How far will you drive one way to an event before you require a hotel room?

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How far will you drive one way to an event before you require a hotel room for the night?

  • I refuse to do events more than a 50 or 60 mile drive away so the issue never comes up!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 70 - 80 miles one way is my max before a hotel room is needed

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • 90 miles

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 100 miles

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 125 miles

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • 150 miles

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 200 miles

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • 250 miles

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • I only do very local events, and will never have the issue of needing a hotel room

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Total voters
    13
I do this a few times a year, required hotel comes with any event 3hrs or further. I have florida booked in may in which I am driving to, that one requires a hotel stay for the night before and the night of the event. I am doing the four seasons in baltimore in december and while there is a $500 travel fee, there is no hotel required.

For me I don't go by mileage, as a venue in new york 20 miles away, can take 2 hrs to get to.
 
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I put in for 125 miles and I don't require a hotel I charge the client extra to pay for the hotel. I do the same if I am out of town in the same direction two in a row. It happened in September I was 100 miles from home and the next night was 100 miles to my next gig so it made more sense to stay the night than drive home and then drive 80 miles the next day
 
Yes, in the Tri-state area it is more about how long it take to get there. Once out side the area there is a lot less traffic congestion. About 2 hr is the limit before I require a hotel. But if it is large event or multiple events even before 2hrs I would require a hotel room. My longest stent away from home was almost 2 weeks. But I am out so much at times I actually keep a suitcase 2/3 packed ready to go.
 
if i can make it home...im heading home... i pretty much lived out of hotels when i was single and djing in the 90s... my team traveled 5 or 6 states... i just want my own bed now... id say my cut off point is about 4 hours... id need a room then

cc
 
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So I voted for 125 miles as well, BUT in all honesty, These days I would tell a client I need a hotel room IF their wedding is ending at 11 p.m. or later, and we are talking like a 100 or even 95 mile drive. I would add the cost into my quote, and book the room myself.
 
So I voted for 125 miles as well, BUT in all honesty, These days I would tell a client I need a hotel room IF their wedding is ending at 11 p.m. or later, and we are talking like a 100 or even 95 mile drive. I would add the cost into my quote, and book the room myself.
That’d would be like every event for me. So many of my events end at 12 or even 1 for me and are an hour and a half away. Even the wedding in Baltimore ends at 12.
 
That’d would be like every event for me. So many of my events end at 12 or even 1 for me and are an hour and a half away. Even the wedding in Baltimore ends at 12.

I can count on 1 hand the amount of weddings I have performed in the last 3 years that ended at mid night or later. I think in 18 years, I have done maybe 20 weddings with an end time at mid night or later.



Usually, 11 p.m., or 11:30 is as late as they go. Many events are 5 to 10 or 6 to 10. ...The small wedding I did this past Saturday was a 3 to 8 p.m. wedding.
 
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I can count on 1 hand the amount of weddings I have performed in the last 3 years that ended at mid night or later. I think in 18 years, I have done maybe 20 weddings with an end time at mid night or later.



Usually, 11 p.m., or 11:30 is as late as they go. Many events are 5 to 10 or 6 to 10. ...The small wedding I did this past Saturday was a 3 to 8 p.m. wedding.
Lol I think I do more in one year than you’ve done In your entire career. Most of my sweet sixteens even go till 12 and the one I posted yesterday from two weeks ago went till 1am. I have to speculate that it’s partially because of the crowds I get that like to party more and want to go later into the night... and also spend more on entertainment
 
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Lol I think I do more in one year than you’ve done In your entire career. Most of my sweet sixteens even go till 12 and the one I posted yesterday from two weeks ago went till 1am. I have to speculate that it’s partially because of the crowds I get that like to party more and want to go later into the night... and also spend more on entertainment

The latest one I did this year ended at 3AM. The earliest one was scheduled for 1AM but ended about 10:45 it was a staff party that no one showed up for. The 3 AM one was a 90 mile drive home I wish I had booked a hotel room that night lol
 
The latest one I did this year ended at 3AM. The earliest one was scheduled for 1AM but ended about 10:45 it was a staff party that no one showed up for. The 3 AM one was a 90 mile drive home I wish I had booked a hotel room that night lol
The EARLIEST was 1am??? I need to book more of those crowds! With that said, being that I do events that end late and have 1.5hr drive homes at times, I also don't book events that have a start time before 3 or 4pm depending on the distance. Essentially I only do evening events.
 
yeah....to clarify... my travel charges include hotel money for anything over 100 miles...i just rarely use it for hotel... im a nightowl and prefer driving in the wee hours anyway...so i prefer to head home if at all possible

cc
 
The EARLIEST was 1am??? I need to book more of those crowds! With that said, being that I do events that end late and have 1.5hr drive homes at times, I also don't book events that have a start time before 3 or 4pm depending on the distance. Essentially I only do evening events.

Yes 1 AM is the common end time here for private parties. Some of them could and should have easily ended at 12 or earlier others could have went much later. It's very rare to get out before 1AM

Much like you I do mainly evening events on the weekend. I do a bit of daytime stuff during the week occasionally. I generally don't start before 3 or 4 although I have made the exception for early ceremonies a few times
 
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I typically quote a travel fee for anything over 50-60 miles, but it has to be a real big trip to stay in a hotel for me. I'm used to nightlife events that don't end until 3am, and have me getting home closer to 4am. I can certainly handle a 2 hour drive after an 11:00 end.
 
I typically quote a travel fee for anything over 50-60 miles, but it has to be a real big trip to stay in a hotel for me. I'm used to nightlife events that don't end until 3am, and have me getting home closer to 4am. I can certainly handle a 2 hour drive after an 11:00 end.

I use to do that, but as I get older, the tougher of a time I have staying awake driving into the wee hours of the morning.

I am use to going to bed at Mid Night or earlier these days. I can stay up until 1:45 or so before I am really struggling to stay awake. However, I don't want to be out driving at 1:45 or 2 am with my eye lids wanting to close, and me doing weird stuff in the car trying to stay awake so I can get home. Would much rather just get into a hotel room somewhere, and drive back the next day as the safer, more relaxing alternative these days.

New Years Eve was the latest night out I have probably had out coiming home from a gig since October. That night I got home after 3 a.m. I think. There was one gig in October I came home around 2:30 a.m, and there was a gig in June I got home after 2 a.m. Outside of those 3 gigs, I don't think I had any gigs where I was coming home after 1:30 a.m. in the last 12 months.

If a gig ends at 11:30. I'm usually loaded out and driving away around 12:25ish give or take 5 minutes. 55 minute to 90 minute drive home puts me pulling into my drive way between 1:20 and 1:55.

I'm not for working a gig to 1:30 or 2 am these days. Not my cup of tea any more. I actually charge 2x for performance time past 12:30 a.m. I consider it "hazard pay" :)