International Destinations for Music-Loving Families

At first thought, the music lovers and aspiring travelers in your family might think of Austin, Nashville, New Orleans and other trendy (but worthy) cities dominating the music tourism scene.

Sure, those are all great options to check out for your musically driven crew, but there are quite a few international stops your family may be missing. Some so obvious, you may have taken them for granted and completely forgot about them.

Here are a few that should be on your list:

Liverpool and London, England

Home to many of the greats, from the Beatles to Echo and the Bunnymen, Liverpool exudes a pop, punk vibe any music fan can appreciate — especially adults. Remind the kids you were young and hip once too and show them all the rock history stops. While Liverpool specifically is cause enough to fly off to England for a music-centric trip, London is loaded with incredible venues and rock history locales — think London Calling and Abbey Road, just for starters.

Havana, Cuba

Cuban nightlife and live music venues are legendary for good reason. Head to the hip bar scene in Old Havana to get a sense of the local culture and music and dance. Dive into any of the many jazz bars lining the city, from the historic Tropicana Nightclub to the kitschy Beatles Bar or the popular La Casa de La Música. Havana is a music city for all ages — just come ready to dance.

Live music and dancing in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Edgar Bullon | Dreamstime.com

Vienna, Austria

Vienna is synonymous with classical music and grand opera houses. Enjoy the traditional, opulent side of music history with a trip down classical music lane in the city’s many gorgeous venues. Alternative music fans will be happy to know, the scene in Vienna is there, you just have to look for it. Head to Twee Vienna’s Indie Breakfast at Café Espresso every third Sunday of the month.

Montreal, Canada

Canada has been sending big music names our way for years, including Celine Dion and Arcade Fire. The music scene in Montreal is still going strong and worthy of a family visit. The city boasts everything from epic annual festivals and crowded concert halls to live music bars, nightclubs and lesser-known locales around town. Grab a bagel, hit the streets and stop in nearly any live venue in the area of your hotel to see what we mean.