Oh hai. Just saw this. Yeah, we're flying into Atlanta and having a stop with my friends' friend for a night in Savannah. Ended up going for the Atlanta option because the flights were more reasonable on the dates we needed to fly in / out than any Florida options. I've heard Savannah is a cool place so looking forward to seeing a wee bit of it, even if we're only there for 24 hours.

The only bummer is that (I think) if you hire a car in one state you can only return it in that state, meaning we have to keep it the whole time we're in Gainesville. (Last year we hired in Orlando, dropped it off in Gainesville. Didn't have it during Fest. Picked it up again after Fest, and returned it in Orlando.) So that's extra cost, but I guess it will probably come in handy anyway.

You should be okay returning a hire car in a different state - I hired one in California and returned it in Nevada earlier on this year. Maybe it depends on the company? I think we used Alamo.. possibly..

Oh really? Will check that out properly then!

I like the news bout crossing state lines...but still haven't booked flights themselves yet. The more we put it off, I'm hoping it somehow (against all economic reality) gets cheaper.

Anyway, I propose getting a big huge 52 seater coach in Atlanta. We'll kip on the bus when you stay in your mates pad.

We'll pick up vagrants on the way to make up the total cost...charge 'em $5 each and we're in business.

Sounds like an awesome but flawed plan that ultimately won't come to fruition.

btw, I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but don't forget to get your ESTA sorted before September or you will have to pay!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10899968

I stopped off at Savannah last year. There's a hostel there. I'm desperately trying to remember what's it called. We literally pulled up at tourist info and asked, they desperately tried to get us to stay in hotels that were way to expensive, we had to push to get them to give us directions to the hostel but it was really nice. Cheap, owned by a guy and his wife with there little children. You could come and go as you pleased and really near everything. It was amazingly pretty. People playing plenty of blues and soul just by the river.

Also stopped at Athens, which again is super pretty, if you do go there you have to go to a burger place called The Grill http://www.thegrillathensga.com/ and check out this HUGE second hand place. Plus they have one of the best comic book stores I've been in.

Also hired a car, and you can drop it off in another state (which we had to do cause of flying back to the UK) but they do add on a pretty hefty charge if you want to do that.

HELLO! my name is archie and basically the guy i was going to fly over with has now bailed out cos he cant afford it, ah well. but basically i now have noone to go with and was wondering if anyone hasnt booked plane tickets going from preferably london or knows if i can book a ticket with them and doesnt mind me tagging along and hanging out?! i like beer and am fun and i like hardcore and partying?
im meeting a friend out there but got no idea when hes getting there and stuff and i reckon it'd be even more fun to meet a bunch of new people, thats what Fest is about right?
but yeah basically right now im a loner, i dont know when im going, where im staying, who im going with (apart from my friend sean whos the guy im meeting there) but i got a bit of money to afford flights, beer and records....... any help wouuld be much appreciated!

Probably worth posting in the Fest thread on Punktastic too.

I'm flying from Gatwick on the 27th by myself I've already got my accom sorted, but if you get on the same flight, i'm up for some airport hangs

hey team UK!

me and my wife are IN! tix all booked.. flying from gatwick on the 26th (archie if you wanna leave this early pm me and i'll give you our lowdown so far)..

soo excited! it's my birthday on the friday as well!

To Bristol Archie, or anyone else for that matter, I know I'm leaving this really late and haven't yet booked a flight or Hotel BUT I've been out to FL twice in the last year (including Fest and I find the cheapest deal is usually Gatwick to Orlando with either BA or Virgin. I'm hoping to book a flight out on Thursday 28th (if there's anything left) and I'll hire a car from Orlando, it's not even a hundred miles of motorway. If anyone wants to meet up or have a lift from Orlando to Gainesville on Thursday 28th pm me. All the Punk Rock Best -Nick (Bournemouth)

Finally got my flights and ticket bought. I'm flying to JAX on the Thursday and flying out on Monday. I'll be looking out for as many British friends as I can find, I've been living in the states for 2 months now, I'm looking forward to home accents.

Myself (Carl) and my friend (Nick) are flying out to Tampa Friday 22nd. We then go to GNV Tuesday through Monday.

Will anyone else be in Tampa then? Don't really have much planned, other than entereing some beer pong competitions!

I am so happy there's a team UK! Moved to Florida a couple of months ago and haven't met anyone else English here in all that time. Carry a union jack around and I'll come and say hello haha. And bring me some Bisto gravy granules, and some pickled onions. And an ASDA cheese and tomato pasta bake sauce. Really, I'll pay you.

PS, post above, I'm in Tampa I'm sure my friends and I can entertain you while you're here!

I just moved to Southern California 2 months ago and I feel exactly the same, some Bisto gravy would be great right now.