Are you looking ahead to the Summer and attending Camp Bestival? Perhaps you’re wondering what to expect from the family festival held in Dorset at Lulworth Castle each year. Our Camp Bestival review and tips to give you an insight on what to expect from a local’s point of view. Don’t forget to include a visit to the wonderful Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.
Camp Bestival Tickets
Tickets for Camp Bestival are popular and can sell out quickly. The good news is that despite the price being quite expensive (although they are great value for money), payment plans are in place each year.
There are ticket options for the full four night weekend camping, or alternatively day tickets are also available to purchase if you only wish to visit for one day. This is a popular option for local guests.
Camp Bestival 2026 Dates
In 2026 Camp Bestival will be taking place between 30th July and 2nd August.
Camp Bestival Camping
There are a variety of camping options for your weekend at Camp Bestival. You can take your own tent and, according to your ticket option you purchase, pitch your tent where you choose in the main campsite area.
The car parks open at 9am on Thursday morning, and it’s recommended you arrive early if you are taking pot luck for your pitch in the main camping area. The ground can be hilly in places and the flat pitch areas are taken quickly.
If you would like some of the stress taken out of your camping experience, there are alternative options available.
- Camping Plus offers a reserved space which you can select when booking your ticket. This means you don’t have to rush to the site so early.
- Camp Pre-Pitch offers a pre pitched tent for your stay over the weekend.
- Backstage Camping offers a premium campsite behind the main stage.
- Boutique Camping includes 15 glamping accommodation options including bell tents, tipis and gypsy caravans if you’d like to experience a different glamping option at Camp Bestival.
- Alternatively you could opt to take your campervan or trailer tent.
Activities At Camp Bestival
There is no chance of running out of things to do at Camp Bestival. From the packed music line up covering multiple tents in the grounds of Lulworth Castle, you will also discover plenty of family friendly activities to suit toddlers through to teenagers.
The programme changes and adapts each year, however in the past we have seen magic acts, the famous Mr Tumble on stage, arts and crafts, bush crafts, yoga classes, circus skills, face painting and so much more. You also have to check out one of the largest bouncy castles you will ever see.
The best investment you can make is to purchase the guide lanyard and festival book. This has a tote bag, lanyard with all the lineups in the different areas. It’s a great way to keep track of which band is happening when and where.
Camp Bestival Facilities
Throughout the festival grounds there are plenty of porta toilet areas. They are generally clean and well maintained, however you can tell as the weekend goes on, they become a little more fragrant. Part of festival life?
There are certain high traffic areas that attract the longest queues for toilets, (like the ones nearest the Castle stage). It’s well worth exploring the whole area on your first day to discover where to find the quietest (and therefore cleanest) toilets.
During your camping experience, you may be more than happy to self cater and cook meals at your tent. There are plenty of food stalls and trucks to tempt you at Camp Bestival, and despite the high festival prices, there are some amazing offerings.
You are permitted to take your own alcohol into the grounds as long as there are no glass bottles. This is a big money saver against the bar prices at the stage areas.
It’s also a good idea to take lots of snacks with you for the family, as this also saves multiple trips for a portion of chips, ice creams etc.
Everything feels safe and secure within the grounds, and there are plenty of festival staff working to help if needed.
Camp Bestival Day Tickets
If you decide that camping isn’t for you, and are local to the festival, then visiting as a day guest is a great option. We have done this in the past, and timed our visit according to the bands we wanted to see.
It’s a good idea to tie something to the aerial of your car if you’re leaving at the end of the night because all the fields look the same in the dark!
The positives to leaving at the end of the night is your own bed and a warm shower with flushing toilets. However you will miss out on the full festival experience.