My tips for the fest as a local who has gone the last couple of years:
If you're traveling from out of town, you have a lot more lodging options than the expensive ones right outside the fest. Laguna Beach is a very nice spot to stay but will also be expensive. You could find much cheaper hotels/airbnbs as far north as Huntington Beach if you want to be close to the ocean, or there are tons of hotels around John Wayne airport (also the most convenient airport to the fest.) It's quite an easy drive to Dana Point from that John Wayne/Irvine area.
If you're staying in one of these further away cities - it's easy to get dropped off in an Uber at Ohana, it might cost you like 60 bucks from Huntington though.
A sweet spot might be an AirBnb in San Juan Capistrano, also a nice little town. Quite close to Dana Point.
The suckiest part of this festival is getting back home afterwards... Uber pickups are almost impossible. The Shuttle is pretty clutch here - you can drive and park to a convenient transit station they set up about 10-15 min away from the fest itself. It's even worth just taking the shuttle after the show to get your uber from there as opposed to right outside the fest.
A lot of people camp out in the bleachers for a good view at this relatively small fest. Pretty good strategy if you're on the short side, but terribly uncomfortable if you're on the bigger side. It's easy enough to jockey for a decent view in the sand/grass if you aren't overly short.
Edit: per TA243471 below, it sounds like they may have fixed the Uber issues that drove me crazy in 2022. Great news if so, maybe you can ignore the shuttle part if you don't have a rental car.
Post edited by illini1022 on
2006: Chicago Night 1 2018: Wrigley Night 2 2022: LA Night 1 2022: Ohana Fest 2023: Ohana Fest
I know the hotel packages might seem expensive, but I had booked a couple of these prior and it was literally $200 more for all of it. Tickets and whatever the goodies are. If you can hack it, seems like a decent enough deal.
Last year we didn't have any problem getting a Uber heading home, it was just a little bit of a walk to get to the Uber lot, but we had almost no wait once we got there. We had a group of 6 people.
Much better than 2 years ago.
Post edited by TA243471 on
2006: Gorge 1
2009: Seattle 1
2013: Seattle
2016: Wrigley 1 & 2
2018: Seattle 1&2, Montana
2020: San Diego, LA 1&2, Oakland 1&2
2022: San Diego, LA 1&2, Fresno, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Denver
My tips for the fest as a local who has gone the last couple of years:
If you're traveling from out of town, you have a lot more lodging options than the expensive ones right outside the fest. Laguna Beach is a very nice spot to stay but will also be expensive. You could find much cheaper hotels/airbnbs as far north as Huntington Beach if you want to be close to the ocean, or there are tons of hotels around John Wayne airport (also the most convenient airport to the fest.) It's quite an easy drive to Dana Point from that John Wayne/Irvine area.
If you're staying in one of these further away cities - it's easy to get dropped off in an Uber at Ohana, it might cost you like 60 bucks from Huntington though.
A sweet spot might be an AirBnb in San Juan Capistrano, also a nice little town. Quite close to Dana Point.
The suckiest part of this festival is getting back home afterwards... Uber pickups are almost impossible. The Shuttle is pretty clutch here - you can drive and park to a convenient transit station they set up about 10-15 min away from the fest itself. It's even worth just taking the shuttle after the show to get your uber from there as opposed to right outside the fest.
A lot of people camp out in the bleachers for a good view at this relatively small fest. Pretty good strategy if you're on the short side, but terribly uncomfortable if you're on the bigger side. It's easy enough to jockey for a decent view in the sand/grass if you aren't overly short.
Thanks, I got tickets .....now i have to figure out lodging and transportation. This helps.
Charlotte 00 Charlotte 03 Asheville 04 Atlanta 12 Greenville 16, Columbia 16 Seattle 18 Nashville 22
Bummed I can't go this year. Sunday would have been my pick for nights. Usually go Saturday.
Just the most chill and lovely festival and SoCal is Beautiful. 4 years of exploring that great area has been a treat. Staying anywhere within 30 minutes is well worth it. Many reasonable AirBnB options and then driving to the venue and finding some street parking about 15 minute walk away makes for an easy in and out.
It's a hopeless situation...
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Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,332
Beyond PJ and Uncle Neil, am I the only one excited in the fact that Johnny Utah and his band Dogstar are going to be playing? "Utah, get me two!"
I'm interested in seeing them. I'm also psyched to see Garbage again (saw them last summer -- they sounded great), along with Maren Morris, Black Pumas, Glen Hansard... very interesting lineup, I jumped right on those passes.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Beyond PJ and Uncle Neil, am I the only one excited in the fact that Johnny Utah and his band Dogstar are going to be playing? "Utah, get me two!"
I'm interested in seeing them. I'm also psyched to see Garbage again (saw them last summer -- they sounded great), along with Maren Morris, Black Pumas, Glen Hansard... very interesting lineup, I jumped right on those passes.
Ya, there are definitely some draws here beyond PJ and NY. I've heard Garbage is sick live, Glen is always a pleasure to see and Turnpike Troubadours are gonna blow people away.
Beyond PJ and Uncle Neil, am I the only one excited in the fact that Johnny Utah and his band Dogstar are going to be playing? "Utah, get me two!"
I'm interested in seeing them. I'm also psyched to see Garbage again (saw them last summer -- they sounded great), along with Maren Morris, Black Pumas, Glen Hansard... very interesting lineup, I jumped right on those passes.
Garbage is one of my favorites. I would have done this anyway, but when I saw that ... I also saw them last summer and they were great. Glen Hansard was one of my favorites last year. I am intrigued by Alanis Morissette. I saw her like 25 years ago and kind of didn't love her then (she did a lot of funky with the set, which can be good or bad), but interested to see how those tastes have evolved.
Barrie 98, Toronto 00, Toronto 03, Buffalo 03, Toronto 05, Hamilton 05, Kitchener 05, Toronto 06 I II, Lolla 07, Vedder Toronto I II, Toronto 09, Philly Oct 30 & 31 2009, Buffalo 2010, Cleveland 2010, Toronto I II 2011, Hamilton 2011, Ottawa 2011, London 2013, Buffalo 2013, Pittsburgh 2013, FLL 2016, Miami 2016, Tor I & II 2016, Barcelona 2018, Toronto 2022, Ottawa 2022, Quebec City 2022, Hamilton 2022
How easy is it to get there and be in the area without a car? Are there good buses/trains etc?
There’s a bus/trolley loop that comes down the coast from Laguna Beach. Super handy and drops you off at the same place the shuttle does right outside the venue. I’m pretty sure service stops at 10pm though, so it’s Uber on the way back.
How easy is it to get there and be in the area without a car? Are there good buses/trains etc?
Unfortunately, functional public transportation is not really a thing in SoCal, especially in Orange County. There are not good buses or trains. If you don't want a car, the beach towns themselves are walkable enough for your trip - Dana Point, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and then you can refer to my uber/shuttle advice a few posts before yours to get to and from the fest.
Edit: I'll make one caveat - pending any more landslides, the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is fully functional once again. The San Clemente stop would be closest to Dana Point, 15 minute drive/uber up the PCH. You can make it there from as far north as Santa Barbara to as far south as San Diego. Times are limited though - a good option to get there, probably not a great option to get back.
Post edited by illini1022 on
2006: Chicago Night 1 2018: Wrigley Night 2 2022: LA Night 1 2022: Ohana Fest 2023: Ohana Fest
Comments
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
- If you're traveling from out of town, you have a lot more lodging options than the expensive ones right outside the fest. Laguna Beach is a very nice spot to stay but will also be expensive. You could find much cheaper hotels/airbnbs as far north as Huntington Beach if you want to be close to the ocean, or there are tons of hotels around John Wayne airport (also the most convenient airport to the fest.) It's quite an easy drive to Dana Point from that John Wayne/Irvine area.
- If you're staying in one of these further away cities - it's easy to get dropped off in an Uber at Ohana, it might cost you like 60 bucks from Huntington though.
- A sweet spot might be an AirBnb in San Juan Capistrano, also a nice little town. Quite close to Dana Point.
- The suckiest part of this festival is getting back home afterwards... Uber pickups are almost impossible. The Shuttle is pretty clutch here - you can drive and park to a convenient transit station they set up about 10-15 min away from the fest itself. It's even worth just taking the shuttle after the show to get your uber from there as opposed to right outside the fest.
- A lot of people camp out in the bleachers for a good view at this relatively small fest. Pretty good strategy if you're on the short side, but terribly uncomfortable if you're on the bigger side. It's easy enough to jockey for a decent view in the sand/grass if you aren't overly short.
Edit: per TA243471 below, it sounds like they may have fixed the Uber issues that drove me crazy in 2022. Great news if so, maybe you can ignore the shuttle part if you don't have a rental car.2018: Wrigley Night 2
2022: LA Night 1
2022: Ohana Fest
2023: Ohana Fest
Great lineup
Charlotte 03
Asheville 04
Atlanta 12
Greenville 16, Columbia 16
Seattle 18
Nashville 22
Just the most chill and lovely festival and SoCal is Beautiful. 4 years of exploring that great area has been a treat. Staying anywhere within 30 minutes is well worth it. Many reasonable AirBnB options and then driving to the venue and finding some street parking about 15 minute walk away makes for an easy in and out.
I'm interested in seeing them. I'm also psyched to see Garbage again (saw them last summer -- they sounded great), along with Maren Morris, Black Pumas, Glen Hansard... very interesting lineup, I jumped right on those passes.
Charlotte 03
Asheville 04
Atlanta 12
Greenville 16, Columbia 16
Seattle 18
Nashville 22
Edit: I'll make one caveat - pending any more landslides, the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is fully functional once again. The San Clemente stop would be closest to Dana Point, 15 minute drive/uber up the PCH. You can make it there from as far north as Santa Barbara to as far south as San Diego. Times are limited though - a good option to get there, probably not a great option to get back.
2018: Wrigley Night 2
2022: LA Night 1
2022: Ohana Fest
2023: Ohana Fest
Gutted: London 2 2018, Sacramento 2022, Noblesville 2023
No -- the festival runs shuttles, but not hotels.
I got three-day VIP passes -- about $1589US (edit to add: that's each), including fees.