Getting Ready for Day Trip Festival? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Tens of thousands of electronic music fans are expected to descend on the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach this weekend as Insomniac’s Day Trip Festival Southern California kicks off its 2026 edition Saturday.

The two-day event runs June 27 and 28 across the waterfront grounds and features a lineup headlined by Green Velvet, Josh Baker, GORDO, Odd Mob, Bunt., Hi-Lo among others.

Organizers on Thursday published a comprehensive “Know Before You Go” guide covering transportation, set times, weather, food, bag policies, and the festival’s signature Sky Trip helicopter experience, offering a final checklist for the thousands of attendees making their way to the Queen Mary this weekend.

With warm, sunny conditions forecast for both days and a sprawling roster of artists spanning electronic subgenres from house to techno, here is everything you need to know before stepping onto the festival grounds.

Getting There

Festival organizers are strongly encouraging all attendees to use the free shuttle service to access the grounds. There will be no parking available at the festival site itself, and no drop-offs or pick-ups are permitted immediately outside the Queen Mary.

Attendees who prefer to walk can access the festival grounds via the Queensway Bridge on the pedestrian aquarium path, just off Golden Shore and Aquarium Way. Rideshare passengers should be dropped off along East Shoreline Drive between Chestnut and Pine Avenue, from which free shuttles run to the festival from Rainbow Lagoon Park.

Scooters must be parked on grass areas only, and no scooters may be left in any active roadway or walkway.

The official shuttle hub is Rainbow Lagoon Park, 400 E Shoreline Dr, Long Beach.

Free shuttles operate on both days from noon through 5 a.m., running continuously throughout the event and into the early morning hours.

Shuttle Hours of Operation:

Saturday, June 27: 12:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Sunday, June 28: 12:00 PM – 5:00 AM

For those driving, advance parking passes are available at daytripfest.com/travel.

Five designated lots are operating across downtown Long Beach.

Organizers recommend early arrivals each afternoon to secure a spot close to the shuttle and bridge.

Local laws and parking rates apply, and additional public street parking will be available in various areas of downtown.

Parking lots and their addresses are as follows: Marina Green at 386 E Shoreline Dr; The Pike at 65 Cedar Ave; City Place A at 50 E 6th Street; City Place B at 50 E 5th Street; and Civic Center at 332 W Broadway — all in Long Beach.

Set Times

The full schedule was released this week, presenting two distinct days of programming.

Saturday leans into a house and dance music direction early before closing with Bunt., Green Velvent brb Josh Baker, and GORDO, while Sunday builds through house music sets toward a closing headliner of Cloonee, Josh Baker, and Hi-Lo. All times are local.

Weather

Conditions are shaping up to be near-ideal for an outdoor waterfront festival. Forecasters are calling for sunny skies and mild temperatures across the Queen Mary Waterfront on both days, with highs in the mid-70s and overnight lows in the low 60s.

Saturday, June 27: High of 76°F, low of 63°F.
Sunday, June 28: High of 74°F, low of 63°F.

Food & Drink

The festival is bringing in a large roster of Southern California food vendors spanning cuisines from Mexican to Asian fusion to pizza and ice cream.

Several options are vegan and/or gluten-free, and VIP ticket holders will have access to an additional set of exclusive vendors not available to general admission attendees.

General admission vendors include: Afters Ice Cream, Arenita, Birrieria Michi, Cena Vegan, Cheesy Bros, Cherlato, Chris N Eddy’s, Cocodealers, DasimBowls, Fresh N Juicy, Get the Cluck Outta Here, Ghostix, Habachihana Grill, Island Noodles, Laomazing, Lobsterdamus, Mano Po, PH Burger, Prince Street Pizza, Salpicon, Smash Kings, Sophias, Sunday Cafe, Villa’s Tacos, Wendy’s, and Woodfire Pies.

VIP-exclusive vendors include: Artisan Woodfire Pizza, Chris N Eddy’s, Far East Cowboys, Gen Korean BBQ, Laomazing, Leo’s Kitchen, and Tacos Before Vatos.

Bag Policy

Day Trip Festival is operating under a strict bag policy designed to expedite security screening. Clear bags are required for any bag larger than 6″x9″. Approved clear bags include clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags not exceeding 12″x6″x12″, as well as standard one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags.

Non-clear bags must not exceed 6″x9″. Hydration packs are permitted but must have no more than two main compartments and one smaller compartment, and must be empty upon entry.

Lost & Found

Lost and Found will be located next to the merch booth and will operate both Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 PM to midnight.

Sky Trip: Arriving by Helicopter

In what may be one of the more unusual logistics offerings at a Southern California music festival, Day Trip is partnering with Maverick Helicopters to offer attendees the option of arriving, or simply flying over, the festival from above.

Individual helicopter transfer seats are available from Long Beach Airport starting at $229 one-way or $399 round trip. Private charters from LA/OC airports start at $2,499. For those who simply want the aerial experience, a festival flyover flight above the Queen Mary Waterfront is available for $179. Bookings can be made at flymaverick.com or by calling 1 (800) 228.2566.

Attendees arriving by helicopter will enter through the main festival entrance. For those taking a Sky Trip helicopter during the event itself, the Maverick Helicopter booth is located at Gate 8, where staff will shuttle guests to and from the helipad.

Organizers ask that passengers arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled departure for check-in.

Day Trip Festival 2026 gates open Saturday, June 27, at 1 p.m.

For full festival information, travel passes, and afterparty details, visit daytripfest.com.

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media (and find him for a trinket). Got a tip? Send an email. 

The post Getting Ready for Day Trip Festival? Here’s Everything You Need to Know appeared first on GV Wire.