Coachella Camping Tips & Checklist [2024]

Your weekend in the California desert will be ruined if you show up unprepared. Day-time temperatures at Coachella regularly exceed 100 degrees, so it’s important to stay cool and hydrated. 

Aside from safety, the most important part of Coachella is the experience. The following camping tips and packing checklist will ensure that you have the most hassle-free experience possible. Enjoy

Coachella Essentials

• GoPro – You will have one of the best times of your life at Coachella, make sure you record your favorite moments so that your memories will last a lifetime. The GoPro is perfect because it’s light, small and records hours of HD footage.
• Portable Phone Charger – Your phone WILL RUN OUT OF BATTERY at Coachella. There’s nothing more annoying, or frightening, than having your phone die when you’re trying to find your lost friends, or call an Uber at the end of the night. If there’s one thing to buy on this list, it’s a portable phone charger.
• Facial Sunscreen Stick – This is a no brainer. 100 degree weather, hot desert sun, outdoor festival. Bring a small portable sunscreen stick for your face.

Coachella Packing List

If an item or tip is listed here, I highly suggest you bring it!

• Pop-up Cabana – The centerpiece of your campsite will be your shade structure. I suggest (several) EZ-up cabanas with tarps attached to three sides (secure with zip ties). This will allow for maximum privacy and shade but also allow a breeze to enter the area. In fact, you can even use your cabana as your sleeping place. A tent blocks the breeze and tends to turn into a sweat-box by 8:00 am each morning. Unless you plan on doing Bikram Yoga in your tent, you don’t even really need one.
• Battery Powered Fan  – The ultimate tool for keeping cool. The O2 cool, which works great and is similar to this model.
• Cooler with dry ice – Wrap your dry ice in newspaper and DON’T touch it with your bare hands. If wrapped properly and the lid is kept on your cooler, the dry ice should last all weekend. I suggest coolers with a drain at the bottom which will allow you to fill up your mister with cold water . Also, make sure to freeze all of your drinks and water bottles so that they’ll last over the weekend (and serve as extra ice to keep your cooler nice and cool).
• Water. Water. Water. And, Water.
• Solar Shower – Fill up your solar shower with the melted water from your cooler and use it as a refreshing shower.  I have this 5 gallon sun shower.  It’s cheap and gets the job done.

What to eat at Coachella

• Trail Mix – Stock up on these, they’ll go quick.
• Pre-cut Watermelon and Frozen Grapes – Not only will the watermelon fill you up, but it will also keep you hydrated. Frozen grapes will do the same.
• Vitamins – Taking a multi-vitamin every morning will help you keep your energy and health during this long, long weekend.
• Plastic Utensils – A must if you plan on bringing food to cook.
• Pedialyte Powder – This applies for all camping and traveling excursions. Adding Pedialyte to a water bottle will keep you hydrated with electrolytes and is sugar-free (sugar in a sports drink can actually make dehydration worse).
• Propane Grill – If fruits and snacks aren’t enough to keep you full, you might consider bringing on a propane powered stove so you can cook some eggs and more wholesome foods. The Coleman Road Trip Grill is the highest rated on Amazon and can be picked up for a good price.
• Splurge – Visit the food stands in the campground and spend some cash on really tasty pizzas, gyros, hotdogs and vegetarian dishes.  All of the food stands are run by local Coachella Valley residents and you’ll be supporting the local economy.
• Aspirin – Just in case.

Campground Entertainment

• Portable speakers – My group always brings portable a JAMBOX so that we we’ll have some music 24/7.  Remember to pack extra batteries and respect your neighbors at night!
• Cornhole, football, horse shoes or ladder toss: Any of these can be made in to a fun drinking game. Bring at least one of them.
• Deck of cards – Life lesson #324, always bring a deck of cards when traveling.

Campground Hygiene

• Face wipes – Thousands of people tramping over grass + dry weather = lots of dust. Keep the dust off your face with Neutrogena or Garnier face wipes. Also, you can soak a wash cloth in the cooler water and use it to cool of your face and neck.
• Hand Sanitizer – Order a few of these small bottles of sanitizer. It’s nearly impossible to find a sink with clean running water in the campgrounds.
• Toilet Paper – Don’t be the Coachella newb that realizes there is no toilet paper in your porta-potie… only after it’s too late…

Other Coachella camping necessities

Auxiliary Items – Hammer, zip ties, flashlight, nylon rope, pocket knife and SUNSCREEN. It’s also a good idea to bring a power strip, so that you can charge multiple appliances at the campground charging station.

Sleeping Bag and Air Mattress – This is an obvious necessity for your campsite. You don’t necessarily need a thick sleeping bag, as it stays fairly warm at night. I would also suggest bringing a thin blanket just in case it gets too hot at night for the sleeping bag. The air mattress I use comes with a battery powered pump for easy inflation.

I would also HIGHLY recommend a travel neck pouch to keep your money and ID safe. You can wear it under your shirt throughout the day. I take one of these

with me whenever I travel, and I recommend you do the same. Losing your money (or getting it stolen from your campsite) is never fun, especially at Coachella when you’re miles away from the closest bank.

This should go without saying, but I hear horror stories every year of people that have left their wristbands at home. So, be sure to pack your wristband, ID and the credit card you bought your wristband with.

Did I forget anything? If so, please add it in the comments section. Coachella camping checklist:

Packing List and Coachella camping essentials:

1. Tickets (duh!)
2. Sunscreen (SPF 50 or higher)
3. Frozen water bottles in a cooler
4. Earplugs (try falling asleep while your camping neighbors blast Zedd at 3:30am)
5. Face wipes or makeup remover
6. Pedialyte powder. Great for rehydration, mix them into your water.
7. Chairs, sleeping bags and tent of course!
8. Lights, batteries and battery block for keeping your phone charged.
9. Advil, melatonin and any medication you require.
10. A positive attitude and an open mind!