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If you're looking for a great concert, festival and a quick getaway from NYC, check out our favorite music day trips
Use our playlist of great road-trip songs to get ready for these killer music day trips from NYC, where the soundtrack continues once you arrive at your destination. There are some awesome music venues within driving distance of our fair city, not to mention sweet summer music festivals, and they each offer a little history and some small(er)-town culture to boot.
RECOMMENDED: All of the best day trips from NYC
This two-day affair brings dance-floor tastemakers like James Murphy, Jamie XX and Maya Jane Coles to an idyllic Catskills location. Between gigs, check out a dizzying range of nonmusical activities, from meditation to mechanical-bull rides.
Monticello, NY (gatheroutdoors.com). May 25, 26; two-day pass $139–$229.
Rap’s greatest group celebrates the 20th anniversary of its classic album Things Fall Apart with help from a bevy of hip-hop and pop faves.
Philadelphia (rootspicnic.com/philly). June 1; $79.50–$89.50.
Jam bands (duh), roots rockers and a sprinkling of global sounds exist in harmony at the site of the original Woodstock.
Bethel, NY (mountainjam.com). June 13–16; day pass $89–$109, four-day pass $199, camping $150 per car.
Jeff Tweedy & Co. hit MASS MoCA with Wilco’s many side projects (including one with Jon Hamm) and Wilco-approved acts like Tortoise and the Feelies.
North Adams, MA (solidsoundfestival.com). June 28–30; day pass $74, weekend pass $189.
1hr by car
The Capitol Theatre started as a movie palace dating back to 1926 and these days throws concerts by the likes Wilco and the Dead’s Phil Lesh. For those who don't mind a Metro-North trip, or a short drive, it's a great option for catching big acts in an intimate, comfy setting. Port Chester, NY (thecapitoltheatre.com, 914-937-4126)
1hr 15mins by car
This Long Island theater is where classic-rock buffs from the ’burbs meet their NYC counterparts. The booking alternates between iconic old-school acts like Neil Young and contemporary pop-rock sensations such as 5 Seconds of Summer. Whoever's playing, expect a populist, ballpark-style concert experience. Wantagh, NY (jonesbeach.com, 516-221-1000)
1hr 30mins by car
For decades, legendary improvisers such as Keith Jarrett have plied their trade at this scenic Poconos B&B, which bills itself as the oldest continuously running jazz club in the USA. Delaware Water Gap, PA (deerheadinn.com, 570-424-2000)
1hr 30mins by car
The legend of this Asbury Park, NJ, club has been snowballing since 1974, when Bruce Springsteen first appeared there during the recording of a little record called Born to Run. Turn up today to immerse yourself in E Street Band lore and catch national acts serving up punk, metal, reggae, jam-band stylings and the good-time rock & roll that is the Pony's lifeblood. Asbury Park, NJ (stoneponyonline.com, 732-502-0600)
3hrs by car
In his later years, the late Levon Helm, the masterful singing drummer at the heart of the Band, hosted shows in his homey Woodstock studio, star-studded gigs that he dubbed Midnight Rambles. The tradition continues to this day, as the venue regularly welcomes world-class acts from Los Lobos to Graham Nash. Woodstock, NY (levonhelm.com, 845-679-2744)
3 hrs by car
Every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day, this trendy Montauk motel becomes the destination for bands worth driving three hours to see in concert. The annual free concert series is a huge hit both among the surfing crowd and city beach tourists, so plan to get there early or, if you really want to see a band, book a room. Montauk, NY (thesurflodge.com, 631-483-5037)
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