Parents registering their children at the ACL music festival.
Courtesy of ACL
The weekend that all music lovers have been waiting for is finally here. Today marks the first day of Austin City Limits 2019. What makes the iconic music festival exceed the rest is the fact that it’s an experience open to all ages. No matter how old your kids are, the three-day long event does what it can to accommodate the youngsters in the squad. Parents won’t even have to pay extra for their children as anyone under the age of 10 gets in for free.
ACL also created Austin Kiddie Limits, which is basically a festival within a festival offering families a safe space to get away from the crowds. The area is complete with essentials such as baby changing stations, kid-friendly music, and a special family entrance that make room for strollers.
Outside the festival grounds, the Austin-based Vrbo vacation rental platform ensures families traveling into the city have a comfortable and cozy place to stay. If indicated on the site and to the home owner that the guest list will include a child, the Vrbo team is ready to accommodate the family’s needs as much as possible. In partnership with ACL, Vrbo will also be hosting a stage with a series of incredible artists suitable for even the youngest member of the family. For the complete rundown of what to expect this weekend along with the best family-friendly vacation rental recommendations, Vrbo travel expert Melanie Fish highlighted in her interview below everything families need to know and more.
Isis Briones: What exactly inspired Vrbo to team up with ACL and does the travel platform have plans to work with other festivals in the future?
Melanie Fish: “Vrbo is based in Austin, so there’s nothing we love more than celebrating our hometown and the big events that make it special. ACL Fest is one of Austin’s most iconic events of the year and welcomes thousands of travelers to the city each year. Music festivals are also one of the most memorable experiences that friends and families can enjoy together. There are Vrbo vacation homes and Vrbo employees around the world, so you never know where our next festival will be.”
IB: Who are some artists people should be excited to see on the Vrbo stage?
MF: “One of the great things about the Vrbo stage is it showcases artists of all kinds, from the highly anticipated return of Jenny Lewis to the indie-pop tunes of MisterWives. Everyone should be excited to hear them all.”
IB: Can you elaborate on how Vrbo makes lodging easier for groups at ACL?
MF: “Vrbo is an ideal option for groups who travel together for music festivals. On average, vacation rentals offer twice the space for half the cost of a hotel. More space means more bedrooms, more privacy and the ability to split the cost. Plus, after a long day at ACL, travelers can enjoy the comforts of home, allowing them to relax, recharge and get ready for the next day at the festival.”
IB: Since ACL is making the festival fun for the entire family, how does Vrbo do the same within the rental homes?
MF: “Like the festival itself, Vrbo vacation homes are all about making special memories with the group you’re traveling with — whether that’s friends or family. In addition to giving groups more space to spread out and relax, they can enjoy unique amenities that make time spent together extra memorable like board games for the kids or hot tubs and private pools to call your own for the weekend.”
IB: Can you share with us some standout Vrbo dream family homes perfect for ACL?
A sleek and modern Austin-based family-friendly home on Vrbo.
Courtesy of Vrbo
“The Park Lane Modern. Look no further than this three-bedroom home for your ACL crew of six. It’s in the heart of the Travis Heights neighborhood, just east of the famous South Congress Avenue, where you’ll find some of Austin’s best shopping, eating, and people-watching. With everything you need for your weekend trip, the rental will serve as the perfect home base for your ACL adventures.”
A bright and inviting Vrbo vacation home rental made for up to ten people.
Courtesy of Vrbo
“The Carrington House accommodates up to 10 people. This home offers an ideal way to immerse yourself in all that Austin has to offer. The place is close to Downtown and Zilker Park, with ample outdoor space complete with a deck, porch and gazebo. It’s the perfect place for you and your crew to hang inside and out after the festival.”
A fresh and contemporary Vrbo vacation rental home in Austin, Texas.
Courtesy of Vrbo
“Enjoy music by day, design by night in the beautiful Michael Hsu Townhome that can sleep a group of 10. Just half a mile from Zilker Park, it’s within walking distance to ACL. Plus, its ultra-modern design and furnishings offer festival goers a dreamy oasis to return to each day after the show is over. All in all, my biggest tip is to reserve these rentals as soon as you can as many of them get booked out months before ACL.”
IB: Last question, why did the brand decide to rebrand and where does the company see itself in the future?
MF: “Throughout the years, we’ve noticed that many of our loyal customers pronounced our name “ver-boh” instead of V-R-B-O. We conducted research and learned that “ver-boh” is easier to remember and easier to say in other languages, so we decided to make it official by changing our brand name from an abbreviation to a word: VRBO is now Vrbo.
Vrbo has been providing unique places to stay for more than two decades, helping families and friends connect and make lasting memories together. In the future, we want to be doing just that in more places for more people.”
