Group Tour vs. Independent Travel for Havana Jazz Fest 2016
 

My partner & I are planning to go to the 2016 Havana Jazz Fest and I'm looking for input & advice on whether to use a tour company and, if so, which one, or whether we can go it alone & if so, how to find a good casa particular etc. Also, anyone know of any companies or groups heading to the festival from from Northern (or southern) CA? if we were going to do a group thing we'd prefer to travel with a music oriented organization of some kind

We're big music fans, pretty adventurous, don't need a luxury hotel but do appreciate a decent shower. We're also planning to stay after the festival & see a bit more of the island but we'll only have 14-17 days all together. All advice & input welcome!

If US citizens, you can't do it alone, must set up a people to people exchange and have all time accounted for

That's not 100% true any longer for U.S. citizens. You can design your own independent trip, but it must be entirely cultural and educational in purpose. Leisure tourism is not permitted. You must keep a log of all your activities and must keep it available for five years in case anybody from the U.S. government asks to see it. It's been a year since my last trip to Cuba (as a journalist). I have yet to have anybody ask to see the log, and I doubt anyone ever will. But I did keep a meticulous account of everything I did.

Bottom line: You can likely go to the jazz festival. You are not supposed to hang out at the beach.

If you Google HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL, you'll find links of tour operators who can take you there.

if you go to the TA havana site, you will find loads of Casas in all parts of Havana. Cuba Junky is also a good website to look at.:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels...ba-Hotels.html

http://www.cuba-junky.com

i also found this tour:

http://www.authenticubatours.com/cub...z-festival.htm

however, given that you can get a decent casa for about $35 - $50 a night, [slightly more if you stay in one of the up-larket ones in Habana Vieja] so long as you can book tickets for the festival which seems to be possible here,

http://jazzfestival2016.com/events/j...jazz-festival/

and get your flights, perhaps via Mexica or Canada, you should be able to do it for quite a lot cheaper.

What I would do would be to book my casa soon.

Keep a diary just in case you are the one in million person that the US authorities do decide to interrogate, and have a great time!

Another source for lodging in Habana, Cuba would be www.airbnb.com. although The prices here are slightly higher than those posted at www.cuba-junky.com.

[I do like the way in which the lodgings in Habana are separated at www.cuba-junky.com via the various barrios. Think you would not like staying in Central because this particular area has yet to be upgraded as well as renovated.]

i agree about Habana Centrale. Eddwarm. some could be ok but Vieja and Vedado are much better bets, IMO.