The Ultimate Guide for First-Time Coachella Attendees

For two weekends in April, over 100,000 people a day head to the Southern California desert for one reason: Coachella. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — more commonly known as just Coachella — is one of the most famous music festivals in the world. The festival takes place over two weekends in Indio, a city in the Coachella Valley, and is a major cultural event. Not only is it a big deal in the music world, but it also blends in art and fashion for the ultimate cool factor. For millions around the world, experiencing Coachella is a real bucket list item.

Going to Coachella for the first time can be overwhelming as there is so much going on. The festival has a huge lineup of artists spread out on multiple stages over three days, and no matter whether your jam is alternative rock or electronic music, there’s something in the lineup for you; you just need to figure out where and when. The weather is challenging as it can get brutally hot during the day and cold at night. Between figuring out where to stay and how to get to the venue, there’s quite a bit of planning involved. If you’re a first-timer to Coachella, the guide below will help you plan your trip and navigate the festival itself during the day. From what to eat inside the festival, what to pack, and how you should get there, we’ve got you covered. 

As mentioned in the intro, Coachella is an annual art and music festival and pop culture phenomenon. The festival’s name is drawn from its location, as Coachella is held at the Empire Polo Club, a 1,000-acre venue in Indio in California’s Coachella Valley. The first Coachella was held on October 9 and 10, 1999, and featured alternative rock groups, including Beck and Rage Against the Machine. Around 25,000 people attended that first Coachella, and the festival has grown leaps and bounds since then. It now takes place over two separate three-day weekends. The two weekends have the same lineup of artists, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the Coachella Valley. 

Today, Coachella is known for its diverse music lineup, bringing artists of all genres, from rock to hip hop. It’s also known for featuring both well-established and emerging artists, often launching the careers of the latter. Over 100 artists will play Coachella over each weekend. Coachella has brought some influential artists as headliners over the years, including Billie Eilish, Amy Winehouse, and Beyonce. What gets less attention than the music is the visual art part of Coachella, but it isn’t to be ignored. Be sure to check out the large-scale installations on the festival grounds that make Coachella’s visual experience the transcendent experience it is.

With so many people attending the desert festival, there’s bound to be a lot of traffic getting to the venue. There are also many street closures due to the festival, making driving to Coachella even more challenging. There is free day parking offered at Coachella, so this is the cheapest option, but the slots are limited and may run out if you arrive late. It’s also quite a long walk from the parking lot to the festival entrance, and since it’s stacked parking, you may end up waiting quite a while to leave the lot at the end of the night.

Luckily, there are other options. Coachella offers two transportation-related passes: A weekend preferred parking pass and a weekend shuttle pass. The preferred parking pass costs $299 for the weekend and gets you much closer than the free day parking lot, but it’s still stacked parking, which is a pain when you leave. Do note that to park at any of the lots, everyone in the car must be wearing a festival wristband. 

The shuttle option is the one experienced festival-goers tend to recommend, as the shuttle drop-off is a shorter walk to the festival itself (and, of course, you don’t need to drive). The shuttle pass costs $140 per person for each weekend. Lastly, you can take a rideshare or taxi to and from the festival but the driver still has to deal with road closures, the walk from the drop-off point is even further than the day parking, and the cost will likely add up.

Music festivals have amped up their food and drink offerings in recent years, and Coachella is no different. The culinary lineup at Coachella is almost as exciting as the music, with some of the most popular restaurants slinging their food inside the festival. You can find everything from quick bites to fancy sit-down meals, with plenty of variation across the grounds.

The festival will feature food from some of LA’s favorite local restaurants and beyond, with 2025 offerings including Tijuana-style tacos and vampiros from Tacos 1986, wagyu smash burgers from Burgers She Wrote, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches from Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Italian sandwiches from All’ Antico Vinaio, with plenty more wherever you turn. There will also be speakeasies hidden throughout the festival pouring cocktails and natural wines. Heineken will host a beer garden complete with its own lineup of performers, and Afters Ice Cream will be there scooping ice creams so festivalgoers can cool down from the heat (and enjoy delicious ice cream, of course). 

For those up to splurge on a meal, every night of the festival will feature a dinner with Outstanding in the Field, a farm-to-table dinner series held at the VIP Rose Garden. The dinner costs $362.50 (including service fees) for a four-course menu and will rotate chefs every night. The chef lineup includes Top Chef alum Silvia Barban from New York City, James Beard finalist Tara Monsod from San Diego, and more.

Not only is the official Coachella app your go-to resource on the ground, but it also happens to be mandatory. You actually have to get the app, as you need it to register and activate your wristband before entering the festival. A lot of people forget to download this in advance, and while there are some cell signal and Wi-Fi spots at the festival, a lot of people will be using the networks, and connectivity is spotty at best. Avoid the stress and download the app ahead of time for a smooth check-in experience.

If you haven’t gotten your pass yet, you can do so from the app, which also allows you to browse the different hotel packages. As you might assume, the official Coachella app is the best place to keep up to date with what’s going on with the festival. News and announcements are available on the app and it will also inform revelers of schedule changes as they happen. The set times will be published on the app a couple of days before the festival, so you can use the app to plan your days. 

The Coachella app also has all the important practical information like directions, shuttle times, and more. You can also check out the merch beforehand to decide if you want to line up for some shopping. Finally, the app has a curated playlist to get you in the mood before the festival comes. Downloading it might be mandatory, but the Coachella app really is the best source of info once the festival is underway.

Coachella might be a music festival, but it has also developed a reputation for style. There are some key points to remember when deciding what to wear to Coachella, and they mostly revolve around the weather in the desert. By April in the Coachella Valley, it will almost certainly be extremely hot during the day (there are some rare years when the temperature is a little cooler, so check the weather app), but the temperature drops quickly at night. Most years, the temperature can hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night. With all that in mind, you want to dress for warm weather but bring a jacket for the nighttime shows. Hats and sunglasses are also always a good call to protect you from the sun. Suncream is a must.

Since the venue tends to be dusty, people also recommend wearing or bringing a bandana or a mask to cover your nose and mouth. All practicalities aside, Coachella festival-goers are known for their Bohemian style, or what has been deemed “boho chic.” For women, that means bring on the flower prints and fringes. Men usually wear shirts with boho patterns, linen shorts, or vintage graphic tees, although the style has shifted slightly; according to W Magazine, “coded luxury” has entered the picture. Whatever style you’re going for, just make sure you have comfortable shoes or sandals and are dressed for the weather.

Attendees are allowed to bring bags or backpacks as long as they are 18 by 13 by 8.5 inches or smaller. Most Coachella attendees will spend all day at the festival, so it’s important to bring some essentials, and a Coachella packing list is pretty close to the ultimate packing list for a successful beach trip. It will almost certainly be hot and seriously sunny, so pack sunscreen, lip balm, and a handheld fan if you have one. A reusable water bottle will also be important so you can keep hydrated throughout the day. Heat stroke is a real danger, so bring a wide-brimmed hat. 

There are things the festival won’t allow you to bring inside the grounds, including glass or metal bottles. A plastic water bottle you can reuse is fine, but it must be empty when you enter the festival — outside food and drinks aren’t allowed in. There are water stations inside where you can refill your bottle. You can only bring non-aerosol sunscreen, and while parasols are allowed, umbrellas are not.

For tech, there are charging stations at the festival, but you’ll need to bring your own charging cable. You can bring a blanket or towel to have a smooth surface to sit on, just make sure it’s 50 by 70 inches or smaller. Some people may also want to bring earplugs so you can go to bed without your ears ringing at the end of the night.

While there are a lot of great hotels in the area, convenience is king when deciding where to stay at Coachella. If you plan to get the shuttle pass, the hotels that use the shuttle stops or the ones nearby will be your best bet. The hotels with shuttle stops include JW Marriott Desert Springs and Hampton Inn & Suites in Indio. Another option is to stay within walking distance of a shuttle stop. I personally love The Kimpton Rowan (walking distance to Palm Springs Convention Center), but staying at a boutique mid-century modern hotel like Orbit In is also a popular choice for Coachella attendees. Airbnb is a good option for those traveling with a larger group who want to stay together, although you should always be wary of the sneaky dangers you may not have considered.

Another option is to camp at Coachella instead. The cheapest option is car camping at the festival, which costs $160 for the weekend. There are also tented camping options. The cheaper option starts at $650 to camp in a souvenir Coachella tent (two-person max occupancy), but for a more comfortable night, there’s the La Campana camping that starts at $2,400 but comes with a temperature-controlled tent and a real bed. You can’t beat a real bed.

One thing to be ready for when attending Coachella is the sheer amount of walking. Not only is it a large festival where you will be walking between the different stages all day, but you’ll also need to walk to and from the venue and either the parking or shuttle areas. Wearing comfortable shoes is very important. Speaking of shuttles, they leave the local stops from 12:30 p.m., and the return service ends about an hour after the music ends each night. Those flying into LAX for the festival can also book a shuttle from the airport to one of the partner hotels or the festival campground.

Cell phone coverage at Coachella has improved over the years, but it can still be spotty due to the remote location and the sheer number of people attending the festival. It’s good to set a meeting point with your friends in case you lose cell signal. If you want to bring in towels and other things but don’t want to carry them around all day, you can rent a locker. There are limited lockers, so reserve one ahead of time if you think you’ll need it. 

Coachella welcomes guests with disabilities, and visitors should register at an Accessibility Services Hub in person. For those who can’t make it to Coachella at all, the sets will be live-streamed on YouTube. If you can’t be there physically, you might as well be there digitally.

We know that Coachella attendees come from all over, so if you’re traveling far to visit the iconic festival, why not take an extra day or two and explore the area? The main destination city in Coachella Valley is Palm Springs, and there are plenty of things to do there, so if you’re traveling from far away, this is the time to check out why it’s one of Southern California’s favorite getaways. 

Palm Springs is artsy and quirky. Architecture lovers should explore the midcentury modern homes and buildings around the area, including Elvis Presley’s honeymoon hideaway. The annual impressive open-air art exhibition Desert X also takes place around the same time. Take a drive to admire the open-air, large-scale installations that will grace the desert for a limited time. 

You can also retreat to one of the resorts and spas in Rancho Mirage to recharge from the weekend activities or soak in the hot springs at The Spa at Séc-he. Alternatively, if you want to keep the party going, there are plenty of bars and clubs around. To get away from the heat, you can take the aerial tramway up to Mount San Jacinto, where the temperature will be much cooler, which is perfect for the hiking trails available up there. Outdoors lovers should take the one-hour drive east to visit Joshua Tree National Park. There’s no shortage of things to do should Coachella not fill your cup.