Guide to Music Festivals and Camping

Dreaming of spring already?

As the US begins to officially reopen for business, many of us find ourselves looking to Spring 2022 for the first rescheduled music festivals since the pandemic started— and it’s not too early to start planning. Early bird tickets for some of 2022’s first festivals are already selling out fast! But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our early guide to 2022 music festivals and camping, part one. Below, we cover March-May’s lineups, complete with exact dates, notable acts, nearby things to do, and general information about each event. Plus, why RVing to music festivals is the best way to experience everything that they have to offer.

Spring Guide to 2022 Music Festivals

Ultra Music Festival

When & where: March 25-27, 2022; Miami, Florida

Lineup Includes: Alison Wonderland, David Guetta, Madeon, DJ Snake, Sofi Tukker

Bayfront Park in Miami transforms into the state’s largest rave for the Ultra Music Festival in March. Tucked along the water and beneath the high rises of downtown Miami, Ultra is a premier electronic festival that draws thousands of people and some of the world’s best DJs each year. The music is accompanied by an incredible laser lights show and over the top fireworks and pyrotechnics from the main stage. Read more details for camping at the festival and finding the perfect RV Rental for the Ultra Music Festival.

More things to do in Miami: Jungle Island | Vizcaya Museum & Gardens | Haulover Park

RV Campgrounds Near Miami: Miami Everglades RV Resort | Hollywood KOA | Twin Lakes Travel Park

 

Coachella

When & where: April 15-17 & 22-24, 2022; Indio, California

Lineup Includes: Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott, Swedish House Mafia

Possibly one of the most famous music festivals in the world hardly needs any introduction. Although all music festivals are inherently social, Coachella takes it to a whole other level. In addition to the musical talent that takes over the main stage (most famously, in recent memory, Beyonce’s showstopping takeover and Tupac Shakur’s legendary hologram performance with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre), Coachella is also littered with interactive art exhibits. Its location in the desert valley, surrounded by the San Bernardino and Santa Rosa Mountains, gives the festival its otherworldly, hippie atmosphere that draws in well over 100,000 people (and celebrities) each year. Be sure to read our article on RVing to Coachella.

More things to do in Indio: Luxury golf courses | Jackalope Ranch | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

RV Campgrounds Near Indio: Palm Springs RV Resort | Shadow Hills RV Resort | Emerald Desert RV Resort

Stagecoach Festival 

When & Where: April 29 – May 1, 2022; Indio, California

Lineup Includes: Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Brandi Carlile

Due to the incredible success of Coachella, the entertainment group that manages the festival created Stagecoach in 2007. In essence, think Coachella— except for country music. Although to classify it purely as a country concert isn’t correct either. Stagecoach also hosts folk, bluegrass, and roots rock on its stages. Something else that sets Stagecoach apart from other events of its kind is the festival’s food lineup and BBQ competition. Local favorites like Jackalope Ranch and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, along with many others, set up booths to keep everyone fed slinging soul food favorites. Most famously, Guy Fieri has attended since 2018 with his pop-up BBQ restaurant Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse. 

(Even) More things to do in Indio: Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve | Palm Springs Aerial Tramway | Shields Date Garden

RV Campgrounds Near Indio: Outdoor Resort Palm Springs | Indio Springs RV Resort | Horizon Mobile Village and RV Park 

Boston Calling Music Festival

When & where: May 27-29, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts

Lineup Includes: Rage Against the Machine, Foo Fighters, Run the Jewels, HAIM

The final show of our guide to 2022 music festivals brings us to New England in May. Since debuting in 2013, Boston Calling has skyrocketed in popularity— over 40,000 people attended in 2017. As the Northeast’s largest music festival, Boston Calling eventually took over the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, by historic Cambridge, to make room for more people and more stages. Now, the three day event over Memorial Day weekend hosts stand up comedians as well (the likes of Jenny Slate, Michael Che, and Fred Armisen, to name a few) and a ferris wheel that overlooks the Charles River. Since its humble beginnings, the most recent years’ lineups have included Eminem, Tame Impala, Jack White, and Chance the Rapper.

More things to do in Boston: Fenway Park | Museum of Fine Arts | Faneuil Hall Marketplace

RV Campgrounds Near Boston: Boston/Cape Cod KOA | Fourth Cliff Recreation Area | Normandy Farms Campground

 

Why RVing is the best way to experience music festivals

Community

Given that many of the festivals are spread out over multiple days, and that the emphasis of these festivals is not only on the music itself but the community that music brings together, camping is the best way to truly experience festival camaraderie. When the music ends for the night, the party is only getting started for so many people. Many of the venues, like Coachella, are located near RV campgrounds that get filled up with concert-goers, so the festivities don’t stop at the grounds themselves.

Utilities

Although some festivals have a camping component, the majority of them lack official on-sight camping. Plus, the ones that do are tent-only camping with strict limitations. Coachella is particularly famous for its camping (and glamping), but the reality behind the Instagram filters is long lines for porta-potties in the hot sun and limited access to food and water (that has to be paid for at festival prices). With an RV, you’ll likely never have to wait in line for the bathroom, and you can stock up on food and drinks without having to pay an arm and a leg for them. Plus, you’ll get to sleep on actual beds after a long day and night of partying in the sun, and take a shower so that you’re not living in sweat and dust the entire weekend. 

Accessibility

In addition to the exorbitantly high prices of hotels and Airbnbs during the weekend of music festivals, many of them get booked sometimes even a full year in advance. When you RV to music festivals, you pay lower nightly rates at campgrounds and in many cases can save money on the cost of plane tickets to events. Plus, you can do one-way rentals for extra flexibility. For more information, check out RVnGO’s resources on cost comparisons with hotels/Airbnbs and FAQs.