By Vanessa Pacheco

With music festival season approaching, it may be the time for traveling to catch your favorite performers.

Whether you’re attending concerts hours away or music festivals such as Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Hard Summer or Outside Lands — our tips will help you make the most of your trips.

Deciding to go

Before you venture out and take the trip, you may want to ask yourself these questions:

•  Can you afford to pay for the tickets and the hotel?
• How much time do you have to save up if there is an issue?
•  Are you able to get those days off ahead of time?

Even if you answered “no” to any of those questions, there is still a chance you can take the trip if you start planning now.

Saving up

Most people say they plan their trips between one to six months before the event, according to an informal Inside Fullerton survey of eight people: Half of music festival attendees said they planned at least three months ahead of time while the rest were split, with answers ranging from a few months to even a week before. With a three-month period consisting of about 13 weeks, you can save $650 if you save $50 a week or you can save $2,600 in a about a year, experts say.

Managing Expenses

Music festival tickets vary in cost. For example, 3-day general admission tickets to EDC are about $439, including service fees, while tickets to Coachella are about $429 plus service fees, according to their websites. These festivals can be pricey, however, if you purchase early, tickets are usually cheaper.

Some ways travelers recommend reducing the cost is to book early, save money ahead of time, and split hotel and gas expenses by carpooling and rooming with more people. Alexxa Cervantes, a music festival attendee and avid traveler said, “We pack it to the bone because we are all broke college kids; I’ve shared an apartment with six people and a suite with six people.” Cervantes said location and cost were the biggest factors when picking a place to stay.

Arranging Accommodations

When choosing a place to stay, consider factors such as cost, the number of people in your party, proximity, amenities, and the length of the stay. Of the attendees interviewed, about half said they preferred a hotel and the rest preferred Airbnb. With an Airbnb, you can book a private room, a shared room, or an entire place to yourself. A hotel will have similar options but they can be more expensive. That’s because you are paying for room service, a guaranteed private restroom and some amenities that Airbnb may not have. If you’re the adventurous type — and don’t mind running into your host in the home — Airbnb may be the way to go.

Packing Checklist

Don’t leave home without these items.

•   Shoes
•   Clothes
•   Hair products
•   Makeup
•   Lip balm
•   Soap
•   Lotion
•   Sunscreen
•   Towels
•   Shampoo and Conditioner
•   Toothbrush and Toothpaste
•   Phone chargers
•   Small blankets
•   Food, drinks, and snacks