Our first trip to Camp Bestival back in 2018 turned out to be one of those weekends we still talk about years later and have revisited many times since. We went with close friends, laughed a lot, stayed up too late, and soaked up everything that makes Camp Bestival so special. It’s safe to say we left already planning our next visit.
12 TOP TIPS IF YOU’RE HEADING TO CAMP BESTIVAL IN 2026
In this post, I’ll be sharing what we loved most about our weekend, as well as my top tips to help you make the most of Camp Bestival 2026 if you’re planning to go.
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1. Book Early For Camp Bestival 2026!
If you are wondering about going to Camp Bestival 2026, then I highly recommend you do!  Tickets go up in price as the year goes on. Tickets for Camp Bestival 2026 are available via www.campbestival.net
2. What Age Kids is Camp Bestival Best For?
Genuinely every age! We saw babes in arms, teenagers, pensioners and every age in-between all having an amazing time!
3. Plan To Go For The Full 4 Days to Camp Bestival 2026
Plan to go for the full 4 days. Camp Bestival 2026 runs from Thursday 10 am to Monday late afternoon. Treat Camp Bestival 2026 as a mini holiday; it will help you justify the ticket price. Gates open at 10 am on Thursday, although the acts don’t start properly until Friday, but treat Thursday as an ordinary camping day, you can take your time then and relax.
Why not check out our video if you’re thinking of booking for Camp Bestival.
https://www.facebook.com/minitravellers/videos/1719163488200307
Plan Your Trip
Check out these handy links to help you booking your next trip.
4. Go With Friends
Going with friends to a festival gives you all the flexibility. Flexibility to head off to other tents or see different bands without leaving one person on their own with all the kids or feeling like you’re seeing the festival alone as you watch the kids! It’s also a lot of fun. Persuade all your friends to book for Camp Bestival and make it into a brilliant weekend.
5. Think About Whether You Want to Stay On-Site or Off-Site at Camp Bestival
Staying off-site whilst visiting Camp Bestival allows you to dip your toes into the whole festival experience rather than going all in. It is definitely an option so don’t let the prospect of having to festival camp for 4 nights put you off. You can read our full post here on whether you should stay on site or off site at Camp Bestival
6. Consider Your Camping Options at Camp Bestival
There is such a choice for camping at Camp Bestival from basic ‘put your tent wherever you can’, bringing your campervan to the Camping Plus reserved camping plot, to VIP/boutique camping, yurts and tipis.
7. If You Stay on Site at Camp Bestival, Pack Light
It’s a long way from the car park to the camp site at Camp Bestival (it can actually be over 30 minutes up and down hill and then up and down again) and even with a trolley it can be hard work. Pack very light and put things in bags that the kids can carry. Work out what you can do without and do without it.
8. Choose the Area you Pitch Your Tent Wisely
Do you want to be in the middle of all the action? Do you want to be close to the toilets? Do you want to be in a quieter spot? Do you want more room around you? Chat to the site volunteers when you arrive they were really helpful and able to point us in the right direction. Choose according to your personal preferences.
9. Take a Potty!
Mine are a good 5 years past using a potty so this was a camping purchase. There wasn’t enough toilets at Camp Bestival so it’s worth taking one. Speaking of toilets it’s worth keeping a roll of toilet paper and some hand gel in your bag for later on in the day.
10. Invest in a Landyard and a Programme
Invest in a lanyard and a programme when you get to Camp Bestival as it will have the four days mapped out. You can then see easily what’s on at any particular time. We used it to have a rough idea of what we wanted to watch. Which leads me onto only use the programme to have an idea of what you want to do when to get an idea of what’s available but don’t be a slave to a programme: some of the most fun things we did we stumbled upon, like the little shows in Dingley Dell.
I also overheard lots of adults complaining that events had been moved around or were full and they had promised their kids they could do something. I’d never promise the kids they could do anything as things do change and they might be full. Always say you will try!
11. Throw Yourself In
Give everything a go, even if you think you might not like it. I LOVED pom pom making and even made myself a headband. Who knew I could craft!
Listen to things you never knew you’d love and smile.
12. Get dressed up and use all the glitter!
Oh and get dressed up – you can’t go too crazy and you can’t wear too much glitter!
Acts not to be missed if they are on:
CBeebies Bedtime Story Tent, Dick & Dom’s Bungalow Rave, Mr Tumble, Blippi and Mister Maker. See the full lineup for Camp Bestival for 2026.
If you’d like to read some more posts about Camp Bestival why not take a look at these:
Where else you can visit in Dorset near Camp Bestival by Are We Nearly There Yet
Our highlights of Camp Bestival 2018! by Chelsea Mamma
