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FestPop’s Travel Guide to Outside Lands

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Guide to Outside Lands 2014

 

Outside Lands returns to San Francisco this weekend (Friday, August 8 – Sunday, August 10) and its fans are eager to immerse themselves with its food, beer, wine, and music. Travelling between stages to make it in time for your favorite artist, deciding what to eat or drink only to wait an extra 20-30 minutes in line, or bearing with the ever-changing and unpredictable weather of San Francisco can be a daunting task that greatly affect how you experience the festival. With any festival you attend, preparation for is key and for one like Outside Lands you need to be prepared for anything. That way, you can maximize your time to make it to make it to the front of the stage for your favorite artist or ahead of the line waiting for those almost-sold-out delectable Porcini Donuts. Here is FestPop’s Guide to Outside Lands, highlighting tips to ensure a fun, comfortable, and un-stressful Outside Lands experience.
 

WHAT TO BRING

  1. CLOTHING: You need to bring several articles of clothing to conform to San Francisco’s unpredictable weather. Dress in comfortable short-sleeved shirts and tank tops to pair with shorts or light pants during the day in case Karl the Fog is absent. Do not omit your jackets because once the sun sets, the park can reach as low as 65 degrees. Remember to dress to impress because San Francisco fashionistas and bloggers scour for best dressed festival goers. You don’t want to end up on Fashion Police or on Buzzfeed’s “worst dressed” list. Remember to bring comfortable shoes as the trek up and down the hills can be extremely tiring, especially if you plan on dancing for more than five hours.
  2. APP and SCHEDULE: Download the official Outside Lands app on your iPhone or Android to stay connected to festival news, create your personal schedule, and view the map in case one is not readily available. Share your own schedule with those of your festival buddies to determine which band trumps the other. Proper planning before the festival will ensure most artists are accounted for so that you don’t become those arguing couples or lost friends.
  3. MISCELLANEOUS: For those less adventurous and prefer to stick towards the back of the crowd, bring picnic blankets and small bags to carry essentials or night-time clothes. For those travelling in large groups, bring a way-finding object to make your group identifiable. Outside Lands has several rules regarding flags and totems, so brush up on them at www.sfoutsidelands.com/info-guide so they are not taken away at security.

 

HOW TO GET THERE AND AROUND

  1. TRANSPORTATION: There are many ways to get to Golden Gate park including: Lyft or Uber, MUNI, bicycling, walking, or cabs. Whichever your mode of transportation may be, either enter the park on 25th and Fulton or Lincoln and Sunset. Detailed instructions can be viewed at www.sfoutsidelands.com/info-guide/. Be cautious, however, of taxi cabs as they tend to avoid taking passengers to the park (I was refused last year) due to the high traffic within that area.
  2. MIGRATION: Peruse the map and remember where each stage, attraction, or activity is located at the venue. You’ll save time spent locating restrooms, stumbling to the info booths, or accidentally going to the wrong stage. Upon entering the venue, walk around to find a suitable meet-up spot in case your group separates.

 

WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK

  1. A TASTE OF THE BAY AREA: This year’s lineup currently includes 69 restaurants and food trucks. Fans will find the region’s best restaurants and chefs, the intoxicating flavors of farm to fork foods, nose-to-tail meats, and savory artisanal bites, as well as the cooking traditions of Northern California, Mexico, India, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea represented. We recommend 4505 Meats’ chimichurri fries, Rich Tables’ porcini doughnuts, Nombe’s ramenburger, and Farmerbrown’s Little Skillet’s fried chicken and waffles. Chocolands and Cheeselands offer rich decadent sweets and cheeses to pair with your glass of wine or beer, so make your way to the some-what hidden locations for a perfect summer pairing. To view the full culinary lineup, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/taste.
  2. BEER LANDS: Beer Lands brings in 30 breweries, many of which call the Bay Area home, for a menu total of 64 beers and ciders that underscore Northern California’s ever-growing and incredible craft beer movement. Breweries include: 21st Amendment, Sudwerk, Drakes, Lost Coast, Triple Voodoo, and more. To view the full lineup, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/beer/.
  3. WINE LANDS: California winemakers are celebrated at Wine Land’s tent in Hellman Hollow Field. Wineries including AP Vin, J.Lohr, Menage A Trois, Wind Gap, and Pellegrini are among the lineup serving the best wines of Northern California. Don’t forget to bring extra cash as it’s hard to pass on sampling the whole selection. To view the full lineup, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/wine.

WHAT TO DO

  1. THE BARBARY: Sometimes you just need a break from the rambunctious crowd. Luckily, Rockster Productions and SF Sketchfest are curating and producing a comedy and variety show that will complement the festival’s music attraction. The lineup includes Lewis Black, Aisha Tyler, Matt McCarthy, Garfunkel & Oates, The Improvised Shakespeare Company, and more. To view the full lineup, visit lineup.sfoutsidelands.com/?sort=thebarbary.
  2. GASTROMAGIC: It’s amazing that the producers have added yet another stage to the festival. Gastromagic lies just outside McLaren Pass on the way to Panhandle Stage so a quick stop at this new all-culinary musical stage is necessary. Notorious wizards of the bar will vie for the affections of a merry-making comedian, breakdancers and butchers will compete for the breakdown crown, DJs will join forces with culinary masters for fascinating themed festivities, and a magician will roam the lounge to astound your senses with inexplicable illusions. To view the full lineup, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/gastromagic/.
  3. ACTIVITIES: There are many activities hidden within Outside Lands and it’s up to you to locate and experience them. The House by Heineken features DJs and VJs, a unique audio visual experience, air conditioning, and more. Sierra Nevada Brewing co. will host a beer camp, where craft beer will be poured from their solar-powered trailer. Other small activities include painting at PG&E’s 4th Solar Habitat Microbuild, face-painting at PayPay’s tent, video booth at Soundwave by Toyota, and tea time at the Digital Detox campgrounds. For more activities, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/more-activities/.
  4. ECOLANDS: Once again Eco Lands is the hub of sustainability and environmental consciousness within Outside Lands. Its physical location is in the wooded nook of Hellman Hollow across from Wine Lands and is marked by the Hay Bale Amphitheater and the Panhandle Stage. Shop at the Full Belly Farmers Market, learn how to compost with worms at the Urban Gardening Workshops, or turn your trash into treasure at Pivot TV. For more Ecolands activities, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/ecolands/.

WHERE TO STAY

  1. HOTELS: If you’re in a pinch, consider staying at select hotel partners of the festival. By staying at partner hotels, you can receive discounts on nightly rates (10-20% off). For a list of hotels, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com/hotels/. You can also book hotels through FestPop’s unique hotel finder, in partnership with Priceline. Find the best rates for San Francisco this weekend at http://festpop.com/.
  2. AirBnB: If you’re in a pinch and need a more affordable option, AirBnB is your best bet. Book now, and if you’re lucky you just might land a place within walking distance to the park. (www.airbnb.com/).
  3. FRIEND’S PLACE: If you’re in a pinch and have no budget whatsoever for staying at an AirBnb place or hotel, then the obvious choice is to crash at your friend’s apartment.

When it comes to Outside Lands, or any festival for that matter, proper preparation ensures a better experience. Knowing where stages are located or what attractions are being offered can help alleviate any confusion or complication that might arise, especially if you’re with a big group. However, sometimes spontaneous activities triumphs so don’t expect everything to go as planned. As long as you and your festival buddies have the general awareness of what Outside Lands can offer, your festival experiences will exceptional. From FestPop to you, have a fun and safe Outside Lands.

 

By  Chris Hong, FestPop Sr. Staff Writer
Email Comments to:Press@Festpop.com