Vacation vibes: 7 of the best music festivals worth a trip
Plus, where to stay when visiting
Published March 2022
Published March 2022
After nearly a two-year pause on the live music circuit, festival-goers are eagerly resuming their tune-driven travels. It’s not surprising that as festivals pick back up, there’s a lot of buzz about returning to destinations made famous by their epic music scenes. In fact, according to our 2022 spring travel trends report, nearly a quarter of all Americans (24%) said they’d be inspired to travel for a festival or concert this year.
While taste may vary amongst music fans, one thing is certain: jazz lovers, EDM enthusiasts, and country music fanatics alike will all need a comfy place to rest their heads—and having easy access to a private pool or kitchen doesn’t hurt either. That’s why we’ve rounded up not only some of the country’s biggest music festivals, but accommodations for each ranging from dreamy desertscapes to buzzy beachfronts. You’ll come for the show, but you’ll stay for the vacation rental.
Whether you’re two-stepping it to Stagecoach or shuffling into Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, you’ll wind up in the center of Indio, California—the self-proclaimed city of festivals that has an action-packed April hosting both major events. You’ll find an oasis of Coachella festival rentals in Indio and the surrounding desert cities of the Coachella Valley. Many of them are set against a backdrop of swaying palm trees and majestic mountain ranges, like the adobe-inspired Hacienda Montezuma in nearby La Quinta.
Featured Vacasa home: Hacienda Montezuma
As the Live Music Capital of the World, the artsy city of Austin is an obvious choice for two massive events that meld music with culture. In March, the city becomes a destination for global professionals, with SXSW’s sessions of music, comedy, film screenings, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. In the fall, Bat City brings Austin City Limits, one of the best family-friendly festivals. No matter which scene you’re part of, when it comes to where to stay in Austin, we have Texas-sized accommodations that are roomy enough to entertain your whole group of colleagues or host your multigenerational fam jam.
Featured Vacasa home: A Novel Retreat
The music of New Orleans is a major draw no matter the time of year, but the city’s annual jazz festival each spring is an epic culmination of the iconic performances and deep cultural roots that NOLA is famous for. You’ll have no problem filling your itinerary with the city’s music, history, or food—you won’t be disappointed with any. But the powdered sugar on top (we had to sneak in one beignet reference) is the chic shotgun-style homes and Creole cottages that are found among the area’s vacation rental options.
Featured Vacasa home: Loved Bayou
The BPM Festival is a world-renowned music festival with editions in beautiful locations around the world. One of the best places to catch the January show is in Tamarindo, a buzzy coastal town in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province. Outside of the festival, the locale is known for its gorgeous white-sand beaches that lure sun-worshippers and surfers from all over the world—and are extra appealing to most Americans in the winter. To make the most of it, opt to rent a Costa Rica vacation house overlooking the beach like the Monte Perla Condo at Tamarindo.
Featured Vacasa home: Monte Perla Condo at Tamarindo
After a two-year hiatus, one of the world’s largest EDM events is making its way back to the Magic City. The “grand finale” of Miami Music Week, Ultra Music Festival takes center stage as a mecca for EDM fans in the spring. Even though the festival is on “mainland” Miami, you won’t want to miss the chance to stay in a stunning South Beach condo such as SoBe Retreat, just steps away from the glittering Atlantic Ocean. Other notable festivals happening this year during Miami Music Week include Cirocoloco, El Row, and a special iteration of BPM.
Featured Vacasa home: Castle Beach: Coral Condo
Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival was initially created to generate awareness and raise funds for ocean conservation, which is a mission that’s continued as the festival has grown. And, given the name, what better way to rock on than off the shores of a beautiful South Florida beach? Famous for its beaches, arts, and shopping, and often referred to as the “Venice of America,” Fort Lauderdale is the perfect place to enjoy both a night out and a day of lounging around in one of the many beachy bungalows available to rent.
Featured Vacasa home: Tropical Paradise
We can’t talk music without mentioning Nashville. Aptly nicknamed Music City, this is the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum, and a host of honky-tonks that keep the party going all year round. In the summer, the legendary CMA Fest comes to town attracting visitors from all 50 states and over 30 countries with hundreds of performances across almost a dozen stages. The real headliners though are the rockstar vacation homes in Nashville like the Lyric at Cleveland Park: Hard Rock Hideaway, where you can make your own music in the rental's recording studio.
Featured Vacasa home: Chic on Main
