Events to Travel For 2025-2026
Planning travel around major events isn’t a new concept — but it’s certainly having a moment. From concerts and festivals to sporting events and cultural celebrations, people are building entire vacations around what’s happening when and where. Thanks in part to the “Taylor Swift Effect,” event-driven travel has taken off turning global happenings into the ultimate itinerary anchors.
Whether you’re looking to snag seats at a sold-out show, celebrate like a local at a centuries-old tradition, or just be where the action is, here are some of the most exciting domestic and international events worth traveling for the next 12-18 months.
US EVENTS – 2025
- AUGUST: US Open Tennis
- SEPTEMBER: Taste of Chicago, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, The Armory Show, Ryder Cup Golf Championship
- OCTOBER: Chicago Marathon, US Grand Prix, World Series, NYC Wine & Food Festival, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Audrain Newport Concours Motor Week, Austin City Limits Music Festival
- NOVEMBER: NYC Marathon, Las Vegas Grand Prix
- DECEMBER: Art Basel Miami
US EVENTS – 2026
- JANUARY: X Games Aspen, Pegasus World Cup
- FEBRUARY: Super Bowl, Palm Springs Modernism Show, Daytona 500, Mardi Gras
- MARCH: Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, NCAA Finals, South by Southwest, Charleston Wine & Food Festival, National Cherry Blossom Festival, BNP Paribas Tennis Open
- APRIL: The Masters, Boston Marathon, Coachella, Stagecoach, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, US Open Polo Championship, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
- MAY: Kentucky Derby, Frieze New York, PGA Championship, Miami Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500
- JUNE: FIFA Club World Cup, US Open Golf Championship, Tribeca Film Festival, NBA Finals, Food & Wine Classic Aspen
- AUGUST: US Open Tennis
- SEPTEMBER: Taste of Chicago, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, The Armory Show, Ryder Cup Golf Championship
- OCTOBER: Chicago Marathon, US Grand Prix, World Series, NYC Wine & Food Festival, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Audrain Newport Concours Motor Week, Austin City Limits Music Festival
- NOVEMBER: NYC Marathon, Las Vegas Grand Prix
- DECEMBER: Art Basel Miami
GLOBAL EVENTS – 2025
- JULY: Tour de France, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jaeger-LeCoultre Polo Gold Cup, the Open Golf Championship, Bastille Day
- AUGUST: Rugby World Cup, Venice International Film Festival, La Tomatina, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
- SEPTEMBER: Berlin Marathon, Italian Grand Prix, UCI Road World Championships, Oktoberfest, Monaco Yacht Show
- OCTOBER: Frieze Masters Art Show, Art Basel Paris, Diwali
- NOVEMBER: ATP Finals, Melbourne Cup Horse Race, Brazilian Grand Prix, Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)
- DECEMBER: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, European Christmas Markets
GLOBAL EVENTS – 2026
- JANUARY: Australia Open, Art Stage, St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, Cayman Cookout
- FEBRUARY: Winter Olympics, FIS World Ski Championships, Venice Carnival, Rio Carnival, Vienna Opera Ball, Chinese New Year
- MARCH: Australian Grand Prix, Tokyo Marathon, Art Basel Hong Kong, Dubai World Cup, Chinese Grand Prix, Japanese Grand Prix, Holi, St. Patrick’s Day, Lantern Festival (Thailand)
- APRIL: Randox Grand National, London Marathon, Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (tennis), Bahrain Grand Prix, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- MAY: Roland-Garros French Open, Canadian Grand Prix, Cannes Film Festival, Venice Biennale (through November)
- JUNE: Wimbledon, Art Basel Switzerland, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Royal Ascot Gold Cup, Monaco Grand Prix, Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Austrian Grand Prix, Inti Raymi (Peru)
- JULY: Tour de France, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jaeger-LeCoultre Polo Gold Cup, the Open Golf Championship, British Grand Prix, Belgian Grand Prix, Belgian Grand Prix, Hungarian Grand Prix, Bastille Day, Running of the Bulls
- AUGUST: Venice International Film Festival, Dutch Grand Prix, La Tomatina, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
- SEPTEMBER: Berlin Marathon, Italian Grand Prix, UCI Road World Championships, Oktoberfest, Monaco Yacht Show, Madrid Grand Prix (new location for 2026), Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- OCTOBER: Frieze Masters Art Show, Art Basel Paris, Singapore Grand Prix, Mexican Grand Prix, Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)
- NOVEMBER: ATP Finals, Melbourne Cup Horse Race, Brazilian Grand Prix, Qatar Grand Prix, Diwali
- DECEMBER: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, European Christmas Markets
Like most travel — especially when tied to major events — the earlier you plan, the better. If any of these experiences caught your eye or sparked your curiosity, let’s chat about how to build a personalized itinerary around it. From hard-to-get tickets to where to stay and what to do before and after, I’ll help make sure your trip is as memorable as the main event!
[all images sourced via unsplash]
