Are you a music lover looking for the perfect vacation spot? Look no further! Here are the top 10 destination spots for music lovers like you!
Austin, TX
Austin is known as the live music capital of the world. Austin features over 200 live music attractions and over 1900 musicians. The city of Austin is actually broken up into seven music districts. The very cool thing about Austin is that everything in Austin, whether it’s the airport, City Hall, or even the grocery store they all seem to have caught the music craze. Austin, TX is a year round destination however it can get pretty hot and humid in the summer months. Fall and Spring are optimal times to visit. Once you arrive, be sure to pick up a copy of the Chronicle and follow some of their suggestions on live music venues. If you are a vinyl lover, be sure to stop by Waterloo Records and peruse their selections.
Some of the must see music attractions in Austin are:
• Stevie Ray Vaughn Memorial -memorial statue built in 1994 to honor one of the best guitar players of all time.
• Austin Gibson Guitar Tour – this is an actual public arts project featuring musical and visual artists in 10 foot Gibson guitar displays in four different locations around the city of Austin.
• Texas Music Museum – collects and preserves various musical materials that showcase the diverse traditions of Texas.
Music with a side of food
There are bars, grills, cafes, and eateries all throughout Austin that play live music while you enjoy some great food. Check out the following eateries that come with a side of music:
• Stubb’s Bar B Q located at 801 Red River Street has some of the best barbeque in town and is one of the town’s best loved live music venues. It has an indoor and an outdoor stage with live performers every day. Music is mostly indie and alternative rock.
• Antone’s located at 213 W 5th Street features blues, rock, and country music. It was one of the original music clubs in Austin and has been opened since 1975. BB King, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton and Bono have all performed on stage here.
• Emo’s is located at 603 Red River St and features indie, punk, hardcore, alt-country and metal. If you like mosh pits this could be your hangout, depends on who the performer is, but just be aware it can get a little crazy here.
Where to Stay:
• Hotel San Jose – 1316 S Congress Ave. This is an amazing hotel if you like simplicity and minimalism.
• Lake Austin Spa Resort – 1705 S Quinlan Park Rd. Lots of outdoor activities and relaxed atmosphere.
• Visit www.sanjosehotel.com or www.lakeaustin.com for more info on both hotels.
For additional information on Austin’s music attractions, visit www.austintx.org
MEMPHIS, TN
Travel to Memphis and experience a musical history along the way. If you are an Elvis fan, Memphis is on your “must do” list of things to see and do. The most seasonable temperatures are from April through October. There are many vacation packages available to include various tours, lodging, even flight and rental car. Be sure to do your research prior to booking to get your best deals.
Must see attractions
• Graceland Tour is $44.95 per adult ticket. You will receive an audio tour of the mansion and two museums. You will also get to board the King’s private airplanes and his car collection.
• Sun Studio Guided Tour – this is often recognized for the place where rock n roll was born. Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis all recorded here. Tickets are $15.00 per adult.
• Gibson Guitar Factory Tour -you can take a look at the legendary guitars played by Eric Clapton, Elvis, and Pete Townsend. Tickets are $19.95 per adult.
• Memphis Rock n Roll Soul Museum – created by the Smithsonian. This is a museum that tells a great story of how early musicians overcame social barriers to create the music that went on to create quite a sensation.
• Stax Musuem located in Soulsville, USA – a Memphis neighborhood deep with musical history.
Where to stay
• The Westin Memphis Hotel Beale Street – ranging from $151/night and has a four star rating.
• Embassy Suites Memphis – starts at $124/night and has a four-star rating.
NY CITY
New York City is considered the music melting pot of the world and the center of America’s music industry. It is definitely one of the most expensive music destinations to visit from food prices to hotel prices. NY City has four seasons and Winter can be fairly cold, but if you go around the Holidays it is a magical place. Summer can get humid, Spring and Fall are your best times to visit to avoid extreme heat or cold snap.
Must see attractions while in NY
• Carnegie Hall – possibly one of the most important music venues in the world. Widely known for classical music and acoustics.
• Radio City Music Hall – major music venue and architectural attraction.
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is the largest performing arts center in the World.
• Broadway – can’t miss musicals and performances abound!
Live music festivals
• City Parks Foundation hosts a series of live summer concerts every year. A series of 30 free concerts across 10 different city parks. They also host Central Park Summerstage – free live concerts right there in the famous Central Park.
• www.cityparksfoundation.org for more info on the live concert series.
Where to stay
• Casablanca Hotel Times Square – $227-$400 night, rated a 5 star hotel.
• Hilton Garden Inn Times Square – $233-$445 night, rated a 4 star hotel.
LOS ANGELES, CA
Everything from the Beach Boys to the Black-Eyed Peas comes to mind when you think L.A. and music. L.A has been the epicenter for the entertainment industry for as long as I can remember. They even have a building shaped like a stack of records. When you arrive in town be sure to pick up a copy of LA Weekly for a list of live music shows. You can also view online prior to arriving at www.laweekly.com to plan your events.
Must See Attractions:
• The Grammy Museum – the museum utilizes a variety of exhibits, live programs and educational series to celebrate and explore all forms of recorded music. Tickets are $10.95 (child) and $12.95 (adult). You can purchase tickets through ticket master or at the museum box office. The Grammy Museum is located inside the heart of L.A. Live and has four floors of entertainment waiting for you. Visit www.grammymuseum.org
• Walt Disney Concert Hall located at 111 S Grand Ave is the home of the LA Philharmonic and LA Master Chorale. First opened in 2003 and has had rave reviews ever since. Tours are also available and recommended.
• Capital Records is the first west coast recording studio. There are no public tours, however, the building is quite photogenic and is an icon for L.A. You can step inside to the small lobby and take a peak at all the gold records they have on display. Located at Hollywood and Vine.
• Tourcaster Walk and Rock LA tour – visit www.tourcaster.com and download the walking tour to your ipod or MP3 player. Guides you on a walking tour of all of L.A.’s rock and roll nooks.
Where to stay
• For price, the Millennium Biltmore is conveniently located and can usually be had for less than $90 a night. The reviews of the hotel are mostly thumbs up; however, there have been some complaints about room size.
• The Wilshire Hotel is also in a great location with clean rooms and great deals. Visit www.thewilshirehotel.com
NASHVILLE, TN
Nashville has been nicknamed “music city” for being in the center of the music industry. You can visit www.visitmusiccity.com for more details on acts, hotels, restaurants and more. Nashville is a beautiful city located on Cumberland River. Spring and Fall are general pleasant times to visit the city, but can have strong thunderstorms and spawn the occasional tornado. Everything from amazing nightlife with live music everywhere to family oriented activities makes Nashville a great family destination.
Must see attractions
• Country’s Music Hall of Fame and Museum preserves the history and traditions of Country music.
• Tennessee Performing Arts Center – home to the Nashville Opera and Nashville Ballet
• CMA Music Festival aka Fan Fare – brings thousands of fans to the city and lasts four days in June.
• Music and Honky Tonk bars are abundant in the lower Broadway area.
• Music Row – an area just southwest of downtown Nashville is widely considered the heart of Nashville’s music industry.
Where to stay
• Gaylord Opryland Resort- www.gaylordhotels.com for more info and special deals.
• Hilton Suites Nashville Downtown – www.hilton.com for more packages or pricing.
New Orleans, LA
If jazz music is your first love then New Orleans is the vacation spot for you. Home to the Country’s largest party -Mardi Gras, New Orleans also has a rich musical history in jazz, ragtime, and even hip hop. New Orleans also has seen a rise in the metal scene since the 1980’s.
Must see attractions:
• Armstrong Park and Congo Square – plays tribute to Louis Armstrong.
• The Steam Calliope on the Steamboat Natchez – every day at 11 a.m. you can hear this musical instrument fill the streets through the French quarter
• Frenchmen Street – the best place to see live music in a variety of settings and clubs.
• New Orleans Jazz Festival
Where to stay
• The Inn on Bourbon Ramada Hotel -ranges from $109 and up
• Hilton New Orleans Riverside starting in the $200 range and up
• Visit www.neworleansonline.com for info on hotels, eateries and attractions.
CHICAGO, IL
When a lot of the New Orleans musicians moved North in the 1920’s, Chicago’s own version of blues and jazz music were born. Chicago also has fantastic food to enjoy while on vacation. Chicago has a series of summer music festivals all worth checking out and covers a wide variety of music styles. The best time to visit Chicago is Spring through Fall, however, the majority of the live music events are in the summer.
Must see attractions
• Summer Festival – usually held during the third week in June. Have great music, food, and art. Visit http://starevents.com/festivals-events/summerfest/for more info.
• Lollapalooza – if you are a rock and roll fan this festival is for you. A fantastic lineup of artists and usually happens in the first week of August.
• Chicago Jazz Festival – typically starts on Labor Day and is free to the public.
• For more must see attractions in Chicago, visit http://www.exciting-chicago-vacation.com/Chicago-summer-events-music.html
Where to stay
• Sax Chicago is located two blocks from the House of Blues and is a beautiful hotel with reasonable rates. Right now you can book from $139 /night and has a four-star rating by customers.
Seattle, WA
Seattle’s music scene is probably best known for its grunge movement. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam are born out of Seattle.
Must see attractions
• Experience Music Project – one of Seattle’s newer music attractions. Located in Seattle Center, the EMP is an interactive music museum featuring American popular music and rock and roll.
• Showbox Sodo – a great live music venue. Bands and artists across various genres perform.
• Seattle Symphony Orchestra – one of the most widely recorded symphonies’s in the world and has received 12 Grammy nominations.
• The Northwest Folklife Festival – takes place very Memorial Day. There are 17 stages where musicians, dancers and performing artists entertain over a 4 day timeframe. Attended by over 250,000 people annually.
Where to Stay
• Sheraton Seattle Hotel starts at $135/night. Centrally located in downtown Seattle and has a 4 star rating.
• W Seattle starts at $149/night and is also located in the downtown district about 3 blocks from the Seattle Symphony.
For more info on Seattle, visit www.seattlesouthside.com
Atlanta, GA
Spring is the best time to take advantage of Atlanta’s live music scene. They have a large number of outdoor events that you can enjoy and the majority of them are free. There are far too many Atlantic music venues to list, however, you can check out what is going on at www.atlantamusicguide.com for more info.
Must see attractions
• Oakhurst Jazz Nights
• Unplugged in the Park
• Canoe
• Jazz on the Lawn
Where to Stay
• The Mansion on Peachtree – prices start in the $200, but a beautiful hotel and a great location.
• There are also many popular chains of hotels in the area from Holiday Inn to Marriott.
Miami, FL
Miami’s live music scene is not as thriving as other cities, however, Miami does it up with a different style. Clubs are a way of life in Miami and the music played across the hundreds of clubs to choose from feature Latin, blues, jazz, hip hop, rock and well, almost anything you can imagine. Instead of bands, you will be looking for the best DJ. Many venues are clustered in the South Beach Miami area, so remember to dress sharp and look hot.
Must see attractions
• South beach clubs like Bed, Cameo, and Coco De Ville should are all widely known and often frequented by celebrities.
• Tobacco Road offers great food and music on almost every night of the week.
Where to stay
• Mondrian Hotel – starts in the $300 and up price range.
• The Deauville Beach Resort – more reasonably priced starting around $170/night and has live jazz performers.
Sources:
www.austintx.org
www.hotels.com
www.cityparksfoundation.org
www.laweekly.com
www.tourcaster.com
www.visitmusiccity.com
www.neworleansonline.com
www.seattlesouthside.com
www.exciting-chicago-vacation.com
www.atlantamusicguide.com
