Alright, buckle up folks, because I’m about to spill the tea on my epic summer festival planning adventure! So, the title is “Top summer festivals to add to your travel itinerary” – catchy, right? Well, getting there was a whole thing. Let me walk you through it.
First off, I started with a massive brainstorm. I literally grabbed a pen and paper (yes, old school!) and just started jotting down every festival I could think of. Music fests, food fests, art fests, you name it. I even threw in some weird local celebrations I’d heard about. Think tomato fights in Spain, cheese-rolling in England – the crazier, the better!
Then came the real work: the research. This was where the internet became my best friend (and my worst enemy, because endless scrolling is a real problem). I dove deep into travel blogs, festival websites, and even some Reddit threads to get the lowdown on each event. I looked at things like:
- Dates: Gotta make sure they actually fall during the summer months!
- Location: Is it easy to get to? Are there affordable flights/trains?
- Vibe: Is it a chill, family-friendly event, or a wild, party-all-night kind of thing?
- Cost: Tickets, accommodation, food – it all adds up!
Honestly, this part took ages. There were so many cool festivals, but a lot of them were either super expensive or in the middle of nowhere. I had to narrow things down based on my own travel style and budget. I’m more of a “explore the local culture and try new foods” kind of traveler, not a “rage until sunrise” kind of traveler (though I appreciate that vibe too!).
Next up, I started creating a shortlist. I used a good old spreadsheet to organize all the info I’d gathered. I had columns for the festival name, dates, location, price, and a little notes section for any extra details. This helped me visualize everything and compare the different options.
After that, it was time to make some tough decisions. I had to cut out some festivals that looked amazing but just didn’t fit my schedule or budget. It was painful, I won’t lie! But I ended up with a solid list of festivals that I was genuinely excited about.
Then I focused on creating my “travel itinerary” part. This meant thinking about the before and after. For each festival, I looked into nearby attractions, cool restaurants, and interesting day trips. I wanted to make sure I was making the most of my time in each location.
For example, if I was going to a music festival in Barcelona, I’d also want to check out the Sagrada Familia, stroll down Las Ramblas, and maybe even take a day trip to Montserrat. It’s all about maximizing the adventure!
Finally, I had a list of top summer festivals, along with some ideas for making the most of the trip around them! It’s not just about the festival itself, it’s about the whole experience, ya know? That’s how I put together my list of the best summer festivals for a travel itinerary!
