California Bound

If you are flying in, the closest airport to the festival is Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), which is about a half hour drive from the grounds. However, flying in to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and driving the two and a half hours to the festival will save you money on that connecting flight to PSP.

Coachella also provides shuttle buses to and from the airport for festival-goers. Rather than renting a car for the weekend, this economical and environmentally friendly option transports people to the camping grounds (if camping) or to one of the nearby hotels for $80. Round-trip transportation from LAX can be purchased here.

Coachella Bound

If you are driving to Coachella, the festival provides directions from San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Arizona, and Las Vegas for the quickest and easiest route.

Coachella strongly recommends carpooling and created the carpoolchella initiative with the help of Global Inheritance back in 2007 to help preserve the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. Participating in this initiative opens up the possibility for you to win a variety of Coachella prizes including VIP tickets to the festival for life! So don’t be afraid to ask fellow festival-goers if they need a lift.

Where to stay

If you choose to stay in a hotel, the closest area of civilization to Coachella is Palm springs so you’ll have to book a hotel there and shuttle/cab/uber/hitch a ride to the grounds every day. Local shuttle passes are $50 and can be purchased in combination with a festival pass. A shuttle pass will give you unlimited transportation to and from the stop of your choosing. Shuttles run from 11 a.m. until one hour after the last artist performance of the night. If you are taking a taxi or uber to the festival, pickup and drop-off is near Avenue 49 and Monroe in lot 1C.

If you are driving to the festival every day from your hotel, airbnb, aunt’s house, Coachella does provide free parking at the grounds from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. It may be easier though to park in one of the side parking lots for $15-$40 and walk to the festival to avoid the traffic jam at the end of the night.

Camping

I strongly recommend you embrace the full Coachella experience and camp at the festival. For those of you inexperienced with Coachella camping… Don’t worry. It’s pretty simple.

Car camping: A car camping pass is $85 and gives you a 10’x30′ spot that comfortably fits your car, a tent, and an area to entertain new friends for the entire weekend. Depending on where your camping spot is (first come first served), the festival gates are about a 15-25 minute walk. Only one car is permitted per spot and, if you and your crew have taken separate cars, you must enter the festival together to camp together.

Tent camping: If you are arriving to the festival via shuttle bus, taxi, uber, or carpool then the tent camping option is for you. Each spot is 10’x15′ and can be purchased with your festival ticket for $85. One overnight parking spot is provided with each tent camping ticket for you to leave your car if you did drive to the festival. Tent camping spots are in a grassy area beside car camping spots and are about the same distance to the festival gates.

Lake Eldorado camping: Set up surrounding Lake Eldorado (yes, an actual lake) a spot in one of the 2-person tee pees or 4-person tents starts at the price of $2,350 and increases from there. This option has extra perks and amenities (like private porto potties and flushable toilets), and has your home for the weekend ready to go for you by the time you arrive.

Safari tents: For the true glampers, Coachella’s safari tents are the ultimate in luxury. With air conditioning, private rest rooms and showers, breakfast, security and fully furnished “shakir style” tents that are set up for you by the time you have arrived, this option can be purchased at $7,000 for two people.

Camping do’s and don’ts

– Camping is 18+. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
– The campgrounds open Thursday at 9 a.m. and close Monday at noon. Do yourself a favour and arrive as early as possible to avoid lineups.
– Each festival-goer camping must have their own valid festival pass
– Bring as normal a tent as possible (no branding or logos)
– You can bring food and beverage into the campgrounds to sustain yourself for the weekend.
– However DO NOT bring glass bottles. Glass bottles will be confiscated upon your search into the campgrounds.
– Leave your weapons, drugs and drug paraphernalia at home
– On that note… leave little Fido at home too
– And those tiki torches you have lying around
– And the fireworks.
– Free showers will be available
– Cellphone charger stations and an internet cafe with wifi can be found on the campgrounds
– And in case you forgot anything in your excitement, the campground’s general store carries everything you need; from band-aids and batteries to condoms and toothbrushes. Shuttle buses can also be taken to the nearest Wal-Mart everyday.

Sustenance

Coachella has food trucks with every kind of food imaginable. There are food trucks, makeshift restaurants, bars to buy alcoholic drinks at and water stations everywhere. Whether you are vegetarian, celiac, vegan, or meatatarian, Coachella has got you covered and will have you salivating over all the delicious options. However here’s the deal… Food is expensive at festivals and Coachella is no exception. Be prepared to spend at least $20-$40 on food per day.

The fresh watermelon is my favorite Coachella snack. For five dollars, you get a quarter of a melon that will refresh you and keep you hydrated throughout the day.

For those camping, there’s a farmer’s market in the campgrounds where you can get a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit, smoothies and coconuts, and coffee and pastries. Definitely don’t neglect the breakfast burritos though as they will overwhelm your tastebuds while giving you the sustenance you need to party longer with less strain on your wallet.

Wobbly-pops

Water is $2 a bottle and you will probably end up with heat stroke if you are not hydrating throughout the day… Especially if you are spending the day at the festival raging under the beating sun. At $2 a bottle, Coachella provides festival-goers with a reasonable price for water however, free water refill stations are located throughout the grounds. The line-up can be super long at these though so make sure to budget time waiting if you are choosing this refreshingly free option.

The official beer of Coachella is Heineken so anticipate drinking at least a keg’s worth. A regular beer is $7 and a tall boy is $9. If beer is not your style, basic high balls can be purchased for about $12.

A Little Advice

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS before putting on your wristband. Seriously people, if you mess that up you can kiss your perfect weekend goodbye. Any wristband that has been tampered with is voided. And don’t forget your wristbands at home! Kind of important…

Stop at Wal-Mart before driving into the campgrounds to stock up on ice, plenty of cases of water and a ton of snacks so you don’t have to waste your money once you’re at the grounds. While I do love Cheetos, protein bars and dried fruit are wonderful snacks for the weekend that will help keep your energy levels high.

Grab maps of the campsite and festival grounds and acquaint yourself with your surroundings. When you’re in an urgent rush to make it to a certain show or when you need to pee at 3 a.m. in the dark you will thank us.

Re-entry in the festival grounds between the campsite is allowed. It’s probably a good idea to take breaks in between your favourite artists to go back to your campsite and load up on sustenance.

Carry lots of cash. Don’t bring all the cash you own into the festival every day and make sure you lock up your belongings when you leave your campsite but don’t bother with the ATMs. The service fees are through the roof and the lineups are a waste of time.

It is possible to find your friends again if you’ve wandered off solo to check out the mojave tent while they jam inside yuma. A meeting spot with a set time can reunite you… And might be more reliable then your cell phone with the temperamental service in the festival grounds. Make sure you pick somewhere super unique and low-key though, like the popsicle stand beside the sahara tent… And indulge in one while you’re there.

The Coachella Valley is in the desert… Yes it is scorching during the day. But it does also get pretty chilly at night. Bring sweatpants, sweaters, beanies and blankets for your nighttime adventures.

Go with the flow! We definitely understand the desire to see certain acts but sometimes missing an artist to go on an adventure with a newfound Coachella soulmate is worth it.