Best Outdoor Music Festival
It's festival season! Don your favorite band T-shirt, put together the perfect playlist for a road trip and then check out these top outdoor music festivals that'll have you grooving all the way there and back. From small concerts that keep the vibes chill to world-class events that rock multiple stages (and take over entire cities), there's a festival that matches your tempo. Pack your glowsticks and find your next musical adventure below.
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All Things Go Music Festival D.C. |
Columbia, MD
One of the nation's best amphitheaters, Merriweather Post Pavilion, hosts both the up-and-comers and headliners of music during the All Things Go Music Festival. For three days each September, dozens of artists fill the welcoming space with sounds from every genre, from pop and hip-hop to indie rock. The food, local craft beer and art exhibits let you engage all your senses while you're jamming to your favorite music act.
Austin City Limits Music Festival |
Austin, TX
Even though "Limits" is in the name, you won't find any at this wonderfully wacky music festival. Music lovers flock to Austin's Zilker Park in October for over a hundred eclectic performances across nine stages packed into two weekends. Keep your energy up with the city's famous High Brew coffee or barbecue from CM Smokehouse so you can sing along with world-renowned acts like Blink-182 and Chappell Roan.
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival |
Manchester, TN
When June rolls around, Tennessee starts rockin' at Bonnaroo. More than just music (though you'll find world-class bands on all six stages), this festival is a camping weekend turned up to 11, with fields full of tents and RVs, dance parties each night and lounge areas with comedy shows and art. After four days of fun, you and the friends you made will feel like true Bonnaroovians.
Coachella | Indio, CA
One of the world's most famous festivals, Coachella has wowed audiences for over 25 years. You can dance in the desert two weekends in April to music's biggest stars; legends such as Lady Gaga, Daft Punk and Beyoncé have graced the stage. Need a break from big crowds? Relax in the campground's lounges, catch a small act in the Do LaB, or get a glow-up at the Oasis beauty bar.
Country Summer Music Festival |
Sonoma, CA
Country music and California Wine Country pair perfectly every June in Sonoma. The three-day Country Summer Music Festival keeps its crowds small so you can get close to the main stage while favorites like Sam Hunt and Kane Brown perform. A family-friendly atmosphere and reasonable ticket prices (kids 3 and under are free!) have turned this intimate concert weekend into a rising star among country music lovers.
EDC Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV
When the racers are away from Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it's time to play at the Electric Daisy Carnival, better known as EDC. For three days in May, the racetrack transforms into a techno wonderland of lasers, fireworks and glowing set pieces that light up the night sky. Besides nine stages of dubstep artists and rave DJs, Art Cars roam the track, blasting beats from their parade-float platforms.
Electric Forest | Rothbury, MI
Get your glowsticks and wander into the wild woods of the Electric Forest. Held in June at the Double JJ Resort campground, this festival among the trees is popular for its mix of electric dance music and jam bands. And there's so much more than music: talent shows, crowd-sourced art installations, fun prizes for charity, and craft workshops all contribute to the event's well-known sense of community.
Frank Brown International
Songwriters' Festival | Pensacola, FL
Spread across dozens of speakeasies, theaters, parks and tap rooms along the Alabama-Florida coast, the Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festival honors the South's most talented singer-songwriters. While you're sipping cocktails at the world-famous Flora-Bama beach bar, you'll be arm's length from Nashville's future stars as well as studio veterans from Muscle Shoals. The best part? It's all for a good cause—spotlighting underrated talent and funding music education in nearby schools.
Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest |
Miami Gardens, FL
Welcome to Miami Gardens! The JITG Music Fest heats up the city every March with local musicians and big-name artists bringing hip-hop, soul, jazz and R&B to the stage. Don't miss the Opening Night Party at Hard Rock Stadium for South Florida's best music, cuisine and social scene. Or take part in the unique Women's Impact Luncheon that'll leave you inspired before your evening on the dance floor.
Lollapalooza | Chicago, IL
The hottest acts on the planet come together under Chicago's skyline at Lollapalooza. It's one of the world's oldest and largest music festivals (making it the model other festivals follow) and features stars across all genres, from Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo to Luke Combs and Korn. You're sure to find your jam on one of the eight stages that pack Grant Park with hundreds of thousands of loyal fans.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival |
New Orleans, LA
Lenny Kravitz, Pearl Jam, Santana, Patti LaBelle: legends of music rock the 12 stages every spring at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This Big Easy music fest pulls out all the stops, celebrating local sounds like zydeco, star-studded acts and the city's vibrant culture. So you can see Mardi Gras parade floats being built, watch mesmerizing Aztec dancers or sample crawfish étouffée while you jive to the music.
South by Southwest (SXSW) | Austin, TX
More than just a music festival, SXSW in Austin brings together the brightest stars in tech, film and culture. It's become a launching point for creatives who want to display their vision to the world. You'll experience hundreds of live concerts, comedy shows and indie film screenings (many are free!) that take over downtown Austin for a week in March.
Summerfest | Milwaukee, WI
For the biggest music festival on the globe, make your way to Milwaukee for Summerfest. It takes nine days and 12 stages to fit in the more than 600 musicians of various music styles, from Def Leppard and Megan Thee Stallion to The Killers and James Taylor. While this festival packs a punch with activities galore (such as gondola rides and pickleball tournaments), the tickets are easy on your wallet.
Telluride Bluegrass Festival |
Telluride, CO
Telluride Bluegrass Festival, nestled in Colorado's stunning San Juan Mountains, has featured bluegrass greats like Alison Krauss and Jason Isbell for over 50 years. Watch the fiddle bows fly for a weekend in June as you meander between the family-friendly main stage, campground and concert venues throughout the city. Want to hear fresh talent? Catch the popular band contest to see who wins a spot in next year's lineup!
Outside Lands Music Festival |
San Francisco, CA
If you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, then you've found Outside Lands. This August music fest ends the summer with a bang, firing up the stage with crowd favorites like Doja Cat and Tyler, The Creator. It also feels like a food festival; craft cocktails, Napa Valley wine and Bay Area local cuisine are scattered throughout Golden Gate Park.
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Our Featured Panelists
Julie Bielenberg
Julie Bielenberg is a Colorado-based writer producing over 75 pieces a year for outlets such as AAA, Family Vacationist, Rachel Ray in Season, Spoke + Blossom, USA Today, Vail Daily and numerous others. She has been the State's #1 agritourism for ten consecutive years and is always in search of field, farm, forest and forage. Julie has three children and two pandemic pooches and is married to an avid outdoorsman. Follow her on Instagram.
Terri Guthrie
Terri Guthrie writes and creates videos about her many adventures across the U.S. and globe, describing the things she learns. She often shares itineraries, favorite restaurants, free things to experience and how to be street smart. Sign up to Travel with Terri for great travel ideas and follow her on Instagram.
Kurt Jacobson
Kurt Jacobson is a freelance food and travel writer from Baltimore, Maryland. He loves taking his dog Sophie along to test pet-friendly lodging, restaurants, and activities. His favorite destinations are Kennett Square, PA; Maryland's Eastern Shore; Colorado; New Zealand; Japan and Alaska. Kurt's 600+ articles appear in many websites and magazines. Read about his adventures at http://www.tasteoftravel2.com.
Susan Lanier-Graham
Susan Lanier-Graham is founder and publisher of Wander With Wonder, an award-winning online travel journalism magazine. She has authored more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles while traveling the world over the past three decades. Susan's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including various AAA publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Hotels.com, Modern Luxury, WHERE publications, Fairmont.com, Marriott.com and more. Susan is a member of Society of American Travel Writers, International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, and North American Travel Journalists Association. She is also a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist.
Heather Mundt
Heather Mundt is a freelance writer based in Longmont, Colorado, who writes about outdoor and family travel. She is also the author of Colorado Family Outdoor Adventure. Follow her adventures at momfari.com.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie Davis Smith is a writer and attorney from Philadelphia who now calls Washington, D.C. home. She's traveled to more than 90 countries, often bringing her children along on her adventures. Her work can be found in The Washington Post, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Afar, The Huffington Post, USA Today and many other publications. Jamie can be contacted at byjamiesmith@gmail.com, and posts about her travels on Instagram.
Aly Walansky
Aly Walansky writes regularly about food news and trends. She has been a food journalist for over twenty years and has covered everything from budget shopping to recipes to culinary travel content for national publications that include the Food Network, Southern Living, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, The Kitchn and more. She was ranked among top 10 journalists of 2023 and top 10 freelance journalists in 2024, as well as #1 food journalist of 2022, by Muck Rack. Follow her at alywalansky.substack.com.
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