From March to October, music lovers around the world celebrate “festival season” by descending upon dessert sands, lakeside parks, verdant fields and art district parking lots, seeking top-tier talent across rock, pop, hip-hop, dance and more.
While the chance to see Beyonce on the main stage or a long-sought comeback (Blink 182 with Tom Delonge, anyone?) is special in itself, a full day or four in the hot sun, sharing bathrooms with a few thousand strangers isn’t always the picture of a perfect day. That’s what VIP tickets are for, and some VIP packages are more luxe than others.
See also: How To Survive Coachella According To Olivia Ponton
If you’re a lifelong music fan in the market for a truly dreamy festival experience, check out the lineups at one of these festivals below. We vetted the VIP packages to make sure they go above and beyond.
From gourmet food trucks to private bathrooms, side-stage viewing platforms, all-you-can-drink offerings, on-site beauty bars and even golf-cart transportation, these are some of the most over-the-top VIP tickets the festival season has to offer.
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The undisputed King of music festivals, the April festival in Coachella’s Indio Valley, CA., is perhaps the most famous musical gathering in the world. Not only does it bring out an artist or band’s best performance of a lifetime, it also breaks fashion trends, lures innumerable A-listers, and comes with some truly life-saving amenities. Rub shoulders with celebrities in the Coachella VIP and take full advantage of preferred parking lots, specialty food and drink vendors, air-conditioned restrooms and shaded seating areas. There are full cash bars just for VIP with shorter lines, as well as glamping options, and two very-special VIP sections offering Michelin-starred bites and more.
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Every October in Miami, revelers dance from sunset to sunrise at this three-day, overnight event that brings some of the biggest names in rock, pop, Latin, hip-hop and electronic music. Previous headliners include Rosalia, LCD Soundsystem, Wu-Tang Clan, Porter Robinson, The Strokes and Herbie Hancock, and more than half of the bill is filled with homegrown Miami talent, giving the city’s musicians a world stage. When you pay for the VIP package, you are treated like the star you are with expedited entry and elevated viewing areas, an air-conditioned lounge and private restrooms, specialty bars and priority reservations at local restaurants, first access to official festival after-parties, and all-you-can-drink beverage options.
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If you’re an EDM lover, you’ve surely made the trek or at least dreamt of experiencing the world-famous EDC Las Vegas. Another event that takes place from sunset to sunrise, this one comes to life each May in the middle of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway; filling the desert arena with massive stages, international DJs, roving art cars, costumed performers, and carnival rides and attractions. When you’re a VIP headliner, you enjoy dedicated viewing platforms and private dance areas, exclusive lounge spaces and VIP concierge booths, fast passes to the Ferris wheel and other carnival rides, a custom commemorative show lanyard, air-conditioned bathrooms, VIP photo booths, mobile charging stations and lockers, body paint and beauty bars, kandi bracelet making stations, vegan and gluten-free craft cuisine, and so much more.
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New York City is always the place to be, but especially in June when Governor’s Ball takes over Governor’s Island, bringing with it the best in rock, pop, hip-hop and dance. Where else can you enjoy headline performances from Lizza, Odesza and Kendrick Lamar on the same weekend? Take in the summer sun in the city that never sleeps, and nab that VIP package in order to enjoy premium viewing areas, lounges and air-conditioned bathrooms, VIP concierge, lockers and mobile charging and more. The Platinum VIP package also includes front-of-stage and on-stage viewing access, a premium Platinum lounge with a full-service bar and dining, and more. From Queens? You get a discount on all of the above!
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Lollapalooza was one of the first successful annual music festivals in the United States, bringing chart-topping talent across genres to cities across the country before relaunching as a stationary event in Chicago in the mid-2000s. Today, it remains a jewel of Chicago’s calendar, bringing a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience to fans every August in the Windy City’s downtown gem, Grant Park. When you come as a Lolla VIP, you get on-field viewing areas and unlimited access to on-site lounges (some of which have live streams of performances on jumbo screens), golf cart shuttle transportation between the Noth and South end main stages, and concierge services, among other goodies.
Take it a step further with the Platinum package which includes complimentary beer, seltzers and water; festival hair and glitter treatments, lockers and charging stations, exclusive merch and presale access to afters. Want even more? Cabana packages come with a luxury suite for 30 to 50 guests, all-day complimentary bar, grab-and-go snacks and dinner buffet, and more.
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Born and bred in Miami, Rolling Loud as become the largest hip-hop festival in the country with one of the most stacked lineups you’ve ever heard of. It’s a who’s-who of the modern state of the genre, with performances from Playboi Carti, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and more. The brand has expanded into LA and a handful of other countries, but the July fest in Miami is the flagship, must-attend event. VIP tickets offer a “Munchie Pack” of 10 meal tickets, exclusive merch, front-row viewing access, a dedicated private bar, free makeup touch-ups, live art installations, shaded chill areas and more. The upgraded Loud Club tickets also bring elevated deck access, dedicated parking and entrances, model and celebrity guest appearances, and the option to order food and merch right to your seat.
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Did you know one of the coolest music festivals in the country comes to Gulf Shores, AL., every May? Hangout is a beach-side bash that puts you right on the sand and in the middle of the action, boasting cross-genre talent that includes headliners Lil Nas X, Calvin Harris, Flume, Paramore, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skrillex, SZA and more. The VIP Pack comes with up-front viewing and complimentary drinks, access to a special VIP grove, side-stage pools, air-conditioned rooms and more; but the Super VIP brings elevated decks, golf cart shuttle rides, complimentary meals, an air-conditioned dining room and more.
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If rock is your jam, you can’t get a better lineup than this. Come May, Boston will roar with the guitar-laden sounds of Foo Fighters, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Lumineers, Alanis Morissette, Paramore and Queens of the Stone Age. If you’re a VIP, you’ll also enjoy exclusive viewing areas with private bars and upgraded bathrooms, unlimited access to the Thomas Tew VIP lounge with cocktails and charging stations, a double-decker platform from Jack Daniels, fast pass entrance lines and more. Platinum VIP offers all-inclusive dining options from celebrity chefs, complimentary parking and daily gifting suites.
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Another of the big three, this long-time-running Tennessee music mecca comes around every June with an exciting lineup that bridges genres, decades and lifestyles. This year brings Foo Fighters, Kendrick Lamar, Three 6 Mafia, Paramore, Lil Nas X, ODESZA and Sheryl Crow, among others. Go all-in on the VIP and be treated to relaxed side-stage seating, air-conditioned lounges, a VIP concierge and more; but the Platinum tier offers all that, complimentary drinks and even more exclusive access.
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Everything is bigger in Texas, and so it goes for one of the state’s top musical events. Each October, Austin City Limits lights up for two weekends of stellar programming, bringing headliners including The Chicks, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Flume, Paramore, Lil Nas X, Phoenix and more. The VIP packages are likewise stuffed with amenities, including two VIP groves, decks with views of two main stages, air-conditioned bathrooms and spa treatment areas, and more. Upgrade to Platinum, and you’re getting front-of-stage access, premium cafe and lounge access, all-day dining and hot snacks, complimentary salon treatments, wifi, mobile charging and lockers, plus gifts from the festival and golf cart shuttle transportation.
Once you’ve experienced a music festival like a VIP, you won’t be able to do it any other way. If you want to get hooked up for the rest of your days, try to get a Coachella NFT which offers VIP tickets for life. While you’re at it, prep your body and mind for festival season with Olivia Ponton’s guide to doing it right.
Photography by: Nina Schmiedel – ALL IN / Getty
