The time has come!
Ahh, Coachella. It’s a magical place where iconic musical acts bring surprise guests on stage, colorful art installations visually dominate the grounds, self-expression is showcased through unique fashion, and Spicy Pie pizza is consumed by thousands. It’s three days of grooving to some of the raddest music with your closest friends under the desert sun in Indio, California. But if there’s one special experience that weave together the full Coachella experience, it’s camping in the Polo campgrounds.
Coachella is one of the biggest music festivals in the world, where a large portion of attendees choose to camp at the festival grounds. Whether you’re a newbie camper or an old-timer, here are 40 must-have essentials and ultimate tips to make your Coachella camping experience the best it could be.
Personal
- Wristband + Camping Pass – Register your wristband ahead of time before you get there
- Towel(s)
- Toiletries – Include dry shampoo to reduce hair greasiness without the need for water
- Wet wipes – To wipe down between showers. You’ll practically be living in dust, dirt, and grass, and wet wipes are helpful in keeping clean.
- Warm clothes – For nighttime, it gets chilly
- Bandanas/mask – To cover your mouth when it gets extremely windy/dusty. You can also wet the bandanas and use it to cool you down, or use it as sun protection.
- Earplugs – Trust me, it can get loud in the morning and at night when your neighbors are partying until the AM’s
- Eye Mask – To block out the light from the early morning sun and your neighbors lights
- Hat – Sun protection is key in the desert
- Sunscreen
- Insulated water bottle – Throw some ice in there, and you have refreshing cold water for a longer period of time
- Cool towels – Different from regular towels, they use evaporation to draw water away from the body
- Camera – Make sure it’s fully charged
- Portable battery operated fan/folding fan
- Shower sandals
- First Aid Kit
- Portable charger
- Allergy Medicine – There will be lots of dust, pollen, and cigarette smoke floating around
To see My Ultimate Coachella Packing List, read here: My Ultimate Coachella Checklist: Everything to Survive And Thrive
Camping Gear
- Pop-up canopy tent – This is a necessity. You’ll regret not bringing one as the sun can be brutally hot. Make sure to anchor them very well. If you don’t, it will blow away!
- Tarp/Tapestry – For privacy and keep the sun out
- Sleeping tent
- Sleeping pad or air mattress
- Tent stakes – No metal. Tent stakes are absolutely necessary to prevent your canopy tent and sleeping tent from flying into the wind (it definitely happens, I’ve seen them swirl in the air like a mini tornado passed by)
- Lawn chairs
- Rug or bamboo mat – Rug is great to lay down on and relax. Bamboo mats are the same, but also very cool to the touch
- Yeti cooler with a lot of ice and frozen water bottles – Ice is expensive at the campground. Cold frozen water bottles are refreshing and can help cool you down in the hot desert sun
- Headlamp – For night time, and very useful for the porta potties
- Lantern
- String lights – Helps see campsite in the dark and adds cozy vibes
- Folding table
- Rubber mallet
- Zip ties
- Decorations – To make your campsite feel like home. For the positive vibes and feng shui. Some ideas are windmills, garlands, hanging decorations, flower spinners, banners, etc.
Kitchen
- WATER WATER WATER – To hydrate, cool down, brush your teeth, etc.
- Portable cook stove + propane
- Lighter/matches
- Cooking pan/pot
- Cooking utensils + eating utensils
- Electrolytes – To help you stay hydrated in the desert heat
- Solo cups – Bring enough if you’re planning on playing any drinking games
Need food ideas? You might like this post: Easy and Affordable Food Ideas for Camping at Coachella
Reminders, Tips, & Notes
1.) Don’t Bring Any Glass
Glass bottles, glass handles, mirrors, glass containers, are all prohibited.
2.) No Metal Stakes
They will be confiscated. The Polo fields are supposedly used for Polo games and metal stakes could potentially be a hazard, especially for horses. An alternative is plastic stakes.
3.) Bring Plenty of Ice
If you’re on a budget and you want to keep your drinks and food cool throughout the weekend without breaking the bank, bring plenty of ice. If you have an extra cooler to spare, a popular way to make your ice last longer is the two-cooler method.
The two cooler method is when one cooler is dedicated to refrigerated items and the second is for frozen items. The latter is strictly for extra bags of ice/dry ice/frozen water bottles/ice cream so you can have ice throughout the entire weekend. You can transfer the frozen water bottles and ice to the refrigerated cooler when the ice in gets low. Be sure to keep the cooler closed and only open unless you’re getting frozen water. And if you decide to bring dry ice, never touch it directly, use caution, and be responsible and do your proper research before handling it.
4.) Fill up Your Gas Tank Before Getting to the Festival
By the end of the weekend, chances are you’ll be knackered. Completing this minor task before you arrive can help make the trip home a bit easier.
5.) Campground Store
In case you forget a few items, there is a campground general store that sells basic necessities, like toiletries, solo cups, ice, etc. But if you’re on a budget, I recommend coming as prepared as possible.
First time? Check out: First Timer’s Guide to Coachella: 24 Helpful Tips And Tricks for a Stress-Free Time
6.) Pack Out All Your Items
With the exception of trash in trash bags, if you bring it in, make sure to take it with you when you leave. Camping chair? Pop-up canopy? Don’t forget to take it with you!
7.) Check the Official Coachella Website
Be sure to check the Coachella website for any specific prohibited items before you pack. Rules may change or be modified so find the latest information on their website.
Happy Coachella!
