As a Chicago native, I can tell you that for the past 20 + years of my life I've experienced first hand FOMO each year Lolla comes back. This was the first year that was worth it enough to go all 4 days with an array of various artists I have listened to for the past decade of my life if not more. We certainly got our monies worth! The best for us were several different artists we got to discover but absolutely loved: (in no particular order) T-Pain, Remi Wolf, Tanner Adell, Gigi Perez and last but certainly not least Ca7riel & Paco! Fantastic and outstanding performances all around! All in all, the festival in itself was a slightly better than average experience but I promise you only need 1-2 days and realistically the festival really should only be 3 days tops. Fri-Sun would be more than enough instead of Th-Sun. The first day was pretty much a waste of time. It was also the hottest. I'd recommend purchasing a water backpack you can refill at their hydration stations located throughout the festival. I'd also suggest to bring some type of hand fan to keep yourself cool. For the most part, everything was relatively organized. There are a total of 7 stages or so, Budlight and T-Mobile being the main ones. Some of the side stages (like Perry's) were actually louder than the main stage (T-mobile) to which there was a mix of a lot of EDM (mostly on Saturday) where it was overshadowing the main stages. I found that The Grove stage and Perry's were wayyyy too loud and overshadowing Budlight & T-Mobile performances that were going on at the same time (I could not hear Dominic Fike AT ALL)! Both main stages should have been as loud if not louder than the side stages. Overall, the food was extremely mediocre. A lot of the vendors didn't supply napkins which is beyond me when serving sloppy/messy food (like cheese or meat). I would suggest to try to eat before hand & afterwards while snacking in between at the fest instead of saving all of your appetite on overpriced average food. The hits for most people were the 30.00 birria fries and the quesabirrias. All were just okay. We enjoyed the plant based food the most and felt we got the most for our dollar there. The porto-potty situation wasn't that bad. They had a lot of different ones to choose from some including flushable toilets along with urinals for men to make the lines move faster. They were relatively clean considering how I use to remember how bad they were way back when. All in all, it was fun! Annoyed with some small schedule changes last minute/day of where they moved some artists to different stages or added some last minute artists. It didn't affect us really until Sunday where it threw a lot off for us as far as walking and finding spots since it was the busiest day. It's not a secret that it gets crowded but they supposedly only let up to 120k a day or so and I strongly believe it was more than that on some days. It's clear as day they are clearly profit driven but if they cut the days from 4 down to 3 and cut half of the crowd size (maybe 50-60k even 80-100k tops per day instead of what felt like 200k plus) it would be a much better experience. read more

i had soooo much fun yayyyy there was sooo much to do! KNOCK 2 BEST SET OF MY LIFEEEE im soooo insanely happy i got to see him. way too many rude people tho i do not think ill be coming back to lolla unfortunately it is really cool to experience once tho!! read more

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Review from a Mom's perspective... Went to Lolla with a girlfriend Friday night to see Kendrick Lamar. When we got there, I quickly realized my teen daughter would LOVE Lollapalooza. Don't get me wrong... young adults/adults would love this festival too. But Lollapalooza has this wild and crazy stereotype where parents are fearful of letting their kids, teens or young adult kids attend. It's not what you think it is and you wouldn't get the full experience unless you attended. I took my daughter on Sunday to see Lana Del Ray. That made me the coolest mom ever I think lol. We had 4 day passes but attended two days only. Thoughts: My daughter loved it. Lots to do, plenty of stages and activation setups. I would get VIP tickets next year. Great lineup of artists performing. Reasonably priced food and selections. SAFE! Lots of police around. Well lit. Gated. Enclosed territory. Bag search at entry. When the festival closes each night, Michigan Ave is blocked off so there is no traffic in or out of from Monroe to Randolph to let everyone leave safely and quickly. Highly recommend and will let her go next year if she wants to! read more

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So we bought VIP for Lolla this year. Another four day pass. We had so much fun at Lolla in 2018. Holy shit this is such a disappointment. Lolla 2024 is Fyre fest 2.0. Seriously. $3600 for a four day and the only thing you get is carnival quality food behind the VIP fence. And you have to pay extra! No risers or cocktail lounges. Standing in line for 20 minutes to purchase $16 slices of shit pizza? What happened to the air conditioned airstream trailers? Where are the risers so we, who paid out the ass to see our favorite bands, can see the musical acts? It's seriously a full scale scam to sell VIP. I suffered through night one. Took the train home and I have no intention of going back. Hey Perry; you got me and my money. Congrats. Never again. read more

First Lollapalooza and had a ball. Such a high energy event. Lots of things to do, see and hear. Plenty of music and food to explore. Avoid driving or shared-rides. Take the CTA or Metra!!! Make sure to check out all the cool organizations spreading knowledge: Dream.org and Chicago Votes. read more

Lollapalooza - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been wanting to go to Lollapalooza since 2012 I think and it legit took me 10 years to finally get there this summer 2022! The main thing is that this festival is a young person's game, and even though I'm 29, this crowd feels a lot more youthful than a late 20s kind of person LMAO! Much more of a high school/college-age kind of festival and definitely made me feel a bit out of place. I only went for one day out of the FOUR DAY festival (I think back when I first started looking at it, it was newly a three day festival?). Either way, four days is WAAAAAY too much for me and given all the people I wanted to see concentrated on one day, it worked out! The tickets sell out, which probably comes as no surprise to anyone, so make sure to get them ASAP! I think the whole weekend tickets typically sell out during that first sale (at a discounted price) and that's typically before the lineup is even announced, which is ballsy! So if you really want to go and don't exactly care for who might or might not be playing, this might be the best option for you! Thankfully, the festival is very spread out in Grant Park and there are a ton of different stages and things to do and see while you're there. Make sure to wear extremely comfy shoes and assume you will be on your feet for the vast majority of your time there. I was there for the one day from 2 pm all the way to the end, which was a full 9-10 hours of standing, and I've truly never been in greater pain in my life! This year they also brought in touchless payments for the first time as well! That was incredibly convenient for purchasing things, which I really appreciated! My friend and I ate before getting to the festival grounds, so we weren't really hungry throughout the day, although there is an ENTIRE STREET chock full of different food offerings that looked interesting! Otherwise, we mostly got drinks, water, and energy drinks. All music acts were incredible, just dealing with the crowds and the heat was the most challenging part! So physically prepare yourself with sun protection/fans and mentally prepare yourself for all the people, especially the later it gets in the day and the bigger the acts become, and you'll have a great experience! read more

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What a CRAZY good time! I can check this off my bucket list. First time attending Lollapalooza and it was amazing! The weather was absolutely beautiful, photo ops everywhere, good food and drinks, fun games, free stuff and great music. If you wear any kind of fitness tracker. Prepare to get those steps in. read more

Lollapalooza - Strawberry lemonade with marshmallow fluff - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lolla'21 Review 7.28-8.1 Lots of fun. The city of Chicago really knows how to show out for their city. And I also love the Grant Park location right in the middle of the downtown city with the skyline setting. The countless skyscrapers served as a beautiful backdrop for the sunset performances in the counselors that lasted all day into the night. The venue is large spanning a few miles. Be prepared to walk a lot! I recommend using the north entrance, depending on where you're coming from. The Buckingham Fountain is beautiful! Sound production and stage design was nice. Lots of people and crowded sets at times. We came for the music! And we're not disappointed! The people of Chicago are beautiful and so is the city! If you know where to look, everything can be found. This is a beautiful part of the US and I am so happy to have traveled here. I feel grateful and happy to experience this part of life. I would love to come back again someday for all of those who are curious or in the mood for exploring an exploration. I'd certainly recommend this and highly advise it! Definitely ranks among the top tiers: Coachella, EDC, Burning man, Countdown, decadence, Hard summer etc... Pro tip: bring water and sunscreen! Be friendly :) and spread good vibes. read more

The 2020 Festival would have probably been one for the books, as we were looking forward to Gun's n Roses but COVID hit & rest as we say it's history! Flash forward to 2023 & we figured the line up was ahh but since we had plans to be in town might as well check out the festival. Talent wise they had 6-10 maybe good artist through it's 4 day run but of course they were all spread around to each is own depending who u come too see. I was surprised to see kids here? this before I realized they had a whole kid section to the festival, I mean I get it but with so much going on not sure this is a "good" place for the kiddos. The Festival set up is huge, nicely set up as you make your way between stages, the park is closed off just for the event. Food Empanadas were decent & the Corn dog I must say was very tasty. Drinks, Beer, water was the easiest. I don't want to completely bad mouth the festival since at the least it was entertaining line up wise could have been better there were plenty of acts to keep everyone entertained not sure I would return as the overall feel to the festival was not as fun as I thought it would be. read more

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I went to see Sabrina carpenter and it was so much fun but really hit so if u go pack a lot of water and a fan

This was my first time coming to Lolla this year and we were impressed with how organized it was! We registered our wristbands online beforehand as well as registering our credit card to the chip in the band so that we could pay easily and be card/cash free. This was an incredible option because it kept lines moving quickly and was so convenient. Also, the fest was cash-free this year so that also helped the lines. When we arrived, we bypassed the large line of people that didn't pre-register their bands (that line would have taken an hour or more.) We walked right in after showing our vaccination cards and then got through security. Security was so fast and they really were like a well-oiled machine in getting people through as effectively as possible. I bought the appropriate sized clear festival purse to get through the line quick and had no problem. We have a hydration pack we wish we brought but didn't know if we could or not. You can bring them in and definitely recommend it. We came on Thursday to see Miley Cyrus, Illenium, All Time Low, and a few others. The lineup was so good this year! The sound quality was high and there was plenty of room for people to spread out. We never felt claustrophobic or worried about being too close to people. The weather was absolutely perfect so people were taking advantage of sunny and shaded spots. The only lines we really had to stand in were for the port-o-pottys. The ones by the Budlight Seltzer stage were so clean whereas other ones weren't. You just had to get lucky on which one you went in haha. They were tons of hand sanitizer though throughout the entire park! From the stages, to the maps, and signs in-between, it made getting around the fest a breeze. The Budlight Seltzer stage was a main stage and The Tavern next to it was a perfect spot to chill and sit down or grab some shade. They had picnic tables with seats and standing tables to lean on to drink/eat. The food options were plentiful, even including vegan and vegetarian options. We had a teriyaki fried rice bowl and it was SO tasty. The pot sticker on top was hot and crunchy and fueled us up for the day. I also want to shoutout the hydration stations being such a great idea. You could fill your water bottles us complimentary and stay hydrated for the entire day. The drink and food prices here are beyond affordable. For about $10, you could get food or a tall drink! Overall, one day was plenty for us. I can't imagine going for all four days but if that's you jam, you'll love it! read more

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Lollapalooza 2021 The park is well-managed, beautiful, and colorful! I especially enjoyed the spacious grassy areas with shade, the wacky inflatables, and the fountain. The sound quality is SO GOOD. It was definitely better than expected. This is not a low-budget production. There's lights and fog and big displays. This year, they featured local food vendors that offered their regular grub and some special items for the festival. Everything was delicious! Some of the dishes were from restaurants I wanted to visit while in Chicago anyway. I also super appreciated the variety of foods! It's nice to be able to eat something different every day of the festival. The med tent staff are friendly and helpful! They definitely know how to take good care of someone in need. My only complaint is that even during "non-peak" hours, the lines were so long to enter. It would be great if they opened another entrance, but I'm sure the logistics would be difficult. read more

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As a die hard music fan, lover of dancing and moving, and someone who needs to really let loose at least once a year, Lollapalooza grew on me when I was living in the Windy City. I lived in the area about three years and made it to this annual summer fest twice. Both times I created memories that'll last a lifetime and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Let's start with the pros... No camping needed and let's be honest, that can be an epic shitshow if you don't know what you're doing. Transportation is abundant with ubers, lyfts, the CTA, etc. There's also plenty of hotels, airbnbs, hostels, and other lodging. With a city this large, you can find a place to stay. Every year there is a large variety of music. I personally enjoy it all but if you're into a more specific sound, you'll likely find it scattered throughout the four-day experience. The sound pollution isn't bad either. You would think with so many stages it would be an issue, but the only time I found myself annoyed was with Migos one year. That bass tho! When it comes to restroom access and staying hydrated, they do a pretty darn good job at keeping things accessible. While yes, you may have to wait in line, but it's not like you're waiting forever. It's also fairly clean, which is nice. No one wants to be dancing and having a good time in a trash infested park. Ok, ok, now onto the cons... Little baby children everywhere!!! Yes, the other reviews mention how young the crowd is and I have to agree. I don't enjoy seeing fifteen year olds passed out in the lawn at 2PM. Also, this is not a cheap adventure. Drinks and food are expensive. Tickets are pricey. You will be spending a pretty penny, especially if you're going for the entire weekend. Lastly, getting into the festival can be a bit of a hassle. If you don't have to bring a bag, don't. If you do, bring a very small one... just enough to keep your phone and keys safe with you at all times. Will I be at Lollapalooza again? Maybe! In the meantime I'm exploring other festivals around the country, but I never say never. read more

Lollapalooza - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had the privilege to work at one of the cocktail tents for Lollapalooza this year. Therefore, my review on this music festival would share a different, perhaps, "behind-the-scene" perspective. While I was busy working and making customers' drinks, I was able to check out the vendors, booths, stores inside the venue before the crowd kicked in daily. I saw some Yelp reviews commenting on the bag policy. I would say definitely mind your personal safety by packing light. Most people brought a clear fanny pack and had it fastened around the waist. Lockers were available for rent once one passed the security checkpoint. Expensive cellular devices should be kept inside the bag because they could easily be snatched when walking on a heavy foot traffic path. I also scored some free swags from the Tito's promotion stage inside the 21+ cocktail lounge. Their crane game machine was fun but difficult at the time. Anyway, my advice would be "come early," as the lines to everything would be much shorter. A general admission ticket didn't include a fast pass to their merchandise store, but the VIP ticket holder could bypass the wait and head straight to the entrance. The urinals inside the 21+ cocktail lounge were actually legit toilets which could be flushed. I was glad that I didn't have to settle with a traditional porta potty. Nevertheless, I still prepared some Lysol wipes for cleaning the toilet seats. The hydration stations were awesome and the wait was very minimal even during the prime time hours. Among the food vendors that participated in Lollapalooza this year, I had the shroom burger from "Shake Shack," boneless BBQ rib sandwich from "Robinson's No.1," and hot chicken sandwich from "BJ's Bakery and Deli." The prices were less than the Taste of Chicago (the taste was literally a rip-off, just saying), but an item would still cost in between $8 to $10. There was a wallet-less feature on the wristband, sponsored by the Citi Bank. I didn't know if a Citi Bank account was required in order to use it or whatever the case might be. I meant this could be very convenient if one didn't care about tracking his or her spending. One (1) order of cocktail was at least $16! A number of people came back for the second and the third round. Man, that was why I was working, for the demand was absolutely there! Overall, Chicago is the only U.S. city that hosts Lollapalooza once a year. I will certainly work for Lolla again if I get a chance to do so. I know it's likely that I will miss some artists who I want to see. Well, YouTube has a Lollapalooza live stream. I took advantage of this and watched Janelle Monae's performance. Sometimes I think there is too much noise and distraction to be in a large music festival where the "music" is really the pseudo focus. On a bright note, I'm always looking for a lucrative opportunity, and Lolla seems to have it! read more

This was my second year attending this festival and it was a mess from the beginning. One of the main stages was having sound issues making it almost impossible to hear the performances. There are a ton of local Chicago food options inside the festival including a plant-based area and dessert island. The festival itself is great, however, the security when entering the festival made this unbearable. Our friend's prescribed medication was thrown away despite us asking to speak with the security supervisor. We had followed all of the instructions on the festivals website to bring in medication. Security was also doing inappropriate pat downs on people who did not set off metal detectors. It was so bad we ended up filing an incident report with the festival. Come for the music but really do not expect anything else from this festival. read more

This was my first time going because I wanted to see Metallica!! I had a great time. I took my soon to be 2 year old and didn't feel overwhelmed or anything like that. I did purchase VIP tickets and I only did that because of my son and I wanted clean bathrooms and areas to sit. Other than that I would never purchase them again. Tons of great food options and it's so spread out throughout the park which was nice! Metallica was amazing! I would pick Lolla over ACL mainly because Grant Park is so much better than Zilker! read more

Lollapalooza - Enjoying Metallica!!! - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'd only been to smaller concerts and festivals before, so it was a spectacle to witness Lollapalooza in action. They've really got their shit locked down. Even the security line was a breeze. The stages for the most part were in logical places (though some were way too close together, causing some bleed). They made use of all the existing pathways to make travel as logical as possible. Tons of water refilling stations (so be sure to bring an empty bottle). Multiple beer and alcohol tents. Our favorite was the 21+ only section, since it was the least crowded. The food vendor situation was pretty great, though lines do get long for the more popular ones. Getting out was also hell, so if you don't need to be there til the end of the day, I'd suggest fleeing beforehand. read more

Lollapalooza has been one of the highlights of my summer! As a Lolla-virgin, I wanted to make sure I was as ready for the event as possible. I registered my 3-day wristband online, strapped it on my wrist as tight as possible, and prepped tons of water! And although this year's line up was less attractive than previous years, I was still excited. Day 1, Friday - I kind of winged it. Saw Tove Lo, Cold War Kids, First Aid Kit, The Weekend, checked out some awesome DJs, and saw SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY! He had his own freakin fireworks show and brought out Alabama Shakes with him. Epic!!!!!!!! I stopped at almost half of the food places this day and discovered some new faves one being Graham Elliot Bistro and their yummy Lobster Corn Dogs. It was truly life changing. I got quite hot though and had to take plenty of breaks. Day 2 - I only planned to see a couple of bands so I came much later in the day. Worked out way better with my endurance and I ended the night with seeing Sam Smith. He put on a great show! My younger brother stole the hearts of many as he wore a spiderman costume and hugged babies, made friends, and got panties tossed at him. Day 3 - Rain on and off. Ended the journey with ASAP Rocky. Didn't linger too long because of the weather and used it primarily to check out a couple of other spots to stuff my face at that I hadn't before. Overall, I had a blast! Good food and music. Key tip - ALWAYS STAY HYDRATED! Plenty of people had their Camelbaks and even if you didn't have one, they had kidneys for purchase and filling them up were free. Cans of water were two bucks a pop! Have your line up planned because the aimless wandering can suck the joy out of your day..... and energy. Download the Lolla app or grab a map when you first get there. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! Until next year, PEACE!!!!! read more

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LOLLA!!! such a great 4 day experience in the beautiful city of Chicago, what more can you ask for. Such a fun festival, great location, good food and good music...and to top it off it didn't rain this year!... read more

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Amazing! Bought tix on a whim because we were working on the new Apple Store near the Wrigley building and saw them setting up all week long. Best impulse buy ever! For the price per ticket ($130 for Sunday) you get to see a helluva lot of performers, basically go to a mini Taste of Chicago and Mosh, Headbang or Rave your f*cking face off! Stages upon stages upon stages, acres of space to eat, drink, party and for some... pass TF out until their second or third wind. The fest had everything from Rock to Rap, Metal to EDM and more. 2017 featured Charli XCX who put on a helluva fun show with her poppy/clubby beats and lyrics. DVBBS & the Zeds Dead who lit the night up with hard dubstep, rattle your guts bass and a light show that needs an epilepsy warning attached to it. 6lack, Big Sean, Chance the Rapper, Machine Gun Kelly... all had some awesome sets too. Not exactly my kinda music but hella fun nonetheless. With the shear amount of people that were there I expected garbage lining the street but, noooo. Plenty of garbage cans and even RECYCLING cans along with workers to tend to them too. The only real gripe I can think of... bathrooms. Not so much the number of them but, the accompanying hand washing/hand sanitizer stations. I'd suggest smuggling in some sanitizer... or just be gross, your call. I definitely recommend it, and will for sure go again in 2018. read more

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Great Festival! My picks for the best performances of 2017 are: Barns Courtney (This was one of the best and most unique Festival performances ever!) San Fermin Foster the People Andrew McMahon and Arcadia Fire (Minus the derogatory comments about the current US President by these Canadian artists that have great fully paid healthcare at 1/2 the cost per person of the poor US system past Presidents have given us.) read more

Absolute best experience of my life. I quit my job in the Chicago airport to go. I flew from Vegas to Chicago not knowing what to expect, and I was floored. How could I not go? BEST LINE UP EVER! So worth quitting my job. I met a few Chicago residents whose bosses wouldn't let them have the days off so they quit as well! Haha. I went to 2 outdoor music festivals before Lolla. One of them was Voodoo Fest in New Orleans in October 2007 (Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Porcupine Tree) and I thought they were great. I went to Lolla and was BLOWN AWAY. I never really had any issues with lines or drinks or no toilet paper. Sorry if you did. The great thing about Grant Park and Lolla is the fact that they actually have REAL restrooms right there. They did a fantastic job, Chicago is a fantastic place. It was so well put together. So smooth. Except for exiting, which still wasn't too bad. We just had to run over a fence after Rage. Same thing happened at Voodoo. Nature of Rage fans! Couldn't find an affordable room in Chicago, had to stay in Des Plaines! Ugh. Getting there on time was a bitch. Actually, getting there at all. And I wanted to see K'NAAN SOOOOOOO badly that I ran from the Metra to the park and still waited in line. But made it. Yahooooo. We had to wake up early and I believe the bus came just before 8 AM. 8 or 9. Had to take the bus to the Metra. The Metra took forever. Then the walk from the Metra to the park sucked. Especially when you're disoriented because at night you have to do the opposite, with blisters on your feet, and find your way back to get 5 hours of sleep. So worth it, though. Train schedule changed once, so we ended up missing the bus back and had to get a ride from some crazy foreign techno-loving pizza delivery driver. HAHA, funny. Radiohead alone gave me reason to go. The food there was great & I never really had to wait for ANYthing. They gave away so much free stuff it was ridiculous. Voodoo Fest people need to STEP IT UP. I saw a few of the performers before, not all of them. By the way, I forgot how much tickets were (no tax, flat fee = awesome). I didn't think they were $200, were they? Not bad anyway. I just went to Voodoo Fest AGAIN (NIN, Butthole Surfers, Lupe, etc.) and thanks to the amazingness that is Lollapalooza, I was very disappointed. Everything seemed to suck besides the Butthole Surfers and the fact that I love NOLA. --------------------------------------- Newton Faulkner was in my top 5 acts, surprisingly. He sounds better live. Love that man. If you missed him, sorry! Tally Hall - I have loved them for years and was amazed to see them on the list. Great show! Radiohead - What is there to say? Honestly, quite possibly the best, most emotional band I've seen live. Thom, you are amazing. NIN - MY FAVORITE! I wanted to see Kanye because I was in Chicago and I had seen NIN a few years before. But I knew I was making the right decision. I ended up all the way at the front, the people around me were amazing. The crowd was intense. I had bruises and blisters after this, I was soaked in sweat. Totally worth it. I have seen them at Voodoo since and I just bought my tickets for a show in town, so this will be my 4th time seeing them! Lupe Fiasco - My favorite rapper. He was on before Rage, unfortunately. I love ALL music and I love Lupe. He isn't rapping about bitches and cars all of the time. I found that a lot of the crowd was pre-Rage and most of them were close-minded idiots. I was rapping and singing, especially during "Go Go Gadget Flow" and a lot of Rage fans told me to leave and were making fun of me for liking Lupe. Well, I got pissed and started retaliating because we're all there for the music and fun. I started rapping in this guy's face. I had already seen and experience Rage front row with cops on horses and all in New Orleans where they gave a long post-Katrina speech. This was the low point of Lolla, because I didn't think there would be so many idiots there. Rage - I was excited, because I saw them a few months before and it was amazing. Apparently, a bunch of people broke into the park to see them. Expected. They stopped 3 times and told everyone to back up, so I just left the front where I was at and went more towards the white tents on the exit side. At one point a whole group of people were screaming, "Fuck this! Let's go to Wilco!" & they were all wearing Rage shirts. I don't like Wilco, and I definitely wasn't leaving - but that's how I felt. It felt amazing when everyone was leaving and saying, "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!" and the streets were flooded with people and cops just stood there. Intense. The Black Lips sucked. Sorry. + Met Perry/wife/kids day before Lolla in the park - preparing for show. + Met Lupe - 3rd in line, sang "Sunshine" chorus with him! Got shirt & CD cover autographed. Pics/video. + Met Newton, Saul, and The Cool Kids. Got autographs/pics! Thanks Lolla!!!! read more

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Dear Lolla, Sell less tickets or create more entrances. 45 minutes just to get in the festival is uncalled for. You're about to jump the shark. read more

Lollapalooza always shines through with an amazing line up and this year was no different. It seems like every year it just gets bigger and better! To take the most advantage out of your day, you really need to have a game plan, who you want to see, what times and when to move onto the next stage! There are just way too many bands to check out, it's truly a music lovers paradise! The bands that I made sure to see and loved were: Foo Fighters Muse Eminem ColdPlay Deadmau5 Arctic Monkeys Flogging Molly Deftones Cold War Kids Girl Talk Caged the Elephant The bands that I saw and didn't love were: CeeLo My Morning Jacket The bands that I didn't know and loved were: Pretty Lights Explosions in the sky Kid Cudi Ratatat The bands I didn't get to see were: Bright Eyes Young the Giant Foster the People Portugal, the Man Damian Marley & Nas The food this year was impressive, lots of choices! I liked that! Rain or shine ... and boy did it rain on day 3 ~ mud slides galore! Lolla is always a good time! read more

Lollapalooza - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pitchfork is cool, North Coast is fun. Chicago Jazz Fest is sweet, But Lolla - you're the one. A sold-out festival means that you should never count on getting tickets day of again... so buck down, save, plan accordingly and plunk down the card as soon as those 3-days go on sale. And if you're lucky enough to know someone on the inside (thanks, Brett D!), get over to the W for the Belve Music Lounge after-party (an invitation only, BMF Media VIP retreat). Artists so close you can taste their sweat + free Belvedere cocktails means you'll leave thinking that the after-show may be even better than the main attraction. And so it goes. Here I come, day #2! read more

Lolla has a very special place in my heart as the first music festival I ever attended. After consecutive years of 3-day passes, and even 4-day for 2016, it's started to feel like home. I'll often claim that Lollapalooza is the most bang for your buck relative to all the other music festivals across the country of comparable size. Even this year's 4-day pass was only $330, whereas Coachella's 3-day will cost you close to $400. In my opinion, the line up never fails to impress, but every year I hear people whine about how much better it "used to be"...as if that's not entirely subjective lol. They usually feature most, if not all, of the artists that are at Coachella and more. Some things to know: -If you come at busy times (2pm-5pm), there will be a line to get in. A long line. I think I waited at least 45 minutes, if not 1 hour. -Lollapalooza seems to attract thousands upon thousands of suburban teenagers. Brace yourself. -Grant Park is huge. It will take you a very long time to weave your way from Samsung to Bud Light. -On that same note, wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and stay hydrated. There are CamelBak filling stations every where. -I read an article citing 400,000 attendees at Lollapalooza 2016. That being said, the crowd can become very overwhelming, very fast. Make sure to stay towards the back if you can't handle it. -It will probably rain. Embrace it. Other than that, it's pretty chill. You can exit/re-enter the park three times per day, and there's food, drinks, and places to just relax everywhere. read more

Lollapalooza - ~Lollapaloozers - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best music festival I've ever been to, hands down! (Sorry Ultra) I'm from the real dirty south, Miami Florida, and August 2012 was my first Lollapalooza AND Chicago experience. The whole trip felt like one of those euphoric dreams that you don't want to wake up from. Lollapalooza is held in Grant Park with an audience of over 50,000 people. I was so taken aback by how friendly the festival goers were (Miami is listed as the 3rd rudest city in the USA so I guess it's just something I've grown accustomed to, unfortunately) Grant Park itself is beautiful and huge. There's tents everywhere that offer a variety of drinks to purchase from. For example: -$2 water (probably the cheapest I've ever seen at an outside festival) -$3 Redbull (with or without sugar) -$4 Sweet Tea. -$7 glass of wine/28$ bottle of wine (choice of red or white) There's other tents that offer freebies like headbands or Play Station games, as well as Kidpalooza; a place to drop off your kids so you can enjoy the festival. As for the music, we felt like kids in a candy store and attempted to see as many acts as possible. We were able to see the following: -Miike Snow -Red Hot Chili Peppers -M83 -The Shins -Justice -Florence & The Machine -Zedd -Calvin Harris - tUnE-yArDs -Jack White -The Black Keys (My favorite act, the effin' mayor introduced them!) -Metric The festival was three days long but the energy inside the park made me wish it was five days, I didn't want to leave. We were also 'lucky' enough to be a part of the ONLY Lollapalooza that had to be shut down due to a severe thunderstorm (pictures attached) Thankfully, it was only closed for a few hours. I've really got to hand it to the staff, they re-opened, re-scheduled acts, and organized everything incredibly fast the moment the storm passed. I was very impressed. Attending Lollapalooza was a dream of a mine since I was a teenager and I know someday I'll be back. Until next time, Chicago. read more

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Lolla is always a feast for the senses and this year was no different. The sounds, the sights, and even the tastes were in full effect. Unfortunately a new sense brought this year's fest down a few pegs - the smell. As in, the south area (the Chicago 2016 and vitaminwater stages), reeked of garbage. No, that's not strong enough. The south area reeked of *rancid garbage* throughout the entirety of Saturday and most of Sunday. This wasn't the first year it rained at the festival but it was the first I can remember where the result was a few people choosing bands based on the fact they were as far away from the offensive odor as possible (true story, a dude and his girlfriend I met at Kaiser Chiefs were these people). That downgrade aside, there were some definitive upgrades to the festival from past years. Perry's, the dance stage, was expanded into a full-on, all-day rave capable of holding thousands as opposed to hundreds. And, if the bass didn't bother you, it was also moved across the park into the shadiest grove of trees imaginable. It was a perfect resting place out of the inevitable heat. The food has gotten better every year and this year Chicago's Dog (with a build your own Chicago style bar), Starfruit, and a few others made their debuts (or at least I noticed them for the first time). However, Lee's Concessions was also there selling the worst Chinese on the planet as usual. The north side was more veggie friendly than the south, though, so if one could handle the stench and stuck over there, Lee's was the only vegetarian choice. A bit of poor planning. Good planning, however, was had by some of the periphery elements. WXRT's lounge was great this year. They brought air hockey and ping pong tables as well as a phone charging station. There you could drop off your "baby," and come back with it refreshed. Similarly, a battery company passed out one hour phone rechargers free. Guess the festival at least knows how to treat cell phones perfectly. But, in the end, Lollapalooza is about the bands. Maybe I'm getting old or just too mainstream, but this year's lineup didn't appeal to me as much. I "discovered" some great new (to me) bands like Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Crystal Castles, Santigold, and Ben Harper and Relentless7 (Ben has never rocked so hard) but a lot of the bands I was looking forward to most disappointed. Kaiser Chiefs put on a Brit Pop extravaganza complete with climbing the rafters, rhythmic chanting, and chastising the crowd for not being into it enough. Arctic Monkeys did not. Ben Folds, Los Campesinos!, Tool, Neko Case, Andrew Bird, Depeche Mode, all adequate but all pretty forgettable. Though moments from each did stand out. Ben Folds leading a giant crowd in screaming "fuck" so loud, people working in the loop might have heard it was a golden moment, for example. And I still get chills thinking of Martin Gore doing a pitch-perfect, haunting rendition of "Home." But the only two spectacular sets I saw this year - ones I would rank in the top 20 in festival history - were the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Band of Horses. Despite starting 20 minutes late due to Lou Reed's incoherent ramblings, inability to tell time, and needing to use a teleprompter to remember lyrics, Band of Horses were unfazed. The sun setting behind them on the Playstation Stage (always the best at the festival) as they performed their anthemic songs was magical. And with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O proved again she's probably the best frontperson to come out in the last few years. They really stepped up to the plate to replace the Beastie Boys. I'll be back again next year, I always am, hoping that Lollapalooza 2010's a bit more than average. And, more importantly, hoping that the organizers figured out what caused that horrible smell and keep it from happening again. read more

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How could I have not written a review for Lolla yet? I'm old enough to know people that went to the first Lollapalooza, back in 1991. A straight-laced college friend of mine went, and got tix for "Section X", which turned out to be the most pit! Although I never attended in the 90's, I attended Lolla for years when they returned to Grant Park, Chicago, between 2005-2009. And it has improved and grown exponentially since then. This year I went on Sunday only, and my basic observations are: - Need more porta potties. Always. 300,000 people is like 10 zoos equiv. of waste each day! (Scientific Fact) - Buy tix at opening bell, or wait until Lolla weekend. Otherwise prices on StubHub will be OUTRAGEOUS (say it in an accent). - Download Lolla App and check out YouTube clips of bands. Check what's allowed/not, scan the map, have a basic plan beforehand, because WiFi nextwork will be jammed when you're there...leading to... -Nextels. Saw a few people with analog technology, Nextels and Walkies, to communicate with friends when network was jammed. Brilliant! -Bring SPF, hand sanitizer, 2 sealed water bottles, sm. blanket The sheer variety of bands is great! The sound is much improved. I couldn't believe how LOUD Vampire Weekend was from a football field away. Crystal clear. The Cure was amazing. I'm now more of a Pitchfork Music Festival guy, but happy to see Lollapooza improving, and still in Chicago! read more

This weekend was another reminder that your life is how you choose to see it... despite the mud, the rain, the heat, the clueless masses, the conflicts in choosing which artists to consume...Lolla 2009 was awesome! standing, dancing, falling onto the masses of sweaty, moldy, hot naked bodies in unison...priceless. Yes its sometimes ugly, its corporate and eons away from its roots, but since nobody else is doing it on this scale and still providing quality moments despite the realities of doing business in Chicago...Perry and co. rocked this bitch. highlights for me included on the Perry Stage the Bloody Beetroots, MSTRKRFT, boys noize, glitch mob and Chicago's very own Dark Wave Disco. (suck moments included the opening dj acts and Diplo who sounded no better than your division street djs...how many times do you have to play BB-Satisfaction???) The crowd makes up a big portion of the experience as its these other souls with just as much desire to glance up and connect with their favorite flavors of the moment and I give most of them I encountered props for maintaining a sense of respect. Headliners on the big stages did not disappoint. the production value was not spared. The sound from each stage was clean, loud and present, carrying the subtle nuances and emotions to our little ears and hearts. yes, there were minor mistakes here and there, but they were made with passion and good intent.(i think a laser hit me in the eye and made my pinky toe twitch for a good minute) worthy of a repeat 2010...damn straight. read more

Lollapalooza - dancing in the rain;-) - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Lollapalooza was an amazing experience, there was great food, fun acts and overal a fun time. It definitely is a lot of walking so taking time to rest throughout the day is absolutely necessary. I felt they had tk3n necessary precautions to protect concert goers during covid. While many people did not have masks on. There where many that did and there where many spots you could sit and socially distance if you wanted read more

Best music concert in the US. The most you could get for your money. We drove all the way from Lexington, KY to see this and there are no regrets. If you are really into music, get the 4 day pass (around 360$ - I really want to but my adult working life wouldn't let me). I got the Saturday day pass (120$ plus tax) and the online tickets sold out in less than 2 minutes. So be prepared when booking the tickets. I don't have to re-iterate the rules as they are already clearly mentioned in the Lollapalooza website. Be prepared to walk a lot. I have an activity tracker and I walked almost 35000 steps in a singel day. Also most of the crowd are young teenagers and college students. Some bands weren't popular but you would know atleast most of them. Chance the rapper was my favorite and it was the final event for the day. It was really crowded and people started gathering in front of the stage even 30 minutes before the event. My next favorite was Zara Larson and it was her first concert in the US and I am glad to have seen her live. Some of my other favorites are Alt J, Vance Joy, Young bombs and Flint Eastwood. I am definitely planning to return next year for the entire 4 days (if my adult working life would let me), if not I will just come back for one or 2 days. read more

Lollapalooza - Grant park - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So the whole reason I went to Chicago was for Lolla! I had a blast and it was every dollar. It rained this year, which made it even more fun! I only got to experience the last day. =/ I want to come back and experience the whole festival but at least I got to see Foo Fighters, Flogging Molly, Deadmau5, Kid Cudi, Best Coast, The Cool Kids, and some other bands along the way. It's a bit expensive but they bring the bands people want to see. It's very well organized and the stages are set up efficiently. My only complaint was there was a BUNCH of kiddos. Felt like it was high school fest 2011! read more

Feel like Lolla gets worse every year. From a music standpoint, it's great. But I feel like its becoming more and more of a rave. I've seen more and more teenagers passed out on the lawn and sidewalk than previous years. And I feel like that isn't going to change anytime soon. Great performances from Nas and Outkast. I only had the Saturday pass and arrived late. Guess I'm getting old because 1 day is enough for me LOL. read more

Lollapalooza - Self explanatory - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I mean.... it's lolla. You get what you get. Fun festival, for a weekend us Chicagoans deal with packed trains, when we're used to basically empty cars. It seems like the age group gets younger and younger each year. See teens trying alcohol and drugs for the first time, and makes me worry. But I will say, Lolla itself does a great job of providing extra hydration stations, medical staff, and overall great security. The lineups are generally very good and I loved how they've got timing between bands and stages set to a T! A lot of other festivals could learn from the people who put this one on. read more

This is ONLY the best music festival in all of the United States of America. And what a location - Grant Park, with PLENTY of shade, FREE water and accommodating Chicago weather in August. Plus the beverage and food vendors are yummy. The security isn't too strict that you can't bring in your own non-metal water bottle to keep refilling in one of the many water fountains. Plus! If you can't seem to go in a port-a-potty, you can always use the park's open public restrooms. And let's not forget the interactive aspect - receiving texts about private showings, free Vitamin Water and hidden treasures throughout the park. Also, everyone who attended got a free iPod card to download 10 of the festival's songs. I grabbed enough to bring back for friends and co-workers. Rock on! Having been to Austin City Limits twice, Coachella once, Memphis' Beale St. Music Festival and others, I can - without a doubt - say this is the VERY BEST music festival to attend. Sure, it doesn't have the "dance tent" that Coachella does, but it does offer such a wide range of music (including LCD Soundsystem and Daft Punk) that you can get your "hyper-tune" fix. But, mix in The Black Keys, Tapes 'n Tapes, Paulo Neruda, Rodrigio y Gabriela, Pete Yorn, Interpol, Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon and Pearl Jam and you have the best music festival around. Plus, downtown Chicago makes the perfect backdrop. Where else are you going to be just mere steps from a thriving city? Yeah. Trust me. This is worth every single penny - and then some! ***ALSO NOTE*** By the third day of ACL, you are dehydrated, exhausted and dirty as a mutt. Same goes for Coachella. HOWEVER, Lollapalooza was the ONLY festival I've ever been to that I wished was LONGER, like add atleast one more day. I was just not ready to leave Lolla behind - or Chicago, for that matter. read more

Lollapalooza - Perfect weather, with incredible music. - Festivals Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing backdrop! There is nothing cooler than seeing the Chicago skyline protruding behind one of the main Lolla stages at night. It's one of the only major festivals that you can leave the grounds and go out to pick up lunch and a brew...then walk back in and party it up. Grant park is close to many major hotels (that you can find on Hotwire!) so you don't have to worry about transpo back and forth from the fest. The lineup is usually top notch, however the festival only runs until 10pm so be prepared for 2 headliners every night to take the closing 8-10pm set on different stages. Last year it was Muse/Coldplay, Eminem/Deadmau5, and Foo/My Morning Jacket (maybe?). The grounds are well kept and it is easy to navigate around the various stages to see all the good/bad/ugly bands out there. The after parties are redic, so if you missed your fav band there's a solid chance you can see them more intimately later on in the eve. Last year I signed up for the Belvedere lounge and there was a free show with Fitz and the Tantrums, Two Door Cinema Club and Grace Potter started DJ'ing....all along with free Belv. Sweet. Lolla is a great place for the casual festival goer or someone looking for a 1-day type of thing. You can be in a hotel bed by midnight and the next day starts at Noon. You're rested up and ready to rock out! Win. Tip: Stop reading this. Git up and go. read more

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Lolla, I'm in love with you. I have been waiting a long time to write this review-- and for this festival, to be honest. I never thought I would actually attend a big music festival, so how fitting is it that my first one was the KING of festivals? While Lollapalooza may not be the "biggest" actual music festival in the United States, the fact that they have so many other locations (Israel, Chile, etc.) makes it king of festivals. Also, the fact that Lollapalooza is the only music festival in a major city gives it extra points in my book. In any case, I was very nervous for this experience, but it turned out to be okay. I can definitely say that you're here for the experience, not just for the music. My body hurt like nobody's business, and it was muddy, sweaty and crowded. Especially with the Lollapocalypse this year... It's a shitshow, but it's one of the best music festivals around. If you have a chance, do it. I'm surprised that they keep prices pretty low for a music festival. I've never seen drinks or food for as cheap as they sell them here-- and they have a LOT of choices. Unfortunately, I wish they served hard liquor outside of the VIP area, and wished they had more "craft beer" tents around, and not just by Perry's, which is the "frathouse" of Lolla. Other than that, I can't wait to go again. And kill my feet. Again. read more

met a lot of Besty's had a lot of unforgettable experiences lived in the moment, Megan was the best, -gonefishin69 read more

Holy @%^, best festival ever. After hearing Muse was showing at Lollapalooza, I knew I had to buy Friday tickets, $90. I wasn't too interested in going Saturday and Sunday too, but on hindsight, I should have just bought a 3-day pass, $210, since it was absolutely amazing. My friend and I took the Metra N-line down from Great Lakes to OTC Chicago (end of line) at around 10am. We hopped on a bus across the street in downtown, got lunch, and got to the north entrance around 12:50pm. Unfortunately, the lines were ridiculous and took nearly 20 min to get in. And then our Lollapalooza schedule began http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=FFllXGyL3WzNowPqF1GY-A. 1. Young The Giant, 1-1:45pm Really good. I didn't recognize most of their songs, but I absolutely loved I Got and Cough Syrup. And of course, when My Body came on, the crowd went crazy. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=IOL68c3uPIbhWj83yMFVVQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=FqZ1xlGs2ExavUn-5LVyuQ 2. Foster The People, 3-4pm Pretty good. I was surprised by how the male lead singer could modulate his voice, and some of the songs were super catchy. Helena Beat, Warrant, Miss You, and of course, Pumped Up Kicks. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=O4Q2cZj7hFdJuKOAAhCCQQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=2uHA_cpD_8BdExpjVHfB4w 3. Two Door Cinema Club, 5-6pm Super catchy. I just got introduced to this band earlier this week, but their music is just so likable. I'll definitely be seeing them in tour again, and I had a blast with the two girls I met. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=cZLbHoNMWCZsIPOlCppX7w http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=cAeQwxWO7qiBKfHM6uTdJA 4.Skrillex, 6:15-7:15pm Amazing. I had a really crappy view since I showed up late, but the music was definitely awesome. The crowd was electric, Skrillex was crazy, and it was definitely worth going to. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=kozKrK1hnc2ZLazHdJAPaQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=eZ8YT4WFuQvJ1MGI9wDUVw 5. A Perfect Circle 6-7:15pm Worst band we saw, but I'm not a huge APC fan. I only saw part of their show because I wanted to wait early for Muse. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=mJ0egHWniBOltJpa83d_FA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=cXsKaAXfNcxt2LOLhBP4tw 6. Muse, 8:15-10pm Best. performance. ever. Words cannot even begin to describe what it was like. I've seen Muse twice in concert on the Resistance Tour before, but this time was insane. From Matt throwing his guitar into Dom's drum set to Chris' badass harmonica solo to Dom's insane drum sets to the always ridiculous laser light show and even fireworks in the background, it was just amazing. I also had one of the best views in the house, being in the 3rd row behind the barricade in the section behind the pit. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=aT9nUrNXniWFS4FGB8y_yw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=waP4KbMUVJSCHXDy7ZAmNQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=4fxmnLW4HQWVjnLAm2KagQ select=AS0DF4v1urACXY5UBpBkNQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=HP2NY2mS8pKU3n0WuEi6Mw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=TjcPnzI_pZgyDhTVEkPt3Q http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=VuYLTnp0YvuclMZp-lrTKg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=ZYbtRpBrqASeduq2oci5gg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=XWocb-2Ydhb9GzHVCfJGSQ The only problem was there were way too many people, making the restroom and water lines ridiculous. Worst part were the audiences though http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=_gJGElMf1GGfMTYNyYJ0VQ and http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=PddoHT1UJT1810pIOjw2qw. It's really hard to get a good view unless you wait at least 30 min before the band starts or squeeze your way to the front. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=n7asZdrup-q7X0AaOb8WxQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=t7iEoYDCcMSIt5cnAUbRSg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=4UvRjgxoia2c1qYz2yjB5w http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=RrRYWnAZVis-RuSWz6y2eQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=RfnnOfvng_F50Vxx82ah7A http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=5bu9rsWu2D-BaLIg1qUL8A Tip: -wear closed toe shoes -wear as little as possible (it gets really hot, and most girls just wear bikini tops and shorts) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Jgi1sV60-L1-UWXcUmoJAg?select=x3rXabfLd-Wr7qqPZVYaBg -bring up to 4 factory sealed water bottles and keep hydrate read more

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