It’s hard to explain the atmosphere that’s created at music festivals. They’re an absolute perfect place to a party, hang out with friends, meet new people, and listen to some amazing music (obviously). When it comes to the the America, there is not shortage of quality music festivals. I’ve compiled this list of what I would call the 25 best music festivals in America, and would encourage everyone to try and experience all of these before you die. How many have you been to already?

1. Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival

When : Mid-April

: Mid-April Where : Indio, California

: Indio, California Website : www.coachella.com

: www.coachella.com Why: Have you been living under a rock? Coachella is one of the biggest and most famous festivals in the entire world. Set in the beautiful desert of California, and bringing in some of the biggest acts from a wide variety of genres, Coachella will be an experience you never forget. It might be expensive as hell, but it’s definitely worth every penny!

2. Electric Daisy Carnival

When : June (Dates Change )

: June (Dates Change ) Where : Las Vegas, Nevada

: Las Vegas, Nevada Website : www.electricdaisycarnival.com

: www.electricdaisycarnival.com Why: Raver’s Paradise. Hands down of the most massive raves in the world. Ever since getting kicked out of L.A in 2010, every year hundreds of thousands of people flock to Sin City and party from dusk till dawn under the electric sky.

3. Bonnaroo

When : Mid-June

: Mid-June Where : Manchester, Tennessee

: Manchester, Tennessee Website : www.bonnaroo.com

: www.bonnaroo.com Why: This 3 day camping festival in the great state of Tennessee always brings a stellar and diverse line-up, and doesn’t shut down early compared to many other festivals. Get yourself to TN for some amazing food, but an even better festival experience.

4. Ultra Music Festival

When : Mid-March

: Mid-March Where : Miami, Florida

: Miami, Florida Website : www.ultramusicfestival.com

: www.ultramusicfestival.com Why: Boasting the World’s best DJs, unparalleled production, and location in the beautiful city of Miami, ULTRA Music Festival is the world’s premier electronic music festival.

6. Holy Ship

When : January & February Each Year

: January & February Each Year Where : Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Bahamas

: Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Bahamas Website : http://holyship.com/

: http://holyship.com/ Why: Mix 3 days of partying on a cruise ship with some of the best electronic acts, and a private island party in the Bahamas, Holy Ship is one festival that everyone needs to experience at least once.

7. Electric Forest

When : End of June

: End of June Where : Rothbury, Michigan

: Rothbury, Michigan Website : http://www.electricforestfestival.com/

: http://www.electricforestfestival.com/ Why: Take the journey deep into the forest of Michigan for one of the most beautiful settings, incredible production, and bass heavy line-ups.

8. Sasquatch

When : Mid-May

: Mid-May Where : The Gorge, Washington

: The Gorge, Washington Website : http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/

: http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/ Why: Just look at that venue. Listening to incredible music in such a beautiful landscape is guaranteed to be filled with moments you’ll never forget.

9. Lollapalooza

When : End of July / Early August

: End of July / Early August Where : Chicago, Illinois

: Chicago, Illinois Website : http://www.lollapalooza.com/

: http://www.lollapalooza.com/ Why: Perfectly located in downtown Chicago, and bringing in some amazing talent every year, Lollapalooza has really made a name for itself as one of the best festivals in America.

10. Movement Electronic

When : Mid/End of May

: Mid/End of May Where : Detroit, Michigan

: Detroit, Michigan Website : http://movement.us/

: http://movement.us/ Why: The birthplace of techno. For underground music lovers, Movement Electronic is one of the best festivals out there for hearing nothing but quality techno tracks from some of the biggest names in the industry.

11. TomorrowWorld

When : End of September

: End of September Where : Atlanta, Georgia

: Atlanta, Georgia Why: When Tomorrowland (arguably the most popular electronic music festival in the world) chose it’s location for expansion, they chose America. From creating an amazing Dreamville camping experience, top-notch production value, and bringing some of the best DJ’s in the world; TomorrowWorld has definitely earned it’s spot on this list.

12. Lightning In A Bottle

When : Mid/ End of May

: Mid/ End of May Where : Bradley, California

: Bradley, California Website : http://lightninginabottle.org/

: http://lightninginabottle.org/ Why: LIB has had some issues in the past securing a location, but it seems they have found their new home in Central California. A 3-day camping festival unlike any other the state has to offer, LIB is filled with nothing but quality music in an amazing atmosphere. Complete with yoga workshops, meditation, art installations, and much more; LIB is a festival you definitely want to experience.

13. Outside Lands

When : August

: August Where : San Francisco, California

: San Francisco, California Website : http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/ Why: Thrown at the beautiful location of Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands is one festival experience you definitely need to check out.

14. The Groove Cruise

When : End of January / End of October

: End of January / End of October Where : Miami – Jamaica / Los Angeles – Mexico

: Miami – Jamaica / Los Angeles – Mexico Website : http://thegroovecruise.com/

: http://thegroovecruise.com/ Why: What some people call the original festival + cruise experience, the Groove Cruise boasts an impressive line-up every year of some of the best electronic music. Having two departures from two different cities is also a plus! If you visit Miami, you should also check out these 25 Best Things to Do in Miami

15. HARD Summer

When : Early August

: Early August Where : Los Angeles, California

: Los Angeles, California Website : http://www.hardfest.com/

: http://www.hardfest.com/ Why: This annual 2-day festival in Los Angeles always has a stacked line-up, ranging from heavy electro-house and bass music, to the deeper sounds of the underground. HARD Summer is a west coast favorite among party goers.

16. The Governor’s Ball

When : Early June

: Early June Where : Randall’s Park, New York City

: Randall’s Park, New York City Website : http://governorsballmusicfestival.com/

: http://governorsballmusicfestival.com/ Why: Set in the great city of New York, The Governor’s Ball is guaranteed to be an absolute blast. Randall’s Island Park is the perfect setting for a music festival, and with such a massive and diverse line-up, there’s definitely something for everyone.

17. Mysteryland U.S.A

When : Mid/End of May

: Mid/End of May Where : Bethel Woods, New York

: Bethel Woods, New York Why: Originally from the Netherlands, Mysteryland is another festival that has made it’s journey across the Atlantic and set-up shop in America. A 3-day camping festival in upstate New York, with a line-up that will make any electronic music fan drool. Oh, and one thing — it’s held on the same grounds the legendary Woodstock Festival was held!

18. Firefly Music Festival

When : Mid/End of June

: Mid/End of June Where : The Woodlands, Dover, Delaware

: The Woodlands, Dover, Delaware Website : http://www.fireflyfestival.com/

: http://www.fireflyfestival.com/ Why: This 4-day camping festival is music experience set among lush wooded landscapes, featuring a massive line-up covering practically every genre. Do yourself a favor, and get yourself to Delaware for this incredible festival.

19. Electric Zoo

When : Early September

: Early September Where : New York City, New York

: New York City, New York Website : http://electriczoofestival.com/

: http://electriczoofestival.com/ Why: Although having some recent bad luck with cancellations because due to deaths at the festival, Electric Zoo is a must experience for ravers in America. Boasting several impressive stages that cover practically every genre of electronica, Electric Zoo will not disappoint. Head over to the Sunday School stage for the best in underground house and techno.

20. The Hangout Beach Music Festival

When : Mid-May

: Mid-May Where : The Gulf Shores, Alabama

: The Gulf Shores, Alabama Website : http://hangoutmusicfest.com/

: http://hangoutmusicfest.com/ Why: 3 Days of partying on the beach while listening to top notch music. You might not think of Alabama when you think of amazing beach parties, but Hangout might just change that.

21. Camp Bisco

When : Mid July

: Mid July Where : Albany, New York

: Albany, New York Website : http://campbisco.net/

: http://campbisco.net/ Why: Three Days of non-stop Music, Arts, Entertainment, and Camping in upstate New York. This is a favorite among east-coast ravers, and will be an experience you need to check out for yourself.

22. Paradiso Festival

When : End of June

: End of June Where : The Gorge Amphitheater – Quincy, Washington

: The Gorge Amphitheater – Quincy, Washington Why: A 2-day party in one of the world’s most beautiful venues (See Sasquatch above) with some of the biggest headlining acts in the electronic music industry.

23. Summerfest

When : June & July

: June & July Where : Milwaukee, Wisconsin

: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Website : http://summerfest.com/

: http://summerfest.com/ Why: With over 11 days, 11 stages, and 800 performances, it is definitely one of the world’s largest music festivals. This is the festival lacks a strong electronic music presence, but still boats one of the most impressive line-ups you’ll witness when it comes to live performances.

24. CRSSED

When : Beginning of October

: Beginning of October Where : San Diego, California

: San Diego, California Website : http://crssdfest.com/

: http://crssdfest.com/ Why: You really don’t need many reasons to check out CRSSD Festival other than the incredible line-up. Yes, the venue is gorgeous, San Diego is one of the best cities in California, and the vibe is amazing — but forget all about that — the line-up is simply stacked. Bringing the best names in electronic music, this is a party that will satisfy all your festival needs.

25. Made In America Festival

When : End of August

: End of August Where : Los Angeles / Philadelphia

: Los Angeles / Philadelphia Why: To finish off this list, I had to mention Made in America! Budweiser might just be a beer company, but they do a pretty damn good job at throwing festivals as well.

There’s plenty more music festivals in America, but I would have to say that these are the absolute best ones to choose from! Crossing all these off your festival bucket list might take some time, but you’ll definitely have a blast in the process. Cheers to all my fellow festival junkies.

Photo Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 25

So What’s Your Next Festival…?

Like this post? Follow me on Facebook & Twitter for more adventures Around The World…