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Top 5 Tips for Camping at Coachella
How-To's & Resources, News & Events
By Allison Fitts & Lillian Robinson
Later this spring, the U.S. summer festival season will unofficially kick off with Coachella in Indio, California. The iconic fest will take place over two weekends, April 13-17 and April 20-23, and feature artists like Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, Gorillaz, Frank Ocean and dozens more PER DAY! Before you head out into the California desert in a campervan, take our advice as Coachella veterans and review our top five tips for camping at Coachella.
1. If you haven’t already, reserve your Escape campervan now!
To have the best camping experience possible, you’re going to want a large bed, a nice kitchen setup, and the general comfort that an Escape campervan provides. Not only will you enjoy less time spent setting up and tearing down, but you’ll also have more protection from the elements AND more amenities to enjoy. Everyone else will be in tents, and you’ll be living large (while still on a budget). The closest depot to Indio, CA is in Los Angeles, but both Las Vegas and Phoenix depots could be good starting points, too. But DO NOT wait – Escape usually sells out during both weekends 1 AND 2 of Coachella.
2. Buy everything you will need before you go.
Once you enter the festival site, it is going to be near impossible, potentially even not allowed, to leave the site. This means you will want to stop at a store to pick up all the essentials you will need for your weekend. For us, this typically includes granola bars, eggs, La Croix, cheese sticks, and chips and salsa on the food front, plus sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, and plenty of water jugs on the supply front. Check out our additional accessories that you can pick up before your trip. You know what you will need best!
BONUS TIP: Leaving from LA? Check out their community cabinet where previous renters leave supplies and extra goodies they no longer needed while on the road. You can find anything from string lights and sunglasses to first aid kits and dish soap!
3. Create your own oasis when camping at Coachella.
Listen – campsites can be “boring,” but only if you let them be. Don’t be a van in the middle of a field. Go beyond that to create a super chill and comfortable place to hang out pre and post-show all weekend. We recommend using the camping chairs in the van along with some string lights and some shade canopies to create a nice little oasis in the desert. Having a cool setup is also a great way to make friends in your camping area!
4. Wake up early each day.
It may only be early spring, but in the California desert, it will already be blazing hot. Beat the heat by waking up early, showering before a line forms at the stations, and then relaxing in your oasis under the shade or entering the fest early. By being up and at ‘em, you can start drinking water sooner, relaxing and having fun, and not deal with the discomfort of waking up in 90-degree weather.
5. Enjoy the fest!
Camping is such an essential part of the Coachella experience, but so is the actual music! Go with your newfound camping friends into the actual festival grounds and enjoy the sounds of some of the best artists of our day playing with a beautiful desert backdrop. Be sure to also download the Coachella mobile app to get the most up-to-date information. And don’t forget to book your campervan early, for camping next year. Coachella 2023 here we come!