ALL THE TRAVEL THINGS

Music has always been a cornerstone of my husband’s and my life. It’s something we bonded over early in our relationship, and over the years, we’ve sought out live concerts whenever we could. From intimate small shows to massive festivals like Coachella, we’ve experienced it all.

We stumbled upon Innings Festival while searching for upcoming concerts from Jack Kays, one of our current favorite artists. Neither of us had heard of the festival before, but the lineup immediately caught our attention, especially with All-American Rejects and Fall Out Boy on the bill. After AAR cancelled their set at When We Were Young Festival the previous October, we saw this as the perfect chance to experience a new festival while catching some of our favorite bands.

Innings Festival blends music and baseball into one unforgettable weekend. While we’re not huge baseball fans, we still appreciated the unique theme and could see how die-hard fans would love the meet-and-greets with MLB legends, batting cages, and other baseball-themed activities.

We’ve certainly found festival days to be long and exhausting, especially as we get older. I get exhausted just thinking back to our Warped Tour days where we would stand all day in the sun. That’s why we were thrilled to discover Platinum Passes, a tier above VIP that promised a premium experience with perks like complimentary food and drinks, air-conditioned restrooms, lockers, premium viewing areas, and even golf cart transportation between stages. The price was steep, but it turned out to be more than worth it.

Location

The festival takes place in Tempe, AZ, at Tempe Beach Park. We had previously stayed in Tempe during an RV tripand remembered it as a lively college town, so we were excited to return.

We flew into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, which is only a 12-15 minute Uber ride from downtown Tempe. Rather than rent a car, we opted for ride-sharing, which worked perfectly given how walkable the area is.

For accommodations, we stayed at Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown, which we highly recommend. The hotel had a fun, modern vibe that felt far from a typical Hilton. Its close proximity to the festival (a 15-minute walk) was a major selling point. It also featured a rooftop lounge and the Alter Ego restaurant in the lobby, where we had a fantastic breakfast.

Tempe itself is a fun and walkable city with plenty of restaurants and bars. Since we spent most of our time at the festival, we didn’t explore too much, but we did venture out for breakfast and a quick casino trip on one of the mornings.

Ticket Options

One thing I appreciated about Innings Festival was the variety of ticket options available. The ticket process was simple to walk through, and we did not have to buy tickets as soon as they went on sale. I noticed that tickets were still available (for all tier levels) up until the festival started. 

For 2025, attendees could choose from:

• General Admission (GA)
• GA+
• Center Field Bleachers & Left Field Reserved
• VIP
• Platinum
• Bungalows & Cabanas

🎟️ Ticket Tier Comparison: GA vs GA+ vs VIP vs Platinum

Here’s a simple breakdown of what each tier offers:

Feature	GA	GA+	VIP	Platinum
Access to all shows	✅	✅	✅	✅
Food/drinks for purchase	✅	✅	✅	✅ (free!)
Air-conditioned restrooms	❌	✅	✅	✅
Shaded seating areas	❌	✅	✅	✅
Premium viewing areas	❌	❌	✅	✅
Dedicated entrance lane	❌	❌	✅	✅
Complimentary food & drinks	❌	❌	❌	✅
Golf cart stage transport	❌	❌	❌	✅
Exclusive Platinum Lounge	❌	❌	❌	✅
Free lockers & charging	❌	❌	❌	✅
On-stage viewing (select acts)	❌	❌	❌	✅
Boat rides on Tempe Town Lake	❌	❌	❌	✅
Exclusive festival gift	❌	❌	❌	✅

You could also choose between 1-day or 2-day passes. While the Bungalows and Cabanas seemed geared toward larger groups, they didn’t look particularly appealing to us. Platinum was by far the best option for an upgraded experience.

We opted for Platinum 2-day passes, which cost $1,905 per ticket before taxes and fees. All in, we spent about $4,100 for two people. While this is on the high end for festival tickets, the experience far exceeded our expectations and felt well worth the cost.

Here’s a breakdown of what Platinum Passes included and our personal experience with each perk:

• Exclusive front-of-stage viewing. Unlike other festivals where people camp out all day for a good spot, we could walk up 10 minutes before a major band and still be right near the stage. It felt surreal how open and comfortable the space was- even for headliners!
• Exclusive on-stage viewing at Home Plate Stage: This is available for most acts except headliners, and it was a fun and unique perspective. The area was small, so there was sometimes a short wait.
• Unlimited access to Platinum Lounge. We super appreciated the shaded relaxation zone with comfy seating, complimentary food, drinks, and even a massage tent (yes, we took advantage!).
• Upgraded, air-conditioned restrooms. These were your standard festival bathroom trailers and very nice to have access to. They also kept these restrooms stocked with sunscreen and other amenities, which was a nice perk.
• Complimentary full-service bar and coffee service. Multiple bars served canned drinks and mixed cocktails, and there was a dedicated coffee bar with a limited but excellent menu.
• Complimentary all-day dining in Platinum Lounge at Home Plate Stage. It was incredibly nice to have meals and snacks provided throughout the day. The menu changed for lunch and dinner, plus they switched it up each day. They also had late night snacks along with desserts and chips to grab between meals. The food itself was delicious and they place it out for you to grab. I liked that they were small portions so you could try multiple things if you wanted to without being too full or wasteful. The whole setup was very convenient!
• Golf cart transportation between Home Plate and Right Field stages. I am usually the person who likes to walk between stages for various reasons- it’s good to move and you get to see all the other stuff the festival has to offer. While we did this a few times, it was super far between the two stages so when we were in a hurry to get to the next band, the golf cart transportation was amazing. They had them running constantly and we never waited more than a few minutes for a ride.
• Complimentary Tempe Town Lake boat rides on the Platinum Clubhouse Cruiser! This is the less convenient and longer method of transportation, but we did it one evening as the sun was going down and it made for a wonderful memory. Definitely do it at least once if you have access!
• On-site Platinum hospitality staff. They had a few employees in the lounge that were super helpful to have around for questions.
• Complimentary lockers and mobile charging units. We got into the festival early to ensure we could get a locker, but it seemed like they had plenty for those holding platinum tickets. I would guess there were around 100-150 lockers available, and we didn’t have a problem getting one. We didn’t use the mobile charging units but they did have a stand set up for these. 
• Access to dedicated Platinum entrance lane into festival. Platinum and VIP ticketholders use the same dedicated entry lane. We queued up around 20 minutes before the gates opened and got through quickly. 
• Dedicated checkout lane at main festival store. There was a smaller merch booth setup in the VIP area that you had to walk through to get to the main platinum lounge. It only had Innings fest merch available but we appreciated how simple it was to grab what we wanted. We ventured to the main store to grab some artist specific shirts and found that we didn’t need the dedicated lane. Later in the day, it was much less crowded. 
• Exclusive festival gift. We each received a Yeti tumbler with the Innings fest logo on them. I thought this was a quality and practical gift. You pick these up in the platinum lounge. We did this upon arrival and just stored them in our locker, however, you can use them for your drinks throughout the day.  
• Includes access to all VIP, GA+, and GA and their amenities. We utilized the VIP areas some and peeked over in the GA+ section. The VIP section had standing bleachers to watch the music from, shaded seating areas, AC restrooms, food vendors and bars. The GA+ section also had AC restrooms, seating areas (didn’t look like much shade) and bars available. 

Onsite Experience

The festival schedule was released a month in advance, allowing us to plan our days. One of the biggest perks was the non-overlapping set times, meaning we could see every artist we wanted without conflicts. The only downside was needing to move quickly between stages, but with Platinum perks, this was much easier.

Music & Atmosphere
The lineup featured a well-balanced mix of rock, alternative, and indie bands, delivering something for everyone. The performances were high-energy and engaging, yet the festival itself maintained a laid-back and enjoyable atmosphere. While we can’t speak directly to the experience in the GA viewing areas, walking through the venue never felt overwhelmingly crowded. There was enough space to move comfortably, which added to the overall relaxed, welcoming vibe.

Food, Drinks & Activations
Beyond the Platinum dining perks, the festival had an impressive variety of food vendors, from classic festival eats to unique local flavors. Sponsor booths provided interactive experiences, giveaways, and entertainment beyond the music.

For baseball fans, MLB player meet-and-greets, batting cages, and panel discussions added a fun, sports-centric element.

Weather & Comfort
Taking place in late February 2025, the weather was nearly perfect. Daytime temperatures were warm, and while it could get hot standing under direct sunlight for long sets, finding a shaded spot to relax made a huge difference. As the sun went down, the temperatures cooled, creating an ideal environment for the evening performances.

Miscellaneous Info

Age Restrictions
This was a family friendly festival and children 8 and under get in free, with exception to the Platinum tickets. For Platinum level, children 2 and under are free and children ages 3-8 are required to purchase a kid’s Platinum ticket. 

Security & Bag Policy
They seemed to do a decent job checking bags through the security line and we saw them pull several people aside to pat them down. For bags, small clutch purses and fanny packs no larger than 6″ x 9″ are permitted and do not need to be clear, provided they have no more than one pocket; all other bags must be clear and not exceed 12″ x 12″ x 6″. Hydration packs are allowed without the need to be clear but must be empty upon arrival and contain no more than two additional pockets. 

Prohibited items include aerosol containers, coolers, professional recording equipment, drones, hammocks, glass containers, outside food or beverages, umbrellas, inflatables, and pets (except service animals). Security guards were stationed throughout the festival grounds to assist with any concerns.

Packing Tips
Here are some of the top things we packed and were definitely glad to have with us throughout the long festival day:

✅ Festival wristband
✅ ID (for 21+ drinks and entry) 
✅ Saved schedule to our phones
✅ Sunglasses
✅ Hat 
✅ Small clear backpack
✅ Sunscreen (though Platinum restrooms stock some!)
✅ Lip balm with SPF
✅ Light hoodie or jacket (gets chilly at night)
✅ Hand sanitizer
✅ Refillable water bottle 
✅ Liquid IV
✅ Tylenol 
✅ Hair ties or clips
✅ Charging cord + external battery

Final Thoughts

This festival experience was unlike anything we’ve ever done before and quite frankly, it has ruined us for other festivals. The Platinum perks elevated every aspect of the event, from stress-free viewing areas to endless food, drinks, and comfort.

If you’re a music lover looking for a premium festival experience, Platinum at Innings Festival is absolutely worth it. While it comes at a high price, the convenience, comfort, and unforgettable memories made it one of our favorite festival experiences to date.