As a music lover and a traveler, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate the two. Nothing fuses music with travel better than summer music festivals!! When you take a vacation for a festival not only do you get a jam packed weekend of more than ONE artist, often varying in style, but you also get to explore a city other than your own. Get ready for some of this summer’s BEST:

If you’re into R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop go to The Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, LA:

When: July 4-6
Where: New Orleans, LA
Who: Kanye, Rihanna, LL Cool J, Jill Scott, Chris Rock, Mary J. Blige
Worth:  A hip-hop and R&B festival in post-Katrina New Orleans is a message of strength and solidarity worth honoring with your attendance, but it doesn’t hurt that these are the giants and future giants of American culture. 
More info: www.essence.com/essence/emf

If you’re into the “indie music scene” and city life, go to Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago:

When:  July 18-20, 2008
Where: Chicago, IL
Who:  Public Enemy, Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend, The Dodos, Les Savy Fav, Spoon, M. Ward, The Apples in Stereo
Worth:  There’s no Woodstock for this generation, per se, but this might be as close as we get. Say what you will about the snarky online music journal who hosts this Valhalla of music festivals: they at least know how to sign up all the nearly-famous bands whose tickets will cost thrice as much and be held in tiny churches (we’re looking at you, Arcade Fire) 
in another four years. 
More info: www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com

ALSO IN Chicago August 7-9 is Lollapalooza

If you’re music taste is ecclectic:

Outside Lands 

Dates: August 28–30

Location: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Cost: $199.50–$225.50 for three-day ticket; layaway plan available
Headliners: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Incubus, Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., Jason Mraz, Ween

If you want to venture outside the states:

Head to the UK for: V Festival 22-23 August, Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex; Weston Park, Staffordshire (www.vfestival.com).

The V Festivals are one of the few UK outdoor events to embrace pop. Katy Perry, Alesha Dixon and Lady Gaga will play alongside rockier outfits Oasis, the Killers and Pete Doherty.

The list of European music festivals is extensive, here are some of the best: Roskilde in Denmark, Rockwerchter in Belgium, Hultsfred in Sweden, and Oxegen in Ireland. 

ROCK ON!!!

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Chelsea Latimer is a Galavanting Travel News & Reviews correspondent, she keeps a personal blog at Chelsea Talks Smack. You can also follow Chelsea on twitter >>