Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

In 1993, Pearl Jam held a concert on the Empire Polo Fields of Indio, hours away from the nearest major music venue, to protest Ticketmaster’s monopoly on event access. The event proved to be a hit, and the Polo Fields proved to be an amazing place to see a show. By 1999, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was founded, and in 17 years has grown to be one of the most popular and influential events in the world.

Despite the stigma that goes along with music festivals, Coachella has evolved into a luxury destination within a luxury destination with various experiences available. If you’re young and spry and feel like dancing in a crowd, you can. If you want to enjoy a cocktail and a meal by a Michelin-starred chef in an breezy tent full of the world’s movers and shakers, it’s possible. The musical lineup features everybody from the classic—Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Paul McCartney—to the modern and experimental.

In a city with only 75,000 permanent residents, Coachella brings in nearly 300,000 visitors for the two weekends it takes place in April. It requires a lot to drag that many people to one resort town, hours outside of the nearest metropolitan area. But Coachella pulls it off. It’s a must-see event.

Read More: Coachella: Seven to Know