Everything you need to know before you go to SF's Outside Lands

Are you going to San Francisco’s Outside Lands this weekend? Spending three days, or even just one, at a music festival is a lot like taking a big trip. That means you need to plan ahead — figuring out your transportation, what to pack and what to do once you get there. Below are some tips and tricks to ensure your festival experience goes smoothly.  

If you want tickets for Friday or Saturday, turn to the secondary market. The Aug. 11 through 13 event featuring headliners Kendrick Lamar and Odesza is mostly sold out, unless you want to fork over nearly $5,000 for the three-day Golden Gate club pass that includes everything from free rides across the grounds in golf carts to access to viewing areas near the front of the stages. If you’re looking for basic general admission tickets, head to a site like StubHub. For Sunday, GA+ tickets are still available on the Outside Lands website ($325); for a $110 premium you get access to a lounge with free water and soft drinks, a bar and food for purchase and, perhaps most important, toilets that flush.

Be smart about how to travel to and from the festival. The festival entrances and exits are in Golden Gate Park at John F. Kennedy Drive near 30th Avenue (Main Gate), and at Middle Drive and Metson Road (South Gate). There’s a VIP entrance on Martin Luther King Jr., Drive, adjacent to the South Gate.

If you opt to drive, be prepared to circle the neighborhood endlessly until you find a space, and if you find a spot, keep in mind that it may be 2-hour parking and you may have a half-mile walk or more to the gate. There will be some paid parking available in the Richmond neighborhood, such as the parking lot at Lafayette Elementary at 4545 Anza St. It will be open 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and parking costs $50. Nearby Argonne Elementary at 680 18th Ave. also opens its lot from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the same days, for the same rate. 

Using a ride-hailing service such as Lyft or Uber is convenient, but as the surge of festivalgoers uses the apps, prices and wait times will increase. Since roads near the festival entrances will be congested or fully closed, consider getting dropped off and picked up several blocks from the grounds, such as on Geary Boulevard or Balboa Street to the north or Irving Street to the south.

You can save money, and maybe even time, by taking public transit. BART is running regular service until about midnight on all three nights of the festival. BART doesn’t offer direct service to Golden Gate Park, but if you get off at the Civic Center BART station, you can walk a few blocks to Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, where you can hop on one of the pre-paid Outside Lands shuttles (starting at $26) with direct service to the park. You can also transfer from BART to a Muni train or bus for easy access to the park. Because Caltrain service is affected by construction this weekend, BART is offering free tickets at the Millbrae station to concertgoers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday or until supplies last.

Muni is adding trains and buses on the N Judah and 5R Fulton Rapid lines to accommodate the expected surge in ridership. At night, it’s also adding 5X Fulton Express service from the park (Fulton at 30th Avenue) to the Civic Center BART station. Get complete details at SFMTA.com, and buy train tickets ahead on MuniMobile.

Another option? Ride your bike and use the free bike parking. You can also rent one of the bikes from the new Bay Wheels bike-share docking stations at four separate locations on JFK Drive.  

Get more information on transportation options from Outside Lands.

Pack the right bag. The festival has a strict policy on the types of bags you can bring into the park. Backpacks and bags larger than 6-by-8-by-3 inches made of clear plastic, clear vinyl or clear PVC are allowed. So are small bags, fanny packs and purses that are not clear up to 6-by-8-by-3 inches. You can also bring an empty hydration pack with a bladder capacity under 2.5 liters with no more than one additional pocket. 

You can’t bring in your own alcohol, but there’s plenty to buy at the event. For a complete list of items not allowed at the festival, go to the Outside Lands website. 

Avoid the crowds. The best way to enjoy the festival without a mob of people is to arrive early. If you’re there when gates open at 11 a.m., you can grab a bite and a drink without waiting in any lines and get close to the stage for the first acts, which start at noon. Friday is usually the least crowded day; if you arrive at 11 a.m., you’ll practically have the place to yourself. 

Dress in layers. Pick an outfit that works for the full day, not just that one hour when the sun might poke its way through the San Francisco fog. You can wear a T-shirt or a fun costume, but you will also want a light jacket for the afternoon fog and a vest to tuck under that jacket when the sun goes down. Opt for comfortable footwear and moisture-wicking socks as the grass can get soggy. Pro tip: Rent and reserve a locker for your layers in advance, and tell all your friends your locker locale, as it can be a great meet-up spot at the festival.

Get the app. Download the Outside Lands app on your mobile phone and you can easily plan out your day and create your own schedule so you don’t miss your favorite acts. You can also find a map of the grounds, register your wristband and get a rundown of what’s on tap at the food trucks. 

Keep the music going. The festival is also hosting late-night shows around the city on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Interpol on Thursday and L’Impératrice on Friday are sold out, but you can still score tickets for No Vacation, Evan Giia, the Jungle Giants and more. Get more information on tickets at Outside Lands.

Editor’s note: This story originally ran in 2022 and was updated on Aug. 12, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. with the latest information for the 2023 Outside Lands festival.