It's Just 5 Days Away: ACL Survival Tips

With cooler temps and bright green grass underfoot, this year's ACL could be unlike any other. But even with perfect conditions, you've got to do a few things to make sure you're ready for a three-day outdoor music festival. Take it from the pros: hydrate, sunscreen, and rest up in advance.

Insider's Tip: Don't have tickets? Check the official ACL Ticket exchange forum, where scalpers aren't allowed and you can buy tickets at face value.

The Week Before the Festival:

* Plan your schedule. Listen online to some artists you’ve never heard. ACL brings in some great up-and-coming acts that you won’t want to miss.
* Check the ACL Festival website for a list of allowed/prohibited items. Plan what you want to bring, and start putting a bag together. Items you should bring: sunscreen, hand sanitizer, tissues/toilet paper, saline drops for eyes/nose.
* Freeze some factory-sealed water bottles. At least 2 bottles per person, per day. Trust me. You can also bring in empty water bottles to fill up once inside.
* Get a bandana. Fold it lengthwise, dip it in water, and then freeze it. This is going to feel so good on your shoulders when you are standing in the hot sun!
* Find an old sheet or blanket to spread out on the grass. Chairs are allowed, but this makes it difficult to move between stages.
* Plan a meeting spot with your friends. Many groups use a tall pole with a balloon, flag, or puppet attached so that they can easily find each other. Do not count on cell phones to be working!
* Plan your transportation to Zilker Park. There is no parking! You can bike, walk, or take shuttles from downtown.

The Day of the Festival:

* Double check your bag before you leave. Do not forget your tickets, ID, cash, and factory sealed water bottles!
* Wear sunscreen. It is painful to see all the burnt skin from Friday baking in the sun on Saturday and Sunday. Especially if you are not from Texas: yes, you can and will get sunburn in October. Be prepared.
* Check the weather. It rarely rains on ACL weekend, but if it’s in the forecast, you might want to bring along a poncho or small umbrella. Still, wear sunscreen!
* Get to the park early. There will be over 50,000 people at the festival each night. It is nice to have a chance to walk around and familiarize yourself with the set up.

At the Festival:

* Stay hydrated!! Drink those ice cold waters that you were so smart to freeze earlier in the week.
* Visit the misting stations to stay cool! ACL sets up two stations: Mr. Mister and Sister Mister. Find them early on, and visit them frequently. You can even use them to re-wet your bandana.
* Do not be afraid to move around. Check out new artists on different stages. Listen to other people’s conversations about who they are going to check out. You will not regret this.
* If you have kids in tow, bring them to Austin Kiddie Limits. Visit the Tag-A-Kid tent first so you have a plan in place in case you are separated from your child. Then, enjoy all that the tent has to offer- breakdancing lessons, sand castle building, and family friendly musicians. Beginning in 2007, several main stage acts played shorter sets at the Kiddie Limits tent. This could be a great opportunity to see a favorite artist up close.
* Be kind to the volunteers. They are there to help you out, and anything that is going wrong isn’t their fault anyway.

After the Festival:

* There will be plenty of aftershows and afterparties throughout Austin--check AustinPost.org for details and live tweets! Click here for our running list.
* Check out some of the restaurants along Barton Springs Road to avoid post-festival traffic. Chuy’s, Austin Java, Shady Grove, Romeo’s, and Uncle Billy’s are Austin favorites.
* Again, drink plenty of water. And be sure to get some sleep--this is going to be a LONG weekend, and you want to make it through Sunday night.