Live Performances That Surprise and Delight

Lovers of live entertainment—whether it’s Tony Award-winning Broadway shows, exhilarating sports matchups, rousing opera, orchestra, concert productions, or jaw-dropping acrobatics—have much to look forward to as venues and events across the country set their stages. Ready to hit the road? Here are some of our top picks!

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, located in Orlando, is quickly becoming established as a premier Broadway touring destination. The ’26-‘27 AdventHealth season features 10 productions, shown in its 2,700-seat Walt Disney Theater. Among them are the Tony- and Grammy Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club™, The Great Gatsby, BOOP!® The Musical, and Death Becomes Her. Returning favorites include Hamilton, Wicked, The Sound of Music, Beetlejuice, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and Jersey Boys. The entire lineup blends time-tested classics with all-new blockbusters to appeal to a wide range of audiences.  

Photo by Larry Ferdinande, courtesy of Virginia Arts Festival.

Held over a long weekend in April every year is Virginia International Tattoo, arranged by the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk. Globally acclaimed, it brings together 800 performers from around the world. Military bands, bagpipers, drill teams, choirs, and dancers put on a two-hour show that celebrates culture, music, and pageantry. Moving and memorable, it’s a must attend for groups. Also taking place concurrently with Virginia International Tattoo is the Norfolk NATO Festival, which has a number of free and inexpensive events. It makes for an ideal itinerary builder for longer stays in the area.    

Costa Mesa, California has been home to Segerstrom Center for the Arts since 1986. September marks two significant milestones: the Center’s 40^th anniversary and the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. As Orange County’s leading presenter of theater, dance, and music, Segerstrom Center hosts hundreds of events throughout the year across multiple indoor and outdoor stages, from intimate jazz performances to direct-from-Broadway productions. Watch for past and present Tony Award winners, such as The Outsiders, Maybe Happy Ending, Buena Vista Social Club, and The Book of Mormon.

Photo by Cris Costea, courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Looking for more to do while in sunny California? Just a 45-minute drive from Costa Mesa is Cosm, housed in greater LA’s Hollywood Park. Sports and entertainment come to life in an immersive 87-foot-diameter dome display that offers a shared reality encounter like none other. The dining is top notch, as well!

New York City has the trifecta of live performance options, with the Met Opera, New York Philharmonic, and Broadway. In the famous words of Mae West: “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful!”

The Met Opera’s ‘26-‘27 season opens in September, beginning with a new staging of Verdi’s Macbeth. Also to look forward to is the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s Lincoln in the Bardo and a new production of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West. Classic revivals of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Verdi’s Aida and Otello, Puccini’s La Bohème and Tosca, and the holiday presentation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute are also on the calendar. Groups can make it more special by adding a behind-the-scenes tour that offers a peek into how opera magic is made.   

Continue the enchantment with the New York Philharmonic—the nation’s oldest symphony orchestra. The ’26-‘27 season will be Gustavo Dudamel’s debut as the Tang Music & Artistic Director. Dudamel’s arrival welcomes a new era for the ensemble and promises an epic experience for all who attend. Highlights include Dudamel Conducts Mahler & Tania León, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert, John Adams & Víkingur Ólafsson, Gustavo Dudamel & Marina Abramović, and a series of Beethoven-focused productions. Add-ons, such as pre-concert talks, post-concert Q&As, and educator-led workshops are available and recommended.

Photo courtesy of Evan Zimmerman.

Let’s not forget Broadway! (As if that were possible.) See such Tony Award winners as Schmigadoon!, The Lost Boys, A New Musical, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, plus classics like Aladdin, Chicago, The Lion King, Little Shop of Horrors, Hamilton, and Evita. Also not to be overlooked are MJ The Musical, Masquerade, and Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. Of course, there are many more! Group planners are advised to make their arrangements through experts like Group Sales Box Office, who will help find the right shows and facilitate the process from payment to ticket delivery. They can also assist with extras, including Broadway Close-Uр—a talk-back session that provides one-on-one interactions with Broadway professionals. 

Crowds are flocking to Vegas for more than just gaming, especially with the arrival of the MSG Sphere, today known more familiarly as simply Sphere. East of the Las Vegas Strip, it towers over the skyline as the largest spherical structure in the world. With a $2.3 billion price tag, it features a 16K wraparound interior LED screen, an "Exosphere" with 1.2 million programmable LED lights, and 4D sensory effects. If that wasn’t impressive enough, what happens on screen and stage is the real draw. Take in multisensory films, such as Darren Aronofsky's Postcard from Earth, see The Wizard of Oz like never before, or enjoy live music from resident artists, including the Eagles and Metallica.   

While in the Entertainment Capital of the World, don’t miss a chance to see a Cirque du Soleil performance. Currently, there’s the water-themed "O" at the Bellagio; action- and martial arts-packed KÀ at the MGM Grand; Michael Jackson ONE, paying tribute to the music and legacy of “The King of Pop,” at Mandalay Bay; family friendly and funny Mystère at Treasure Island; and nightlife-inspired Mad Apple at New York-New York.

There’s one more gem making headlines and attracting fans to the shores of the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Recently opened in spring of 2026, Acrisure Amphitheater is an open-air, 12,000-plus-capacity performing arts venue with a seasonal schedule running approximately June through September. Highly innovative, it sets new standards for outdoor entertainment, boasting unobstructed views from every seat and concession and restroom conveniences that concert-goers yearn for. The stage canopy, spanning the length of a football field, is an engineering marvel, as well. The amphitheater opened with Lionel Richie, and will continue to bring in big-name acts, with about 50 shows per season expected. The first show announced for 2027 is reggae-dub band Stick Figure.

Grand Rapids is situated about two-and-a-half hours from both Detroit and Chicago, so adding a trip to the soon-to-open Cosm in Detroit's Cadillac Square or seeing a Broadway In Chicago show while in the region is right within reach!

Wherever your motorcoach takes you, it’s important to note that many of these venues have discounts and perks for groups of 10 or more. Coordinating with a group sales rep is the best way to get a good deal.  

Written by Allison Kay Bannister, Contributing Writer for Groups Today.

This article originally appeared in the Sept/Oct ’26 issue of Groups Today.

Main photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy.