it rains or the clouds clear – again, this is Texas and the weather can be changeable – be prepared.
• A bandana or two. They’re the multi-tool of outdoor clothing accessories.
• Winds are expected but just in case a folding paper fan or cardboard fan on a light wood paddle is still good to have on hand. Some entity or other is usually handing out the latter just after you pass through the gates, at least on day one.
• Even if it doesn’t get too hot, a water sprayer or mister can be very useful and refreshing. I own two types: a small hand-pumped model and a larger one with a battery powered fan. Don’t fill until you get onsite lest they leak in your pack.
• An extra pair of cheap sunglasses in case your lose your primary pair. Besides, cheap shades are a major hipster fashion accessory.
• A few large Band-Aids in case you get blisters and some over-the-counter pain reliever, both in some form of plastic bag or container to keep them dry. Also any medications you need to take.
• A wool or flannel shirt, sweatshirt/hoodie, lightweight jacket or sweater. Even if the temperature is only expected to fall at lowest to 60, we’ve been having some chilly nights here in Austin over the last two weeks.
• Raingear such as a poncho or lightweight raincoat or water-resistant jacket, and/or a folding umbrella. You can decide each morning if you should carry along after checking the forecast, but if it’s not too much to lug around, bring along to be safe rather than sorry.
• Printed copy of the day’s schedule. Yes, ACL offers a smartphone app this year. But getting a signal in the park can often be spotty with all the people texting, tweeting, mailing, posting and talking.
• Sunblock with a high SPF rating… just in case. Also a small or sample-size of moisturizer and lip balm.
Optional items to possibly carry include:
• If you have sinus allergies, welcome to the Live Allergens Capital of the World, where pollen and other irritants thrive. Plus Central Texas has also had some of the largest allergen counts in decades this year. Recently, Molds have been high and ragweed and fall elm at medium levels. Antihistamines or nasal spray highly advised.
• An extra pair of clean socks. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the beneficial effect a change can have at some point in the day. If it rains and your sneakers get soaked, you’ll especially appreciate donning fresh and dry socks before you march further around the site or to your transportation as you leave the site.
• Small lightweight binoculars. Yes, the larger stages have Jumbotron screens. But if they’re focused on the singer and you want to watch the drummer, or you wish to check out some guy or girl across the field that caught your eye, they’ll prove useful.
• If you plan on sitting on the ground, a blanket or other ground cover sure helps even if it might not fit in your pack and you have to roll it up and carry separately.
• Lastly, if you think you might be tempted to take a swim at nearby Barton Springs or Deep Eddy Pool (see our Quick Breaks from the Fest), swimwear and towel, plus a large Ziploc style or plastic hotel laundry bag for the damp suit.
American Airlines is sponsoring an onsite bag and portable chair check booth. If you need outdoor supplies, we recommend Whole Earth Provision Co. (1014 N. Lamar Blvd.) – think globally, shop locally – or REI (1014 N. Lamar Blvd.), both very near the fest grounds. – Rob Patterson
No Smoking & Cautionary on Toking in the Park
Zilker Park is by law smoke-free. You can leave the Fest at the main gate and smoke on the pavement of Barton Springs Rd., that’s the tobacco smoking section. Please don’t toss your butts but rather stub ‘em out fully and deposit in the trash. A smokers’ solidarity social scene will likely form as we nicotine addicts take a break to re-up our dosage.
If you’re a heavy smoker as I have been most of my life, popping out for a fix every hour or less seems like a pain. So consider carrying some nicotine gum or plain old chewing gum. Or something else to at least address the oral fixation, like the licorice sticks I am currently using to cut down (before I cold turkey) or cinnamon sticks.
I certainly do not advise anyone to break drug laws, but will say that Austin police are generally cool about the wacky weed (but there’s always those hardasses), so if you’re gonna 420 at any time of the day, for God’s sake (and your own) be discreet and cautious. Roll it rather than carry any paraphernalia (that seemingly discreet one-hitter is illegal once used), never have more than you can quickly eat, and consider brownies and or tea before departing for Zilker. Plus straightedge has its merits, as do shrooms. – Rob Patterson