Lollapalooza

*Hobipalooza - July 31, 2022 Grant Park - Chicago, IL*

Lollapalooza is coming up in less than two months and while I won’t be attending this year, I had the opportunity to go last year. It was my first music festival and I had so much fun! But before I went, I was terrified.

I don’t know why I didn’t think to google pictures of Lollapalooza before I decided to purchase tickets. Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing I didn’t. Had I seen the images of the incredibly large crowds, I may not have found the courage to participate.

I wasn’t planning to stay on festival grounds the full day as I was going mainly to watch J-Hope’s performance. I also wanted to be comfortable throughout the day. Here are some things I did to make this a pleasant experience both for my friend who lives in Chicago and me!

Tips for a more comfortable first experience at Lollapalooza:

Book a room at a nearby hotel. I booked a night at The Blackstone, Autograph Collection, which is a short walk away from the venue. I was able to use my annual free night from my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant credit card. I wanted to be able to go straight to bed after the performance, have access to a clean bathroom, and be able to rest in an area with air conditioning. While I could have purchased a premium festival ticket, I didn’t feel the need to spend additional money since I happened to have a free night available.
You don’t need to camp out in front of the stage. You can walk back when it’s closer to the performance time and still get a decent spot.
Bring wet wipes and tissues.
Bring a pair of high fidelity ear plugs, which will help reduce noise levels. They saved my ears! Many come with 2 sizes, regular and small. Make sure to wear the ones that fit your ears. When I was researching high fidelity ear plugs, I found that Eargasm and Earasers were the most recommended. I ended up purchasing a cheaper alternative on amazon and it worked well. Can’t give you a comparison though since I’ve never tried the other brands. I’m not sure when Prime Day is happening this year, but there were many high fidelity ear plugs that were on sale on Prime Day last year.
Bring a clear bag instead of a regular bag. I find that it helps get through the security checks more quickly and while it’s not eco-friendly, it’s nice that it’s waterproof.
Wear comfortable shoes. Sneakers worked great for me. Avoid wearing a new pair. They’ll get dirty. Not sure what people wear when the ground is wet. Maybe rain boots?
Do not wear thick clothes, like sweatshirts. It gets hot.
Do your own research and double check the website to see what is/isn’t permitted. There’s a section on it on Lollapalooza’s website

If you have some time to check out eateries that are farther away from Lollapalooza, I highly recommend Kasama and Lýra.

Kasama - You’re going to wait in line if you want to dine in. I liked the pastries more than the meals and also enjoyed their Oh, hot yam! beverage.
LÝRA - Make a reservation before you go. My favorite dish was the gyro.

Original Post: June 19, 2023

Reflections on Solo Travel