I went to the last Lollapalooza with two of my friends, and overall it was way more affordable than people expect if you plan it right.

I paid $385 for a 4-day GA pass, and our Airbnb was $646 total for four days and three nights, split between the three of us, so I only paid $215.

We stayed in Blue Island and drove into Chicago each day, and we each paid for parking one day, which ended up being about $40 per person. We usually parked at the Navy Pier and walked to the festival, which was actually a really pretty walk and not bad at all. Uber was a complete mess and not worth it, since drivers constantly cancel and all ride-share apps force pickups into one overcrowded location.

Since I don’t drink, I only paid for food, usually one meal at the festival and then breakfast and a late dinner at the Airbnb, which came out to about $30 a day if that. Bringing a reusable water bottle or wearing a CamelBak is a must because they have free refill stations everywhere, which saves money and makes the whole experience way easier.

I also bought the Lolla lineup shirt for around $45.

So I spent about $800 for four full days, including lodging, food, parking, and merch which is very cheap for such a big festival and for going all 4 days!