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Has anyone local ever not camped, stayed at your house, and just driven in every day? We live in Nashville which isn't exactly close, but we're thinking about doing that this year instead of camping. Any advice from someone who's done it before? Where is day parking? Is it extra or would we just buy a GA ticket? We've always either volunteered or been in GA camping, and due to the heat and hardly getting sleep, we're leaning more towards driving to and from the farm every day.
Post by Dave Maynar on Jan 14, 2014 10:33:36 GMT -5
I would assume it would work the same as those who go with a hotel. LD is someone who comes to mind that I am pretty sure has gone that route before. I have heard it is a pain in the ass on Thursday but is otherwise alright. It is not extra, so you just need a GA ticket. If you are looking at an official map, the day parking area is in the upper left hand corner of the GA camping area.
I suggest committing to memory the location of your car. Last year I had to leave early on Sunday to get a tire replaced; came back to the fest afterward and parked in day parking. After Petty, it took me about an hour to find my car. And I was mostly sober.
Some of my friends have tried the Nashville-to-Manchester thing before. They hated it. Every single one of them hated it. Yeah, it’s close, but that’s a 2-hour round trip all four days. And it makes the weekend more expensive since you’re paying for all that gas.
Has anyone local ever not camped, stayed at your house, and just driven in every day? We live in Nashville which isn't exactly close, but we're thinking about doing that this year instead of camping. Any advice from someone who's done it before? Where is day parking? Is it extra or would we just buy a GA ticket? We've always either volunteered or been in GA camping, and due to the heat and hardly getting sleep, we're leaning more towards driving to and from the farm every day.
I've stayed at my friend's house in Smyrna and driven in each day for the past 2 years.
There is no extra charge and the parking area is right inside of the toll booths off the exit with the Winery. When you go through the toll booths let them know you are day parking, and they put a big D on your wind shield, then let the people know directing traffic you are day parking, so you get to the right place. You still have to go through car searches each time you go in also.
While it is nice to go home to AC, shower and a real bed, and good sleep, the 30 minute drive was long at night. Also, I missed out on a lot of things that my friends did not want to do (like late night). I never missed out on that while camping, so I will be camping again this year, because I felt like I missed too much stuff while day parking.
The field for day parking is pretty huge and not lit well so definitely remember where you parked! We wandered around for a while looking for our car a few times
I live in LaVergne (about 45 min. away) and have done day parking for the last four years. We go about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Every year we just zipped right in, but last year we had to wait in line on Bushy Branch Rd. for about 30 minutes every day. They said they didn't have enough people to work the tollbooths.
Post by PosterNutbag on Jan 14, 2014 18:34:03 GMT -5
I went for a day trip last year, parked at that bumblefuck "winery" down the road and hitched to the gates. Easy. Got a ride out too. That drive is a lot to do each day, and you're going to miss a lot of music. Look into an RV, it's gonna cost you about the same in gas (per person assuming you have a large group)
Or just tough it out and bring a lot of water and dry ice.... Or change festivals if you can't handle it
Driving to and from the festival every day will suck ass, I would not be surprised if your group is cut in half by Sunday
I live in LaVergne (about 45 min. away) and have done day parking for the last four years. We go about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Every year we just zipped right in, but last year we had to wait in line on Bushy Branch Rd. for about 30 minutes every day. They said they didn't have enough people to work the tollbooths.
Really? I've never had to go that way in with day parking, but we usually go in around 10 or 11am, so maybe timing makes a difference. Never even sat in a line anywhere, not even on Thursday.
Right now it's only me and the boyfriend so we won't have issues with having to deal with what other ppl want to do. I do have a friend/coworker with an RV that swears her and her husband are going this year and will let us tag along, but we all know how that goes. I've had so many friends swear they're going, then when it comes time to buy tix, they bail.
Anyway, this will be our 9th festival and we're just exploring our options since we've always been in GA and usually a long walk away. We thought about VIP, but good lord it's expensive! Compared to Wakarusa and other fests, Bonnaroo's VIP just doesn't seem like it's worth the money.
Instead driving all the way back to Nashville why not try this. Get a hotel room in Tullahoma its about 10-15 miles from Manchester so that would cut down on your drive a whole lot. Also if you have any friends that are going to camp just ask them if you and your husband can hangout at their campsite so you can have a place to chill during the day when your not at hotel.
Post by memphis1979 on Jan 28, 2014 17:06:28 GMT -5
Friends of ours stayed in Fayetteville last year. 20 minute drive in, with pool and a great breakfast. 40 bucks a day. Stay late, arrive late. You're going to miss bands one way or another. Just make a "I will die without seeing list" and plan out from there. We have also thought of splitting it, where wwe'll share a double bed room at the hotel on days where the bands we want aren't until later, and leaving our car at the camp grounds all weekend so we have a place to sit and chill everyday. We're planning on working out the details once the lineup drops.
One things for sure, at 35, it'd be nice to have a full 8 hrs in an air conditioned hotel room, and a hot shower.
Post by 3post1jack1 on Jan 29, 2014 15:45:46 GMT -5
I've stayed in Murfreesboro and done day parking the last two bonnaroos. Both positive experiences. A few points:
-Accept that you are going to miss some music. But wouldn't the case be the same if you camped? I've read countless stories, and have experienced myself camping, that you miss music due to lack of sleep or overall exhaustion. Can't catch 'em all. But I'll say doing 3pm - 3am or even 5pm - 3am I catch most of the acts I want to see. And during that time I have tons of energy because I slept 8 solid air conditioned hours the night before.
-Give yourself enough time. Last year the wait times in traffic for day parking were significantly worse then 2012, I guess because of the aforementioned lack of toll booth workers. Good half hour commute from Murfreesboro, another half hour of traffic, and a half hour to walk to and wait in line for centeroo. So I would leave my hotel two hours before the first act I wanted to see to give myself plenty of time.
-I always say this and it should go without saying, but make sure one of you is a sober driver. Don't want to sound like someone's parent but nobody wants to spend 'Roo weekend in jail or worse.
-Day parking isn't for everyone but I think its a great way to make the most of your time on the farm. During my 12 or so hours each day I am full of energy, ready to run around and catch every set I want. I enter centeroo and don't leave until I'm ready to go home.
-As someone else mentioned finding your car can be a little tricky late at night. You can't use other cars as a guide. Generally wherever I park I look at the fence in front of bushy branch and try to gauge how far away I am using that. I can count rows but even those can change. Then when I'm returning I try to catch the row that looks about like the distance I remember being from the fence. Its not an exact science, but its never taken me more then ten minutes or so to find my car.
-Its about the dopest thing in the world getting back to your hotel room, taking a hot shower, eating the food you have in the fridge in the room, and watching Big Momma's House on TV as the sun is just about to come up.
I've stayed in Murfreesboro and done day parking the last two bonnaroos. Both positive experiences. A few points:
-Accept that you are going to miss some music. But wouldn't the case be the same if you camped? I've read countless stories, and have experienced myself camping, that you miss music due to lack of sleep or overall exhaustion. Can't catch 'em all. But I'll say doing 3pm - 3am or even 5pm - 3am I catch most of the acts I want to see. And during that time I have tons of energy because I slept 8 solid air conditioned hours the night before.
-Give yourself enough time. Last year the wait times in traffic for day parking were significantly worse then 2012, I guess because of the aforementioned lack of toll booth workers. Good half hour commute from Murfreesboro, another half hour of traffic, and a half hour to walk to and wait in line for centeroo. So I would leave my hotel two hours before the first act I wanted to see to give myself plenty of time.
-I always say this and it should go without saying, but make sure one of you is a sober driver. Don't want to sound like someone's parent but nobody wants to spend 'Roo weekend in jail or worse.
-Day parking isn't for everyone but I think its a great way to make the most of your time on the farm. During my 12 or so hours each day I am full of energy, ready to run around and catch every set I want. I enter centeroo and don't leave until I'm ready to go home.
-As someone else mentioned finding your car can be a little tricky late at night. You can't use other cars as a guide. Generally wherever I park I look at the fence in front of bushy branch and try to gauge how far away I am using that. I can count rows but even those can change. Then when I'm returning I try to catch the row that looks about like the distance I remember being from the fence. Its not an exact science, but its never taken me more then ten minutes or so to find my car.
-Its about the dopest thing in the world getting back to your hotel room, taking a hot shower, eating the food you have in the fridge in the room, and watching Big Momma's House on TV as the sun is just about to come up.
This is exactly why we're thinking of staying in a hotel vs. camping. We've missed shows due to being exhausted/hot/overtired/malnourished/dehydrated/etc., so the thought of getting a solid 8 hrs of sleep every night with a shower and A/C is why we're thinking of doing the hotel route this year.
I already checked in Tullahoma and the hotels that aren't booked up would cost around $700 total, so I'm going to look in M'boro/Fayetteville/Shelbyville and see if I I can find something cheaper. Thanks for everyone's advice!
I've stayed in Murfreesboro and done day parking the last two bonnaroos. Both positive experiences. A few points:
-Accept that you are going to miss some music. But wouldn't the case be the same if you camped? I've read countless stories, and have experienced myself camping, that you miss music due to lack of sleep or overall exhaustion. Can't catch 'em all. But I'll say doing 3pm - 3am or even 5pm - 3am I catch most of the acts I want to see. And during that time I have tons of energy because I slept 8 solid air conditioned hours the night before.
-Give yourself enough time. Last year the wait times in traffic for day parking were significantly worse then 2012, I guess because of the aforementioned lack of toll booth workers. Good half hour commute from Murfreesboro, another half hour of traffic, and a half hour to walk to and wait in line for centeroo. So I would leave my hotel two hours before the first act I wanted to see to give myself plenty of time.
-I always say this and it should go without saying, but make sure one of you is a sober driver. Don't want to sound like someone's parent but nobody wants to spend 'Roo weekend in jail or worse.
-Day parking isn't for everyone but I think its a great way to make the most of your time on the farm. During my 12 or so hours each day I am full of energy, ready to run around and catch every set I want. I enter centeroo and don't leave until I'm ready to go home.
-As someone else mentioned finding your car can be a little tricky late at night. You can't use other cars as a guide. Generally wherever I park I look at the fence in front of bushy branch and try to gauge how far away I am using that. I can count rows but even those can change. Then when I'm returning I try to catch the row that looks about like the distance I remember being from the fence. Its not an exact science, but its never taken me more then ten minutes or so to find my car.
-Its about the dopest thing in the world getting back to your hotel room, taking a hot shower, eating the food you have in the fridge in the room, and watching Big Momma's House on TV as the sun is just about to come up.
This is exactly why we're thinking of staying in a hotel vs. camping. We've missed shows due to being exhausted/hot/overtired/malnourished/dehydrated/etc., so the thought of getting a solid 8 hrs of sleep every night with a shower and A/C is why we're thinking of doing the hotel route this year.
I already checked in Tullahoma and the hotels that aren't booked up would cost around $700 total, so I'm going to look in M'boro/Fayetteville/Shelbyville and see if I I can find something cheaper. Thanks for everyone's advice!
Monteagle looks to have some rooms around 90 per day. 360 for 4. 25 miles south of Manchester, and all highway driving.
There's always the Truckers Inn motel next to the little truck stop at the 114. I called them last year and their rates don't go up and they had vacancies. You can call or catch a regular taxi cab at the tollbooth entrance. I just went home though. Some of the locals said they have crime problems there. I've been by the place a million times and it doesn't seem that bad to me.
"I always say this and it should go without saying, but make sure one of you is a sober driver. Don't want to sound like someone's parent but nobody wants to spend 'Roo weekend in jail or worse."
