1. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Mid-April)
Indio, California
In the short decade since Coachella launched in 1999, the multi-stage musical marathon has become the official opener of the summer festival season. Each April, more than 100,000 music fans head for an overheated stretch of Southern California despite typical daytime temperatures in the upper 80s. That may not sound hot, but between the crowds and the all-day exposure, festival veterans have learned that survival depends on plenty of sunscreen and copious amounts of water (to save on waste, organizers are offering $10 "bottomless" souvenir bottles for thirsty fans). For those willing to brave the heat, the payoff is the chance to catch one of the largest gatherings of cutting-edge and indie artists in the country: fromThe Black Keys to TV on the Radio to those a bit more mainstream, such as M.I.A, The Killers, and Lupe Fiasco. (To the dismay of indie purists, the latest incarnation of Coachella also included popular artists such as Paul McCartney.) Camping options range from onsite luxury safari tents ($5,000 per person) to basic 8x8-foot sites just beyond the entrance ($55 per person). And if you'd rather dodge the heat at the end of the day in a nice, air-conditioned hotel room, the festival organizers have compiled a list of several area hotels on their website. Los Angeles International Airport is about 150 miles away.

Hot Tip: "Coachooser" is a scheduling application that can be downloaded to your iPhone so you can make sure to catch all of the acts you want to see.

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