Warped Tour Tips

I've posted this list of tips a couple other places so I figured I would post it here too. I also have a list of reasons why you should go to Warped Tour and a mini survival guide. Be sure to check both of those out also.

Bring your own water bottle, or two. Water is expensive at the venue, and if you bring your own bottle you can fill it up for free. I recommend two so you can drink one while you’re waiting in line to get in. You can’t bring it in if the seal is broken. 

If your mom or dad doesn't feel safe letting you go alone or with just a friend, let them go. You don’t need to stay with them the whole time, and having a parent tag along is better than not going at all. We live several hours away from the nearest venue so my mom goes with me every year. We just meet up throughout the day, and everything is fine. 

Bring a friend. It’s so much safer if you have someone with you. It’s also a lot more fun, especially if they share the same tastes as you in music. Be sure to have a meeting spot in case you get separated.

Watch out for most pits and crowd surfers. If you don’t feel safe going into the crowd then don’t. Stay near the sides and back, you’ll be completely safe there. 

Plan for traffic and/or having an awful navigator. Last year on the way to Warped we got lost three times and had to back track (we went to a different venue than previous years). Make sure to have a map printed out. Don’t count on your smartphone or GPS being perfect. Allow yourself extra time in case you do get lost and have to back track so you aren’t late.

Bring $5, 3 canned goods or a used cellphone to donate. You can donate these items to the Feed Our Children tent before the venue opens at 11 a.m. to get a Skip the Line pass. This pass allows to early access into the venue. It’s not much earlier than people without it, but hey it’s a few minutes of extra time AND you’re donating to a great cause.

Buy the schedule for $2-5. Most venues sell a schedule for just a couple bucks. Some even include a map on the back. This piece of paper is worth the money you spend for it. It’s so much easier to be able to carry the schedule around with you instead of constantly having to go back to the inflatable and look at the times bands are playing. 

Eat right before you leave for the venue or right before you go in if you have to drive for a couple hours. We always hit a nearby McDonald’s or Hardee’s for breakfast right before we go to the venue. The venue’s food is very expensive, and you usually don’t feel like eating anyways once you’re out in the hot sun. This meal beforehand can determine whether or not you pass out during the day. 

Realize you might have to make sacrifices. Some of your favorite bands might be playing at the same time, and you’ll have to choose between the two. A week before my date, I always sit down with whoever I’m going with and we make a list. We put the bands we absolutely must see on one list and the ones we must see on another. Then we number these bands. We use this list to determine who we’ll see if two of the bands are playing at the same time. 

Have fun!