Festival camping can be like living your best dream or experiencing your worst nightmare. I’ve camped 3 times at festivals, and my experiences helped me learn how I can find the best rest while festival camping.
Light
I am super sensitive to light, so I always bring an eye mask to help me sleep after the sun rises. A lot of nights, I am going to bed just a few hours before sunrise, so my eye mask is one of my most valued sleeping aids. I may use a t-shirt if I can’t find my mask in the tent when I return.
Sound
Festival camping grounds can get loud early in the morning. You may hear your neighbors begin bumping their speakers around 10 am, making sleep more difficult as the morning takes hold of the day. I always bring a pair of earplugs to drown out nearby noises to help me fall asleep and stay asleep.
Shade
If you are festival camping during the summer, the temperature may heat up rather quickly. I recommend bringing an EZ Up tent to shade your tent, keeping the space ~20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. I recommend hanging tapestries around your tent to block the sun and create a cozy and more private camping area. In the morning, I like to unzip the tent windows and doors to allow air circulation.
Space
If you don’t take your shoes off before entering your tent, you will bring a lot of grass, dirt, and other debris into your tent. I have mild allergies, so the accumulation of these unwanted pieces of nature in my tent makes it progressively more difficult to breathe (Coachella and Tomorrowland really were hard on my respiratory system). If you do find yourself having some difficulty breathing, I have found taking a hot shower helps open my airways. I recommend trying your best to keep your tent clean.
Sleep Aid
I always bring Melatonin in case I have difficulty clearing my mind or falling back asleep.
Final tips
Before finally closing my eyes, I try to drink electrolytes, eat a snack or meal, and go to the bathroom. I turn my phone on silent and say a prayer everyone did too.
I hope you enjoy your festival camping experience! Camping is so much fun, especially when you can find enough quality rest to feel rejuvenated the next day.
Written By Jack Miller
