Austin City Limits [2024]: Don't miss out on the insane lineup! 🔥

The Austin City Limits Music Festival attracts roughly 450,000 people each year. This event is ideal for music lovers, and anyone looking to relax, eat tasty food, meet new people, and hang out with friends. 

This popular multi-weekend event offers epic music. Who knew? Festivals aren’t just for the summer!  

In this post, you’ll find an in-depth guide to the Austin City Limits Festival. From information about Austin City Limits 2024 to helpful advice about making the most of this event, we cover all the bases to save you time. 

Keep reading to jump-start your planning and add some excitement to your fall social calendar.

What Is Austin City Limits?

Austin City Limits (ACL) is a two-weekend music festival held in Austin, Texas. Austin is known as “The Live Music Capital of the World” and this lively city knows how to throw a party. 

The festival started as a blues and country event but has grown to so much more!  The ACL Festival now hosts popular artists and musicians from a wide variety of genres including hip hop, country, rock, electronic, and alternative, to name a few. 

With 8 main stages, you can enjoy more than 100 live music performances before the weekend is over.

Austin City Limits 2024 is celebrating its 23rd year of entertaining fans and festival enthusiasts. Aside from stellar live music, the ACL Festival also offers shopping, cool artistic installations, and amazing food and beverage options.

When is the Austin City Limits Music Festival?

The Austin City Limits festival occurs over 2 weekends in October. This year, ACL 2024 returns on Friday, October 4th to Sunday, October 13th.

The main differences between each weekend are the artists who perform. The official ACL 2024 lineup specifies which artists perform each weekend. If an artist or band doesn’t have a specified date next to their name, they'll perform both weekends.

How Long is the Austin City Limits Music Festival?

The Austin City Limits Festival spans Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for 2 weekends in a row. Performances begin as early as 11:00 AM, and the festival ends at 10:00 PM each night.

How Do I Get to the Austin City Limits Festival?

The Festival is held annually in Austin’s most-loved park, Zilker Park. Zilker Park is south of downtown Austin and spans over 350 acres. 

There are 3 entrances to the festival, Barton Springs East, Barton Springs West, and the Lady Bird entrance.

Even though there are multiple entry points to the ACL Festival, Zilker park and the surrounding areas don’t have parking. Because of this, I don’t recommend driving to the festival.

Luckily, there are plenty of other ways to get to Austin City Limits. Here are some of the types of transportations I would consider when at the festival:

Free Shuttle

A free shuttle service runs from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The shuttle collects at Republic Square Park near downtown and drops off in the same location. 

This is a popular option, so if you want to catch the shuttle in time for your favorite performances, make sure you plan ahead and arrive early.

Bikes and Scooters

Another popular option for arriving at the ACL is to rent a bike or scooter. MetroBike will have stations at various locations around the festival so you can safely dock your bike while enjoying the party and the music.

The city of Austin also has multiple service operators for scooter rentals. There are more parking options for these modes of transportation near Zilker Park, but make sure to check the operating area of each provider before you reserve a scooter.

Rideshare

Ridesharing might be the most convenient transport option. Services like Uber and Lyft will pick you up from anywhere in the city and drop you off at the festival entrance of your choice. 

The ACL Festival even has designated drop-off and pick-up locations for these services to make things easier.

While services like Uber and Lyft are familiar and convenient, keep in mind the Austin City Limits Music Festival is a busy event. Depending on when you need your rideshare, it might be difficult to find drivers. Also, this option can be expensive because drivers will increase their prices due to high demand.

Public Transportation

Another affordable option is to take public transportation to the ACL Festival. Capital Metro has buses that run every 15 minutes near Zilker Park. They also operate an extended schedule during the Festival period. The best way to get to Zilker Park is along Route 803.  

There are plenty of options for transportation to and from the festival. Regardless of the options you choose, make sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss a minute of the fun!

How Do I Get Austin City Limits Festival Tickets?

Austin City Limits Music Festival tickets usually go on sale roughly one year before the next festival. Tickets are in high demand and sell out fast, so plan to buy early. There are several different options for ticket packages, from single-day to 3-day weekend passes.

Here are some of the more affordable ticket options you can choose from:

• General Admission - Weekend 1: $355 (3-day admission)
• General Admission - Weekend 2: $320 (3-day admission)
• General Admission+ - Weekend 1: $700 (3-day admission)
• General Admission+ - Weekend 2: $700 (3-day admission)
• Platinum - Weekend 1: $5670
• Platinum - Weekend 2: $5670

The VIP and Platinum options have perks like VIP lounges, complimentary food and beverage, golf cart transportation during the festival, and even spa treatments. Single-day Platinum tickets sometimes sell for $2,205.

The ACL tickets you buy will depend on how many days you want to enjoy the festival, which perks you want to be included, and which option best fits your budget. 

The ACL official ticket page explains the different packages and important details about each ticket option. You can also buy your ACL tickets or package from this page.  

When you buy your ACL 2023 tickets, you’ll receive a wristband. You can activate the wristband with your credit card and make easy purchases during the festival with a simple swipe of your wrist. This is a convenient option and helps you stay carefree as you meander around the festival and enjoy the live music.

Austin City Limits Lineup 2024

The Austin City Limits Festival always has a stacked and impressive lineup. This year’s ACL lineup isn't out yet, but stay tuned!

Preview the official lineup and schedule to guarantee you don’t miss your favorite artists and performances! 

You can also check the festival grounds map for updates on the location of stages and shows, bathrooms, food and beverage stations, and more.

Complete Guide: Get the Most Out of Austin City Limits 2024

The Austin City Limits Music Festival is a fantastic event for relaxing, hanging out with good friends, eating incredible food, and jamming to your favorite music. You can take your experience to the next level with a little planning.

Check out my insider tips for maximizing the fun during your much-needed weekend getaway.

What to Eat

Austin City Limits is more than a music festival. With almost 40 food vendors stationed around the event, the ACL Festival offers some of the best flavors in Austin.

When you arrive, make sure to walk around and scope out the impressive food and beverage options so you know where to go when you’re hungry. Sample new cuisines or savor classic favorites from famous Austin restaurants. 

The Austin City Limits Festival is the perfect excuse for splurging on excellent food!

What to Wear

Even though the ACL Festival takes place in October, Austin is known for its year-round warm temperatures. If you plan to attend any concerts during the day, wear lightweight and breathable clothes. You may also want to have a hat handy to shield your face and neck on a sunny day.

Comfortable clothes and shoes are a must for the Austin City Limits Music Festival because you’ll be walking around a lot. Also, think about bringing a light rain jacket or poncho for a rainy day.

There aren’t many shaded or sheltered areas in Zilker Park, so you must prepare for inclement weather.

Aside from planning your outfits around the weather, there's no dress code at the ACL Music Festival. This event has a laid-back and inclusive vibe. 

Concertgoers are more concerned with having a good time, so don’t overthink your wardrobe.

What to Bring

While the Austin City Limits Music Festival generally has a laid-back atmosphere, there are strict requirements for what you can and cannot bring to the festival. 

For example, only clear bags of a specific size are allowed, and all belongings are searched at the entrances.

You should check the bag policy and the official list of prohibited and allowed items before heading to the festival. While this list isn’t exhaustive, these are some of the essentials you want to make sure you bring to get the most out of the weekend:

• Portable phone charger
• Wallet or card-activated wristband
• Refillable water bottle
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Portable handheld fan
• Chapstick
• Ear plugs
• Poncho
• Foldable chairs or blankets to sit on
• Binoculars
• Bandana or handkerchief to cover your face from dust
• Hand sanitizer
• Deodorant  
• Tylenol or Advil

If you overpack, don’t worry! You can rent lockers at the ACL Festival to keep your items safe and secure while you dance and eat the day and night away.

Where to Stay

Once you buy your tickets, you should immediately book your lodging! Almost half a million people attend the Austin City Limits Festival each year. 

Camping isn’t allowed at the festival, and accommodation books up fast, so this should be one of the first things you do.

Hotels in downtown Austin offer easy access to the free festival shuttle and are popular options for festival-goers. There are a number of upscale boutique hotels like The LINE Austin or the JW Marriott Austin to choose from. 

More budget-friendly options include Hilton Austin or Moxy Austin. Firehouse Hostel is another low-cost choice if you enjoy a more social vibe.  

If you want to stay closer to Zilker Park and all the festival action, you might consider renting a home or condo from sites like Airbnb or VRBO. You might be lucky enough to even find an option within walking distance of the festival!

There are plenty of accommodations in Austin to fit any budget and travel style, but don’t wait until the last minute to book!

What to Do After the Festival

Perhaps you’re tired and need some rest, you can always head back to your hotel or rental and recharge for the next fun-filled day. But if you thought all the fun ended after the last performance, you're wrong!  

Austin City Limits ends at 10:00 PM each night leaving plenty of time to enjoy the lively nightlife on Austin’s famous 6th Street. 

Artists at the ACL Festival also play late-night shows at smaller venues around the city. These encore performances are part of ACL Fest Nights and extend the party for festival goers who are interested.

Use Pilot to Help You Plan a Festival Trip to Remember!

Once you’ve secured tickets and accommodation and found a good deal on flights there’s still the question of how to plan the rest of your itinerary.