Looking for the best music festivals in the world?
From EDC Las Vegas and Coachella to Ultra Europe, Glastonbury and Burning Man, some festivals are worth building an entire holiday around.
The best music festivals are not just about who is playing. They are about the destination, the people you meet, the nightlife, the afterparties and everything that happens outside the festival gates.
Whether you are looking for EDM festivals, European summer festivals, massive US events or something completely different, these are some of the biggest music festivals in the world to experience at least once.
Best for: EDM, huge production, Vegas nightlife and first-time festival travellers.
EDC Las Vegas is one of the biggest electronic dance music festivals in the world.
Held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the three-night festival transforms the venue into a massive neon world filled with huge stages, carnival rides, fireworks, art installations and some of the biggest DJs in electronic music.
You will hear everything from house and techno to trance, hardstyle, bass and mainstream EDM.
What makes EDC different is that the festival is only one part of the trip.
During EDC Week, Las Vegas fills with pool parties, nightclub events and DJ shows, which means you can easily turn the festival into a full week away.
If you want a massive EDM festival combined with one of the biggest nightlife cities in the world, EDC Las Vegas is hard to beat.
Best for: Big-name artists, fashion, pop culture and California festival trips.
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the most famous music festivals in the world.
Held in Indio, California, Coachella features a mix of pop, hip-hop, electronic, indie, rock and global artists.
The festival is also known for its fashion, large-scale art installations and celebrity-heavy crowd.
A lot of people combine Coachella with a stay in Palm Springs, Palm Desert or the wider Coachella Valley, making it feel as much like a holiday as a festival weekend.
If you want a festival that mixes music, fashion, travel and pop culture, Coachella deserves a spot on your list.
Best for: EDM, European summer, Croatia island hopping and group travel.
Ultra Europe is one of the biggest electronic music festivals in Europe.
Held in Split, Croatia, the festival brings major international DJs to the Adriatic coast for several nights of massive stage production, electronic music and huge crowds.
The location is what makes Ultra Europe especially good for travellers.
You can spend your days swimming, exploring Split or travelling between Croatian islands, then head into the festival at night.
A lot of travellers combine Ultra Europe with destinations such as Hvar, Brač, Vis or other parts of the Dalmatian Coast.
If you want an EDM festival that feels like a full European summer holiday, Ultra Europe is one of the best options.
Best for: EDM, Miami nightlife, pool parties and dance music fans.
Ultra Miami is one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the United States.
Held in Downtown Miami, the festival is known for major DJ lineups, huge stage production and an international crowd.
The festival also takes place around the same time as Miami Music Week, when clubs, hotels and pool venues across the city host electronic music events.
That means there are often parties happening across Miami before, during and after Ultra itself.
For anyone who wants an EDM festival combined with beaches, nightlife and a full week of events, Ultra Miami is a strong choice.
Best for: Art, creativity, community and a completely different festival experience.
Burning Man is not a traditional music festival.
Every year, a temporary city is created in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, where participants build camps, art installations, performances and experiences.
Unlike most festivals, there is no standard headline lineup.
Burning Man is built around participation, creativity, community and self-expression.
The event ends with the burning of the giant wooden structure known as "The Man".
Burning Man can be physically demanding and requires far more preparation than a normal festival, but for many people that is exactly what makes it so memorable.
If you want something completely different from a standard music festival, Burning Man is in a category of its own.
Best for: Huge lineups, variety, live music and the classic UK festival experience.
Glastonbury is one of the most iconic music festivals in the world.
Held at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, the festival covers an enormous site with multiple stages, bars, food areas, art spaces and performance zones.
The lineup normally includes a huge variety of genres, including pop, rock, electronic, hip-hop and alternative music.
One of the best things about Glastonbury is how much there is to discover away from the main stages.
You can watch a huge international artist and then end up in a tiny venue or completely random part of the festival a few hours later.
For music fans who want variety and a true multi-day festival experience, Glastonbury is one of the best in the world.
Best for: Mixed music tastes and groups who want a mainstream festival lineup.
Lollapalooza is an international festival brand with events in several major cities around the world.
The best-known edition takes place in Chicago, with other versions held internationally.
Lollapalooza lineups usually include a mix of pop, hip-hop, rock, alternative and electronic music.
That makes it a good option for groups where everyone listens to something different.
If you want a large mainstream festival with a wide range of artists, Lollapalooza is an easy one to consider.
Best for: EDM, cruise travel, themed parties and non-stop music.
Groove Cruise is part music festival and part cruise holiday.
Instead of travelling to a festival site each day, the cruise ship itself becomes the festival.
DJs perform across multiple areas of the ship, with themed events, pool parties and music running across several days.
The cruise also travels to a destination during the trip, combining festival energy with a holiday at sea.
If you love electronic music and want something different from a normal festival venue, Groove Cruise is one of the most unique festival experiences available.
Best for: Mixed genres, live music and exploring Austin.
Austin City Limits Music Festival takes place in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.
The festival features a broad mix of pop, rock, country, hip-hop, electronic and alternative artists.
Austin is known as one of the biggest live music cities in the United States, so there is also plenty happening outside the festival itself.
Bars, music venues, restaurants and nightlife make it easy to turn ACL into a longer city break.
If you want a major festival without committing to only one type of music, Austin City Limits is a great option.
Best for: European summer, long festival trips and international crowds.
Sziget Festival takes place on Óbuda Island in Budapest, Hungary.
The multi-day festival combines live music, electronic music, performances, art installations and entertainment across a huge site.
One of the biggest reasons people travel to Sziget is the atmosphere.
Festival-goers come from across Europe and the rest of the world, creating a very international crowd.
Budapest is also one of Europe's most popular cities for nightlife and affordable summer travel.
If you want a European music festival that feels like its own temporary city, Sziget is one to look at.
Best for: Live music, food, culture and New Orleans nightlife.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, usually called Jazz Fest, celebrates the music and culture of New Orleans.
The festival features jazz, blues, gospel, funk, rock, soul and other styles connected to the city's musical history.
Music is only part of the experience.
New Orleans is famous for its food, nightlife and live music scene, so the festival is easy to combine with a longer city trip.
If you prefer live bands, culture and food over huge electronic stages, Jazz Fest offers something completely different.
There is no single best music festival because it depends on what kind of trip you want.
For EDM, EDC Las Vegas, Ultra Miami and Ultra Europe are among the biggest options.
For mainstream music and pop culture, Coachella is one of the most famous.
For a huge multi-genre festival, Glastonbury is hard to beat.
For European summer travel, Ultra Europe and Sziget are two of the best festivals to build a holiday around.
And if you want something unlike a normal festival altogether, Burning Man offers a completely different experience.
Some of the best EDM festivals in the world include:
These festivals are especially popular with travellers looking for huge DJs, large-scale production, nightlife and electronic music.
If you are planning a European summer trip, some of the best festivals to consider include:
Europe is especially good for festival travel because you can easily combine several destinations into one trip.
Some of the biggest music festivals in the United States include:
The best option depends on whether you want EDM, live music, mainstream artists or a completely different cultural experience.
Some of the biggest and most famous music festivals include EDC Las Vegas, Coachella, Glastonbury, Ultra Music Festival, Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza and Sziget Festival.
EDC Las Vegas and Ultra Music Festival are two of the world's most famous EDM festivals. Ultra Europe is also a great option if you want to combine electronic music with a European summer holiday.
Ultra Europe, Sziget, Coachella, EDC Las Vegas and Glastonbury are all strong options for travellers because the destination is a major part of the overall experience.
Absolutely. Some of the best festival trips combine the festival with a much bigger holiday. You can spend several days exploring a destination, meet people from around the world and experience the local nightlife before and after the event.
For a lot of travellers, the memories outside the festival end up being just as good as the festival itself.
The best festival trips are rarely just about standing in front of a stage.
They are the flights, the group chats, the pre-drinks, the people you meet, the places you explore and the random moments that become stories for years afterwards.
Choose the festival.
Book the flight.
Make a trip out of it.
