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If you want to get the full Coachella Music Festival experience, camping on the festival grounds is the way to go. However, pitching a tent for the star-studded, music-filled weekend is easier said than done. Coachella campers, fear not – we’ve put together a comprehensive list of everything you need to know about camping out at Coachella this year.
Weekend 1 tickets to Coachella are already sold out on the primary market, though folks can still register for Weekend 2 presale at the official festival website. Miss out on buying passes completely? Check out our ticket-buying guide to find out all the different methods of acquiring tickets. You can also head here to start shopping on SeatGeek.
In order to camp during Coachella, festival goers must purchase a camping pass along with their ticket. Tent camping and car camping tickets, Coachella’s most popular camping options, go for $102 plus fees. VIP camping options, additional vehicle parking passes, and other add-ons are also available for purchase. You can check out all of the camping pass options here.
Before we get into the all the deets, we thought we’d break down all the different camping styles that Coachella has to choose from. The festival offers a variety of different ways for you and your crew to camp out all weekend long.
Car camping is Coachella’s most popular camping option by far, as it allows festival goers to park their vehicle alongside their camping space. This gives fans the opportunity to build their own humble abode among their campsite, and have their car nearby for easy access to personal items, food, and any other festival essentials. Car camping spaces are 30’X10′. While only one vehicle per car camp site is allowed, unlimited guests can dwell in your camping space. The more the merrier! If you plan on bringing an additional vehicle, Camping Companion parking passes are available for purchase. But if you want a space that’s close to all the festival happenings, plan to arrive early – car camp sites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Preferred Car Camping is an upgraded version of your normal car camping pass. Preferred Car Camping allows you to park in a reserved space near the venue’s entrance, nearby the Ferris Wheel. Coachella attendees can arrive at their own pace, since these spots are reserved. Plus, camping close to the iconic Coachella ferris wheel makes for a spectacular festival view.
Do you love some good ol’ fashioned camping? Don’t have a car? Traveling to Coachella from another country? Tent camping is ideal for building your own DIY oasis in the middle of the desert. These camping sites measure 15’X10′ with the option to include as many guests and tents within the campsite as you’d like. While pitching a tent may sound gritty, Coachella offers many amenities that are available for campers to use throughout the festival such as showers, free Wifi and charging stations, portable restroom facilities, medical aid, and even a general store.
Are you looking to go “glamping” this year? Coachella supports your decision, with options to lodge at their Safari Campgrounds or along placid Lake Eldorado. Fans can reserve furnished tents, yurts, and lakeside lodges, perfect for those looking for a little more privacy during their festival getaway. This camping option comes with additional perks too like shuttles to local supermarkets and the option to keep your car at a nearby off-site parking lot.
Each style of camping has its own set of guidelines, but Coachella outlines some general rules for all campers to follow in order for everyone to have a stellar camping experience. (You can a full and detailed list of camping guidelines here.)
A festival pass is required for camping at Coachella, however all festival attendees can enter the camping areas. Everyone who enters the festival camping sites will be searched upon arrival, along with a vehicle search. Additionally, all campers must be 18 years or older, or accompanied by their parent or guardian for the duration of their camping stay if they are under 18.
It’s important to note that vehicles are searched upon arrival, and only passenger cars, trucks, and vans are allowed for car camping purposes. Other vehicles like RVs, motorcycles, U-Hauls/trailers, and busses are not permitted for car camping. As far as leaving the camp site with your vehicle, you are required to stay on the festival grounds for the weekend you are attending. That means no vehicles are allowed to exit from Friday to Sunday during the hours of 9pm-2am.
Coachella allows campers to bring food and drink, but keep in mind if you’re 21 years of age or older, you can only bring one case of beer (or box of wine) to your camp site. No glass bottles are permitted onto the festival grounds.
Pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, however service animals are the exception to this rule. You can find more information on bringing a service animal to Coachella here.
Camping kicks off on Thursday at 9am, and officially ends on Monday at 10am, so you have some extra time to pack up your festival oasis. While festival goers can check in to the festival at any time, there are designated check in times for vehicles.
Vehicles can be checked in on Thursday any time between 9am-2am. Friday through Sunday, check-in times change to 9am-8pm.
For those camping with their car or in a tent, a noise curfew takes place on the festival grounds starting at 1:30am.
(Image by Jenn Petty via Flickr. | CC 2.0)