Biking to Summer Festivals

Festival season is in full swing, and wristband holders are looking for the best transportation methods to get to the concert sites. Parking is always atrocious, and while most well established music festivals offer public transportation, even getting to shuttle pick-up sites can be an ordeal. Avid and newbie cyclists could be missing a great opportunity to get in a great workout and pedal their way to the festival location.

Of course, biking to a music festival isn't a ride in the park. Festivals are crowded, take place during the hottest months of the year and are not always in the friendliest locations for two-wheel travel. Below are some tips to get to your jams as safely as possible and a list of bike-friendly festivals to check out in 2015.

Plan Your Lodging Accordingly

Most large music festivals in the U.S. take place in parks close to downtown or densely populated areas. For locals, this should make cycling an easy decision. For out-of-towners, make sure to find close, cycle-friendly places to stay.

Check Out the Festival's Travel Information

Most U.S. festivals encourage attendees to bike and want to assist any way they can. In fact, some festivals offer more bike parking than car parking, lockers and even ways to cool down after your ride.

Pack Only the Necessities

  • Tickets
  • Bike lock
  • Plenty of water
  • Extra T-shirt
  • Something small to eat (fruit, energy bar, etc.)
  • Small towel
  • Sunblock
  • Small tire pump

Plan Your Route

The last thing you want is to get lost and miss your favorite act. But you also want to make sure you've picked the most bike-friendly route. As mentioned earlier, most festivals take place in parks close to a city's downtown, which means bike lanes are in abundance. Try to stick to streets that have designated bike lanes, even at the expense of cutting corners.

Pace Yourself

Find a nice, easy pace and give yourself plenty of time to get to the festival site. You don't want to push yourself and expend too much energy before a long day in the sun.

Find Buddies to Bike With

Cycling in a group makes the experience more fun and safer. If possible, get some friends together and make the journey to the music festival a real adventure.

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