1. Plan your schedule in the app.
The Coachella set times don't usually come out until a couple of days before the festival. We're about a week out right now and they're still not out, but that is to be expected with any major festival—especially with the last minute lineup changes we saw this year. Use the Coachella app to easily plan your experience and set reminders for your favorite artists. You can add the artists you want to see before the schedule comes out, and then change things as you need to once it's been released. There are tons of other features in the app as well, but this one is the most useful for planning ahead.
2. Bring the necessities.
Everyone has a different opinion on what the necessities are when you go to Coachella, and what you need might change day to day. Here are a few things I always make sure to have in my bag at any festival, whether it's my hotel bag or the actual bag I take into the event every day:
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm
- Mask (for the dust!)
- Extra pair of sunglasses
- Shoe inserts
- An extra outfit or two just in case
- Portable phone charger
3. Walk more in the days leading up to the festival.
I'm not telling you to exercise more in order to look your best at Coachella (though be my guest if you want to), but I am warning you to go on a walk or two before Coachella to give your feet a chance to get used to walking a lot. This is especially true if you work a desk job or just generally don't spend a lot of time standing up. Your feet will thank you later, and if you have a treadmill at home this is an excellent way to break in your Coachella shoes without getting them dirty.
4. Eat nourishing food in the days leading up to the festival.
Again, this is by no means weight loss advice. However, eating nourishing food in the days leading up to the festival will give you more energy and vitality once you're there. If you can continue eating pretty healthy while you're there—which is definitely possible since the food options at Coachella are pretty diverse—you're going to feel even better.
Lace Flowerfields Dress Outfit
5. Have meetups planned ahead.
Phone service at major festivals can be pretty bad, especially once all of the crowds are there. Plan meetups ahead of time or have a plan of action if you get separated from your group. Sometimes it's fun to go solo when you get separated, but not everyone feels comfortable with that. Have a plan figured out just in case.
Midnight Sparkle Sequin Outfit
6. Don't worry about not getting into parties.
A lot of people will try to tell you that Coachella is all about the parties, or that Weekend 1 is the only good weekend to attend. My first Coachella experience was during Weekend 2 and I didn't go to any parties and had a great time regardless. You're going to have a great time no matter what you do, just don't get caught up in the FOMO because someone on Instagram looks like they're having a better time.
7. Listen to new artists before the festival.
Part of the fun of Coachella is getting to see new artists and appreciate music you might not have checked out otherwise. Take some time over the next week or so to check out the artists on the lineup that you haven't heard before—you might just find your new favorite!
Lace Flowerfields Marabou Oufit
8. Clean your space so you have something to come home to.
I do this before any trip, but taking the time to clean your home as best as possible will make your return that much better. It's always nice to come home to a clean space—so at least make your bed and hide your dirty laundry.
9. Know what kinds of services are available to you at the festival.
There are tons of services onsite at Coachella that are only there to make your experience as easy and fun as possible. A free shuttle service in the camping area, for example, will take you to a nearby grocery store for supplies if you need them.
Other services like the medical facility are there to keep you safe and healthy no matter what, so don't be afraid to stop in for a band aid, advil, or even mental health services.
Coachella offers a special care and support service called Every One, which is there to offer mental health and support services for attendees throughout the event. There are trained Every One team members all over the festival, and even a tent for you to retreat to if you need some quiet or mental health support. These services are available to anyone that needs them (for free) and offer mental health and harassment support.
10. Don't forget to take care of yourself while you're there.
No one is saying you can't go hard at Coachella, but you should take care of yourself while you're there. Take some time to stretch your body—maybe do some yoga in the mornings, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and get as much sleep as you can.
11. Bring plenty of snacks.
Whether you're camping or staying in a hotel/Airbnb, you're not going to want to go get snacks in between while you're at the festival throughout the weekend. Stop and get some snacks on your way to the desert to have at your campsite or in your hotel room—even if it's just some drinks.
12. Plan extra time for travel.
Traffic at Coachella is no joke. Plan extra time for travel to and from the festival if you're staying in a hotel/Airbnb and even more extra time if you're in an uber or taking your own car. The shuttle service is a good way to get a pretty solid estimate on how long it will take to get there because it can bypass a lot of the individual traffic around the polo field, but even then you should expect it to take longer than any maps estimate will give you.
13. Overestimate your budget.
The one piece of advice I have for any trip is to overestimate how much you'll spend when you're there. Budget for drinks, impulse merch purchases, uber rides you don't expect to take, or other emergencies that may pop up. A lot of hotels will charge a security deposit during festivals, so it's a good idea to have a card that can cover that just in case.
14. Bring cash just in case.
Most festivals—especially Coachella—are pretty cashless these days. I can't think of too many scenarios where you'll absolutely need cash to get by, but it's always good to have just in case.
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