This One Tip Will Make Your Drive to Bonnaroo Much Smoother

For many veteran Bonnaroovians and newbies alike, the countdown is on for the annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. With the countdown comes lots of planning and preparation, but this one tip could save you loads of trouble.

Traveling to Bonnaroo

Ahead of my first-ever Bonnaroo, I joined a few groups on Facebook to get my feet wet with what to expect at this massive event of nearly 100,000 people. I cannot tell you how many warnings I saw in the groups about traveling through Tennessee.

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Gas It Up Before You Get There

Regardless of whether you choose Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday entry for your camping pass, stop about 20 miles outside of Manchester to top off so you arrive to camp with as close to a full tank of gas as possible. Leaving on Sunday night or Monday morning can have you idling in standstill traffic and you won’t want to be worried about running out of gas.

Don't Get Pulled Over on the Way to Bonnaroo

One of the biggest warnings involves the police in Tennessee. According to veteran Roo goer's the police in Tennessee, will be watching for people headed to Bonnaroo and I have heard horror stories of festival goers having their vehicles unpacked on the side of the road. It’s best not to give police a reason to pull you over in the first place.

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Watch Your Speed and Obey the Law

While "watch your speed and obey the law" may seem like a no-brainer piece of advice, it's the #1 most important tip for driving to Bonnaroo, and it will do you well to follow it. Here are some things to keep in mind as you drive through Tennessee to attend Bonnaroo.

Make sure all of your lights - headlights, taillights, turn signals - are working properly.
Check your tire pressure and inflate your tires if you need to.
Use your turn signals every time you merge.
Take anything you've got hanging on your rearview mirror down.
Pack your gear into your vehicle so it does not cover your windows or obstruct your view in any way.
Obey all posted speed limits and traffic lights.
Avoid writing anything on your windows about attending the festival, and avoid applying stickers that could be used as probable cause to search your vehicle.

The bottom line here is to drive like a good, law-abiding citizen. If you do get stopped by the police, be sure you know your rights.

Rules for Heading Home from Bonnaroo

You're going to be tired. You're going to be dirty, and maybe a little hungry and dehydrated too, but the same rules apply to your trip home from Bonnaroo. Watch your speed and obey all of the laws.

I can't wait to see all of your beautiful faces back on the farm. Happy Roo!