11 Music Festivals You NEED To Experience In Your Lifetime

There are plenty of music festivals out there these days, but make sure you at least attend these top 11!

1. Coachella

True paradise. Located in Indio, California, this 3 day festival will hands down be the best 3 days and one of the best music festivals of your life. From main stage, to the sahara tent, even to the do lab, there is music here for everyone. Even though half of the girls here probably spent 2 months planning their indie hippy costumes, trying to find the perfect flower crown, or head chain (including me), it’s completely worth it. All those hot boys you see on tumblr and wonder where they’re hiding, it’s at Coachella…and if you do go, make sure to bring a bandana because trust me, the dust storms are real. Lastly, make sure to go to the lowkey artists because who knows, you might be raving to someone you’ve never heard of and Drake might just show up (not to mention, the cute pics you can take with watermelons and popsicles).

2. Stagecoach

Also located in Indio, California, the two weekends following Coachella. This is for all you country lovers…once again, beautiful country boys, beautiful country girls, a whole lot of “y’alls”, a whole lot of food, and a weekend full of Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, and every other country boy you’ve ever dreamed of.

3. Lollapalooza

Located in Chicago, a 3 day festival with some of the best artists to perform at music festivals that you’ve ever seen together. Unless, however, if you’re going this year, where in fact it is a 4 DAY festival due to its 25^th anniversary. Whether you’re passionately belting the lyrics to J Cole while thinking about your ex or raving to Major Lazer with your best friends, there’s nothing like doing it with the Chicago skyline in front of you.

4. EDC

If you’ve been listening to edm your whole life or are aspiring to be a world class DJ, this is one of the best music festivals for you. Let me say, it’s definitely not for everyone as it is the most INSANE weekend you will ever have. EDC is in Las Vegas, New York City, and Orlando but if for some reason you find yourself in Vegas in the middle of June, I would definitely recommend making an appearance at the speedway. 3 days of waking up at 6 pm, getting ready and raging ALL NIGHT LONG, literally from dusk till dawn and doing it all over again and again. Some things to prepare you: girls will pretty much be naked as I guess nipple pads and furry boots are proper attire, people will be tripping so hard you won’t know how to deal, and as the sun goes up, people suddenly don’t look as attractive as you thought 2 hours ago in the pitch black of the middle of the night, but as you get in that line to wait for that shuttle bus that will take 3 HOURS, you’ll never want to be in a bed more in your entire life…but the fact that you’ll be back later that day is motivation enough to keep on going.

5. Ultra Miami

Just another EDM festival…and if you were planning on going this year, unfortunately you missed it BUT there’s always next year. If you’re an avid house music listener, then you will probably know everyone playing but even if it’s not your style of music, I promise you won’t regret going to an Afrojack, Avicii, Kygo, Hardwell, Tiesto, or any other well known DJ set that will give you the CRAZIEST 50 minutes of your life.

6. Bonaroo

Located in Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee, if you’re an outdoorsy girl I would definitely say camp out at this one. You might not be able to make your hair perfectly curled in the morning but hey, it’s all about the music right? From Zeds Dead, to Keys N Krates, to Ellie Goulding, to Two Door Cinema Club, and all the way to Post Malone, if you want a weekend getaway to Tennessee make sure to make it June 9-June 12^th.

7. Outside Lands

Another California festival…sorry for those of you who aren’t west coasters but gotta say the west coast really is the best coast. Located in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Park…this three day festival takes place at the beginning of August, (this year August 5^th-7^th). Once again, this festival contains music for every kind of festival goer whether you’re a Lana fan, Chance the Rapper fan, or want to pretend like it’s the 80’s and groove to all night long by Lionel Richie…you will not be disappointed.

8. Country Thunder

This country music festival located in Arizona, and Wisconsin (also Canada if you’re feeling extravagant) is known as one of the best country music festivals with some of the best country artists together on a lineup you’ve seen. From Florida Georgia Line, to Jake Owen, to Eric Church, this festival is FOUR days long. It is located on beautiful fields with gorgeous views, and from beer gardens, to amazing food, to multiple stages blaring your favorite summer songs, if you find yourself in Arizona April 7-10 or Wisconsin July 21-24, definitely make a stop at Country Thunder.

9. Governor’s Ball

Located on Randall’s Island Park, NYC…doesn’t just the sound of that make you want to go? I mean it’s New York….but this 3 day festival has one of the best lineups I’ve seen in a while. Also in the beginning of June, Governor’s Ball will have The Strokes, Of Monsters And Men, Phantogram, Duke Dumont, Years & Years, The Killers, M83, Mac Miller, Miguel, Kanye West, Chvrches, Two Door Cinema Club…should I even go on. DEFINITELY worth the money, and if you love pictures as much as I do, you’re guaranteed to get some of the coolests instas yet…

10. Austin City Limits

Located in Austin, TX as you probably figured & if you’ve ever been to Austin, it is the COOLEST town ever (from what I’ve heard from my friends and very enthusiastic father). Reading this lineup honestly makes me want to pass out and even though I have personally not gone, it’s definitely on my bucket list. In Zilker Park, surrounded by huge stages, this festival is two weekends long one September 30-October 2^nd and second, Oct 7-9, If you’ve always wanted to visit Texas, these two weekends are the time to plan that trip.

11. Holy Ship!

Honestly more like holy shit…when I heard about this I figured there was no way this was real. It’s a 3 day festival and this year it happened twice due to how many people showed interest, once January 3-6^th and then February 10-13. It’s actually a cruise ship that starts in Miami, Florida and then goes to the Bahamas and finishes with a day at sea where you RAVE ALL DAY to Kaskade, Dillon Francis, Flosstradamus, Odesza, Steve Aoki, Robin Schulz, Tommy Trash, DJ Snake, Chromeo, Porter Robinson, RL Grime, Flux Pavilion, Cashmere Cat and the amazing lineup continues…to be able to go you have to put in a request literally a year in advance but I would say it’s definitely worth it. (Btw, if I didn’t mention before, the stops in Miami and the Bahamas go to two private islands where you’re literally at a festival…) If you get a chance, go to holyship.com and check out the video recaps, the ship tour, and everything else because there’s no other way I would rather start my year than going to this insane music festival at sea.