Some trips begin with a place. Others begin with a ticket, a festival lineup, a championship game or a cultural event that turns a destination into something bigger. Across Hawaii, Miami and California, travelers can plan vacations around music, food, sports, film, art and once-in-a-lifetime global events. These destinations make it easy to build a trip around a main event, then stay longer for everything around it.
2028Summer Olympics
California’s Biggest Moment Is Just Beginning
California’s events calendar never really slows down. Stadiums, concert venues, film festivals and award shows keep the state moving year-round, but the next few years are especially exciting.
In summer 2026, FIFA World Cup matches arrive at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Fan zones, watch parties and citywide celebrations will transform both regions well beyond the games themselves. Then comes Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in 2027 followed by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
Sports fans can also plan around California’s major PGA Tour events, including:
- The Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles
- The American Express in Greater Palm Springs
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey coast
Music lovers have no shortage of reasons to visit either. Spring brings Coachella and Stagecoach to the desert along with BottleRock Napa Valley, where live music and wine country come together over long weekends. Summer fills California with outdoor concerts at iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and Berkeley and the Santa Barbara Bowl overlooking the Pacific.
Baseball also shapes summer travel across the state. Travelers can plan road trips around the Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Angels and Athletics, with each ballpark connected to its own neighborhood, food scene and local culture.
Stagecoach Festival
Red Carpet
California also becomes a global stage during awards season. January begins with the Palm Springs International Film Festival, followed by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where premieres, tributes and conversations with actors and directors bring film fans closer to the industry.
In Los Angeles, the Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards and Academy Awards turn the city into the center of entertainment culture every winter. Hotels, restaurants, rooftops and theaters across the city fill with visitors, creatives and industry insiders from around the world.
F1 Racing
Miami Brings Sports, Art and Nightlife Together
Miami blends sports, music, nightlife and art in a way few cities can. Travelers can visit during the Miami Open, Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, Ultra Music Festival, Art Basel Miami Beach or the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® while still making time for beach clubs, rooftop bars and waterfront dining.
A Miami trip can easily revolve around:
- A Formula 1 or tennis weekend
- Art Basel gallery events and parties
- Live music festivals and nightlife
- Culinary experiences across Little Havana, Brickell and South Beach
Hula Competition
Hawaii Celebrates Culture and Community
Hawaii offers a different kind of event experience rooted in culture, music, food and tradition. Across the islands, festivals celebrate local communities and Hawaiian heritage.
Annual highlights include the King Kamehameha Celebration, the Prince Lot Hula Competition, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival and the Honolulu Marathon.
These events add another layer to a Hawaii vacation beyond beaches and resorts, creating opportunities to experience local traditions, performances and cuisine more closely.
World Cup
Build the Trip Around the Experience
The best event-based vacations balance the main attraction with everything around it. A World Cup match can become a California coast road trip. A film festival can lead to a few extra days in wine country. A music festival weekend can turn into a longer luxury escape.
Our travel advisors and travel agency help travelers plan those details from beginning to end, including hotels, transportation, VIP event packages, dining reservations and extra experiences before or after the event itself. Whether travelers are heading to Coachella, the World Cup, Art Basel or a cultural festival in Hawaii, we help turn a single event into a complete and memorable vacation.
