My wife and I have been attending music festivals across the country for a decade and a half, averaging two or three a year. Coachella? Lollapalooza? Voodoo Fest? Been there, bought the T-shirt.
But as much fun as they are, sitting in the hot sun all day and drinking copious amounts of beer can be draining. Sometimes you need a mid-day break to recharge, rest up, and prepare for the night’s headliner. That’s why I’ve been so stoked to see so many festival promoters offer on-site RV camping in recent years.
RVs are the perfect festival accessory. Forget your sun block? Just run back to the van and grab it. Don’t want to pay $25 for a soggy burrito and a PBR tall boy? Whip up your own gourmet concoction in your RV. No more waiting in lines for showers or, worse yet, a Port-a-Potty on day four of a swelteringly hot festival.
No matter your taste in music, you’re sure to find an RV-friendly festival within a reasonable drive. Here are six of the best in the country.
(Just a heads up … most times the camping fees are in addition to the ticket charges. Be sure you know what you’re buying.)
Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival; Nashville, Indiana
Each June, the Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival attracts big-name acts such as Asleep at the Wheel, Del McCoury, and Ricky Skaggs, as well as thousands of music lovers from across North America. Chances are if you’re not pulling in a massive tour bus, you’re arriving in a motorhome or towing a travel trailer.
Luckily, holding a music festival in an RV park allows fans to both experience wonderful music and still have all the comforts of home. With more than 200 electric or full hookup sites, along with hundreds more primitive camping spots, fans only have to walk a short distance to find the stage. Better yet, it allows them to drift off to sleep with the sounds of a string band singing harmony faintly ringing in their ears. Fans can literally live, eat, drink, and dream bluegrass during this eight-day festival. Not a bluegrass fan? Bean Blossom hosts gospel, blues, and Americana festivals throughout the year as well.
Headliners for 2019: The Grascals, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and more
Dates: June 8-16, 2019
Ticket cost: A single-day pass runs $35, but if you want to stay for all eight days, it’ll set you back $210.
RV camping cost: RV spots start at $21 a night, with 30 and 50 amp service costing just a few bucks more.
Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain; Ozark, Arkansas
Rising from the ashes of the beloved Wakarusa, this may be one of the most eclectic music festivals in America. A schizophrenic blend of jam bands, folkies, and EDM artists intermix, yet somehow, it all works. Away from the stages, visitors can take in live visual art installations, daily yoga practices, and more. Backwoods also has a great list of rules that you should follow, both at festivals and throughout life.
Headliners for 2019: Rezz, Umphery’s McGee, Lettuce
Dates: May 31-June 2, 2019
Ticket cost: Three-day passes start at $235
RV camping cost: A basic RV spot is $200, with electric costing an additional $426. Generators are allowed in the RV area.
Electric Daisy Carnival; Las Vegas, Nevada
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) fans have flocked to Las Vegas for years to witness the spectacle of the Electric Daisy Carnival. DJs like Diplo, Tiesto, and Paul Van Dyke spin into the wee hours of the morning on massive, over-the-top neon stages. Want to take a break from dancing? Visitors can hop on one of the dozen or so carnival rides at the festival or enjoy the interactive art installations scattered throughout the grounds. At the end of it all, you can come down from the musical high in the relative comfort of your RV.
Headliners for 2019: TBD
Dates: May 17-20, 2019
Ticket cost: Tickets start at $359
RV camping cost: Prices start at $279 for dry spots, going up to $450 and above for electric hook ups.
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival; Manchester, Tennessee
Considered the granddaddy of all the festivals, every music fan should go this mammoth Tennessee mainstay at least once. More than 150 bands from nearly every imaginable genre play over four nights on 10 different stages, with the headliners often playing extended late-night sets.
But the highlight for RVers may be in the various plazas throughout the camping area. According to Bonnaroo, “Last year’s plazas saw surprise karaoke with T-Pain, a secret show from Cage The Elephant—who were not on the lineup—and loads more.” The promoters promise similar excitement for this year’s festival, along with late-night parties and jam sessions and unique art experiences. If you need to shake off the previous night’s merriment, there’ll even be a 5K on one of the mornings.
Headliners for 2019: Phish, Post Malone, performers from the Grand Ole Opry, the Lumineers, Childish Gambino
Dates: June 13-16, 2019
Ticket cost: Four-day GA passes start at $554
RV camping cost: To park your RV on site will cost $250, with power setting you back at least another $500.
Country USA; Oshkosh, Wisconsin
If you drink all your liquor from red Solo cups and wish you were driving a pickup instead of an RV, then the Midwest’s largest country-music festival may be for you. CUSA just downshifted from five days to the more traditional three, but those 72 hours will be jam-packed with contemporary Nashville’s biggest stars.
Beer and food options have been upgraded this year as well; whether you prefer Coors Lights and brats or gourmet burritos and craft beer, you’ll find it on the grounds. Left your cowboy hat at home? One of the marketplace vendors will be happy to sell you a new one.
Headliners for 2019: Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Alabama
Dates: June 27-29, 2019
Ticket cost: Starts at $99
RV camping cost: Non-electric sites start at $139, with electric sites going for $419
FloydFest; Floyd, Virginia
This festival tucked away in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains may be the most underrated five days of music you’ll find anywhere in the country. RVers are mere steps from the Pink Floyd Garden Stage, one of eight stages scattered throughout the gorgeous setting. Be sure to check out the Buffalo Mountain Jam, where several of the performers will form an impromptu band and break out some favorite covers.
If you have downtime, hit up the Outdoor Adventure Headquarters on the grounds, where you can go for an epic spin on mountain-bike trails, paddle a kayak in the Little River, play a bit of disc golf, or just get in a peaceful hike. (Some activities do require an additional fee.)
Headliners for 2019: String Cheese Incident, Phil Lesh and the Terrapin Family Band, Brandi Carlisle, Tyler Childers
Dates: July 24-28, 2019
Ticket cost: Four-day passes start at $218
RV camping cost: It’ll set you back $600 to park your RV at FloydFest, and $1,000 if you want an electric hookup. (These spots sell out quick, so act fast.)
Honorable mentions
There are a surprising number of festivals that cater to RVers—so many, in fact, we couldn’t feature them all. Here are some of the best of the rest.
- Jam-band fan? Check out The Peach Music Festival
- Love classic hard rock? Check out Rocklahoma
- Contemporary-rock radio listener? Check out Firefly Festival
