Plan your next trip around a summer soundtrack

Key takeaways:

• Follow the music. Let live concerts and summer festivals dictate your travel plans, unlocking the authentic, vibrating pulse of cities across the country.
• Experience the local rhythm. From the floorboards rattling in a Deep Ellum club or taking in the history of a Chicago jazz lounge, find the destination concert experience you’ve been dreaming about.
• Match the venue to your mood. Whether you’re chasing the open-air euphoria of a festival lawn or the hushed intimacy of a historic theater, the right performance can turn a concert ticket into an unforgettable adventure.
• Discover the culture behind the chords. A concert is the ultimate gateway to a city's soul. Let the music draw you into vibrant neighborhoods where the street food and the local fans offer a connection guidebooks simply can't replicate.

As you begin to sketch out your summer travel itinerary, consider building it around the band T-shirt you’d most like to bring home. Live music can be the ultimate key to unlocking the true pulse of a city, giving you a connection to local culture that guidebooks can’t replicate. From arenas where the roar of the crowd becomes a palpable force vibrating against your chest to historic clubs where musical revolutions began, the right venue can transform a simple vacation into a lifelong memory.

Whether you’re chasing the open-air euphoria of a festival or the intimacy of a jazz hall, find your sound, book your stay and let a concert kick off your next summer adventure.

Empire state of mind

New York City offers a musical landscape as vast and varied as the city itself. Whatever your taste, and whatever size venue you prefer, you’ll find a place to listen here. There’s a stage for every genre, connecting you directly to the culture.

What to do:

• Experience the spectacle: Visit the world-famous Madison Square Garden, where you can join nearly 20,000 fellow music lovers in a space that vibrates with the energy of the city’s biggest tours.
• Keep it classical: If your tastes run toward the refined, head to Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall to hear renowned philharmonic orchestras in venues legendary for their acoustic purity.
• Find some real rock: Looking for something a little louder? Venues like the Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza and Webster Hall offer the perfect setting for rock and alternative music, placing you in rooms that have launched countless careers.
• Have yourself a ball: Kick off the season at the Governors Ball, where the city skyline serves as the backdrop for a genre-spanning celebration of the latest music.

Where to stay:

• The Muse New York: A boutique retreat just steps from the theater district
• InterContinental New York Barclay: Historic luxury in the heart of Midtown
• The Wall Street Hotel: A stylish downtown option for a more refined vibe

Windy City blues

Chicago is a music lover’s playground in the summer. The city’s musical soul is vast, ranging from the massive energy of open-air festivals to the gritty, authentic history living in its legendary jazz and blues clubs. Whether you are standing in a park between skyscrapers or sitting in a dark bar, Chicago offers a deep connection to American music history.

What to do:

• Join the festival fun: Experience Lollapalooza as it takes over Grant Park, where you can look out at the glistening waters of Lake Michigan or gaze up at the architectural marvels of the city skyline while listening to global superstars.
• Discover a historic gem: Head to the vibrant Pilsen neighborhood to experience Thalia Hall, a landmark venue modeled after the Prague Opera House that sat dormant for decades before its revival. Now, you can stand beneath its ornate proscenium arch to hear some of the best indie rock and folk around.
• Step back in time: Visit the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, a Prohibition-era jazz club that remains a living time capsule (and cash only). Slide into a curved booth and sip a classic cocktail while listening to world-class bop and swing in the very spot where Al Capone once held court.

Where to stay:

• Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile: French luxury with stunning city views
• InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile: An architectural icon on Michigan Avenue
• Kimpton Gray Hotel: Modern sophistication in a historic building

Deep Ellum and Dallas dreams

Dallas offers a thriving, high-energy music scene that allows it to stand toe-to-toe with its neighbor city to the south. While the historic Deep Ellum district might be the city’s most famous neighborhood for music, the major venues are scattered across neighborhoods that each offer a distinct flavor of Texas hospitality.

What to do:

• Find your sanctuary: Head to the House of Blues Dallas in Victory Park, where the walls are adorned with unique folk art, and the famous Sunday Gospel Brunch offers a sensory mix of soulful harmonies and Southern comfort food.
• Embrace the open air: Visit the Dos Equis Pavilion, the city’s premier outdoor amphitheater located in historic Fair Park. Here, you can spread a blanket on the lawn and join 20,000 other fans as major touring acts take the stage under the Texas sky.
• Keep it intimate: Venture into the Design District to experience The Echo Lounge & Music Hall, a modern venue where the sightlines are perfect and the acoustics are engineered to make you feel every note.  

Where to stay:

• Kimpton Pittman Hotel: A historic Beaux-Arts gem right in the heart of the Deep Ellum action.
• The Joule: A neo-Gothic landmark downtown, famous for its art collection and cantilevered pool.
• Omni Dallas Hotel: A glittering addition to the skyline that connects you directly to the city’s pulse.

Live from LA

Los Angeles is a city built on entertainment, a sprawling metropolis where every street corner feels like a movie set. From the ocean breeze cooling the open-air amphitheaters to the neon glow of the Sunset Strip, the city offers an atmosphere that heightens every performance. It’s a place where you can watch legends sing under the stars or discover the next generation of talent in a sweaty room of music fans.

What to do:

• Picnic under the stars: Few experiences are more quintessentially LA than the Hollywood Bowl. Pack a picnic and watch the Los Angeles Philharmonic or major pop acts perform against the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills.
• Embrace the crowds: The Crypto.com Arena hosts massive tours ranging from hip-hop to rock, packing up to 20,000 fans into a space that feels larger than life.
• Discover the next big thing: Visit the Troubadour in West Hollywood, an intimate venue famous for launching careers.

Where to stay:

• InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown: Soaring views from the tallest building in the West
• Kimpton La Peer Hotel: A design-forward hideaway in West Hollywood’s Design District
• The Garland: Retro-chic style with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere

What’s actually happening in Vegas?

Las Vegas has cemented itself as the center of the entertainment world. It’s a city of sensory overload. Here, a concert is rarely just a concert — it’s an immersive spectacle of light and sound that pushes the boundaries of what live entertainment can be.

What to do:

• Prepare to be blown away: The Sphere is a state-of-the-art marvel. Catching a show here means experiencing audio and visual spectacles that engulf you, redefining what’s possible in a live venue.
• Go big: Near the Strip, the T-Mobile Arena serves as the major stop for stadium-level pop, rock and hip-hop tours, offering a high-impact environment for the world’s biggest acts.
• Find a residency: Every major hotel on the Las Vegas Strip hosts top-name entertainers who establish residencies. A quick search before you fly can land you tickets to see your favorite artist in a venue built to showcase their specific production style.

Where to stay:

• Fontainebleau Las Vegas: The newest icon of strip luxury and style
• SAHARA Las Vegas: A legendary name reimagined for the modern traveler
• Durango Casino & Resort: An elevated off-Strip experience

Music City, U.S.A.

Nashville invites you to step into the history of American music. Music City holds a reverence for songwriting and performance that you can feel the moment you arrive. The air here seems to vibrate with the strum of strings, from the sacred halls of historic auditoriums to the neon honky-tonks where music spills into the streets.

What to do:

• Visit the Mother Church: Step into the Ryman Auditorium, built in 1892. You can practically feel the tradition in the wooden pews as you listen to acoustic bluegrass or folk in a space renowned for its spiritual acoustics.
• See country legends, live: The Grand Ole Opry House offers a larger stage with that same legendary heritage, continuing a live broadcast tradition that has defined country music for generations.
• Explore more of the Nashville sound: The Schermerhorn Symphony Center proves that there’s more to Nashville than country music, offering classical music lovers something they may not have expected from Music City.

Where to stay:

• Kimpton Aertson Hotel: Industrial-chic design in the Midtown neighborhood
• Omni Nashville Hotel: Directly integrated with the Country Music Hall of Fame
• Fairlane Hotel: Mid-century modern style in the heart of downtown

The big sounds of the Big Easy

New Orleans is a city made of music. The humid air carries the sound of brass bands, jazz, funk and blues. This is a place where music is more than entertainment. It’s the heartbeat of the culture, found in everything from second-line parades to intimate improvisation sets.

What to do:

• Sit in on a session: Visit the Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, a landmark for classic jazz where the room is small, the vibes are smooth, and the connection between the musician and the audience is palpable.
• Howl at the moon: Sunday nights at The Howlin’ Wolf are your chance to see the Grammy-winning Hot 8 Brass Band. As the horns blare, you can lean against a mahogany bar salvaged from Al Capone’s Chicago hotel, soaking in a venue that feels gritty, unfiltered and entirely authentic.
• Experience a living landmark: Head Uptown to Tipitina’s, a venue that is less a club and more a shrine to music in New Orleans. Standing beneath the bust of Professor Longhair in this banana-yellow landmark, you can feel the worn wooden floorboards vibrate with a legacy that defines the local sound.

Where to stay:

• InterContinental New Orleans: Steps from the French Quarter but removed from the noise
• Omni Royal Orleans: Classic elegance in the center of the French Quarter
• The Windsor Court: An award-winning sanctuary of English style and Southern grace

Ready to orchestrate your perfect getaway?

The key to a successful music-focused trip is smart planning. Once you’ve identified your dream concert or festival, make sure you have your tickets secured — digital or paper — and build your itinerary around the show. With Citi Travel, you can book your hotels, flights, and even rental cars all in one place.

To cover travel costs, eligible cardmembers can take advantage of the flexibility of using ThankYou® Points, your Citi® card, or a combination of both. It’s the smartest way to turn a simple concert ticket into an unforgettable travel experience, ensuring that your only worry is which song you’ll hear during the encore.

Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes. It is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and is not a substitute for professional advice. It does not indicate the availability of any Citi product or service. For advice about your specific circumstances, you should consult a qualified professional.

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