Camping at Coachella for the first time? These are the biggest Coachella camping mistakes to avoid, plus what I recommend doing instead after camping at the festival myself.
Camping at Coachella is SO much fun!
It’s become a huge part of the Coachella experience for me.
But camping at Coachella is also very different from a regular camping trip.
You’re camping in the desert.
It’s hot. It’s dusty.
You’re working with a very specific amount of space.
You’re trying to sleep while thousands of other people are also camping around you.
And you’re living at your campsite for four nights while simultaneously spending HOURS inside a music festival.
There are definitely things I would do differently if I were planning my first Coachella camping trip again.
Some mistakes are annoying.
Some will cost you money.
And some – like not bringing enough shade – can make your entire campsite miserable.
So if you’re car camping at Coachella for the first time, learn from the people who have already done it.
Here are the biggest Coachella camping mistakes I would avoid and what I recommend doing instead.
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Table of Contents
- Not Bringing Enough Shade
- Not Securing Your Campsite for Wind
- Arriving Without Planning Your Campsite Layout
- Trying to Fit Too Many People Into One Campsite
- Packing Only for Hot Weather
- Underestimating the Dust
- Assuming You’ll Buy All Your Food at Coachella
- Not Having a Cooler Strategy
- Not Researching the Coachella Showers
- Forgetting the Little Bathroom Essentials
- Assuming You’ll Have Easy Access to Power
- Forgetting Camp Lighting
- Letting Your Campsite Become a Disaster
- Leaving Valuables Around Your Campsite
- Not Checking the Current Coachella Camping Rules
- Forgetting That You Can Buy Things You Forgot
- Expecting Camping to Be Like a Hotel
- Final Thoughts
Mistake #1: Not Bringing Enough Shade
If I could tell a first-time Coachella camper ONE thing, it would probably be this:
BRING SHADE.
And then bring more shade.
Do not underestimate how important your canopy is at Coachella.
You’re camping in the desert, and during the day there isn’t exactly a lot of natural shade waiting for you at your campsite.
Your canopy becomes your living room.
It’s where you sit.
It’s where you eat.
It’s where you get ready.
It’s where you hang out before heading into the festival.
And depending on your setup, it can also help keep direct sunlight off your sleeping area.
Personally, I don’t think one canopy is enough for the way we like to set up camp. I like having at least two so we can create as much shade as possible across our space.
If you’re camping with multiple spots, this becomes even more important because you have more space to cover.
I would bring at least 2 canopies per car camping site.
Don’t Forget About Wind
The other thing you need to prepare for is wind.
Coachella officially warns campers that high winds and heavy dust are common in the Coachella Valley and recommends securing, sealing, or collapsing structures and other items that could be affected.
So don’t just pop your canopy open on Thursday and forget about it for the weekend.
Make sure your campsite is secured according to the current Coachella rules, and don’t leave loose items around camp that can turn into flying objects when the wind picks up.
Before you leave for the festival each day, take a quick look around camp.
Secure things.
Put lightweight items away.
Make sure nothing is waiting to blow into your neighbor’s campsite.
Your future self – and your neighbors – will appreciate it.
Mistake #2: Arriving Without Planning Your Campsite Layout
Do not wait until you’re parked at Coachella to decide where everything is going.
A standard Coachella car camping site is 10 feet wide by 30 feet long, and your vehicle has to fit inside that space too.
It sounds like a decent amount of room until you start adding:
Your car.
Tent.
Canopy.
Chairs.
Tables.
Coolers.
Food.
Luggage.
Getting-ready supplies.
And all the random things four days of festival camping somehow require.
Suddenly, that 10’×30′ space feels VERY small.
Before we go, I like knowing how we’re going to organize our campsite.
If you’re camping with friends in multiple cars, plan that together too. Depending on the current camping configuration and rules, arriving together may also be necessary if you want adjacent sites.
When we have multiple campsites together, I love creating one larger shared living area rather than treating every campsite as its own tiny camp.
I’ve shared my full Coachella camping setup and campsite tour with exactly how we organize our space, what we bring, and the little things that make camp more comfortable throughout the weekend.
Even if you don’t copy our setup exactly, having SOME kind of plan before you arrive makes setting up camp so much easier.
Mistake #3: Trying to Fit Too Many People Into One Campsite
Technically, the number of people who can fit in a standard car camping spot isn’t the issue.
Comfort is.
Personally?
I would not put more than three people in one campsite.
Trust me.
Remember that your car already takes up a chunk of your 10’×30′ space. Now add everyone’s sleeping setup, suitcases, clothes, shoes, toiletries, chairs, food, coolers, and everything else you’re bringing for four nights.
It gets crowded FAST.
Could you squeeze more people in?
Sure.
Would I want to?
Absolutely not. Hahaha.
If you have a bigger group and can get multiple campsites together, I would much rather spread out and create a larger shared setup.
A little extra room makes a HUGE difference when this is basically your home for the weekend.
Mistake #4: Packing Only for Hot Weather
This one gets first-time desert visitors all the time.
You hear “Coachella” and think:
HOT.
And yes.
It can be incredibly hot during the day.
But that doesn’t mean you’re going to want nothing but shorts and tiny tops for the entire weekend.
Temperatures change once the sun goes down, and after spending all day in the heat, cooler nighttime air can feel even colder.
Bring layers.
I like having sweatshirts, comfortable pants, warm sleeping clothes, and blankets at camp.
You want to prepare for the hot afternoons AND the cooler nights rather than packing for only one extreme.
This is especially important when you’re sleeping outside.
Mistake #5: Underestimating the Dust
THE DUST.
Please.
Prepare for the dust.
It will be everywhere.
And when I say everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE.
On your tables.
On your chairs.
Inside your tent.
On your clothes.
In your nose.
Probably in places you didn’t know dust could reach. Hahaha.
This isn’t just about keeping your campsite clean, either. After breathing desert dust for several days, your nose, eyes, and throat may not be particularly happy with you.
I like packing things such as saline spray, eye drops, face coverings, and plenty of water.
I also keep things contained at camp instead of leaving absolutely everything sitting out all weekend.
You are not going to defeat the dust.
Accept that now.
The goal is to make it slightly less annoying.
Mistake #6: Assuming You’ll Buy All Your Food at Coachella
Please bring food.
Yes, there is food available at Coachella.
Yes, there are food options around camping.
And yes, I absolutely buy festival food.
But I would NOT plan to purchase every breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and drink for four days.
That gets expensive very quickly.
One of my favorite things about camping is having our own little kitchen setup. We can make breakfast, eat before heading into the festival, grab snacks while we’re getting ready, and have food waiting for us when we get back to camp.
It saves money AND makes camping easier.
You don’t need to plan an elaborate camping menu, either.
Bring easy foods you’ll actually eat when it’s hot outside.
I have a complete guide to what food to bring to Coachella camping, including easy meal ideas and my grocery list, if you’re trying to figure out exactly what to pack.
Mistake #7: Not Having a Cooler Strategy
Bringing a cooler is one thing.
Keeping everything inside it cold for the weekend is another.
Don’t throw food, drinks, and one bag of ice into a cooler on Thursday and assume you’re good until Monday.
We like to freeze some water bottles ahead of time so they can help keep things cold as we travel and then become cold drinking water as they thaw.
Keep your cooler in the shade whenever possible, limit how often you’re opening it, and keep an eye on your ice throughout the weekend.
Ice is available for purchase in camping, but I still wouldn’t wait until everything inside your cooler is warm before thinking about it.
This is one of those tiny camping logistics that doesn’t sound exciting until you’re standing in the desert holding warm cheese.
Then suddenly it’s very important.
Mistake #8: Not Researching the Coachella Showers Before You Arrive
Please do not show up at Coachella and THEN start wondering:
Wait…where do I shower?
What do I bring?
Do I need shower shoes?
Where do I put my clean clothes?
How am I carrying all this?
Figure this out beforehand.
At minimum, you’ll need shower shoes, a towel, toiletries, clean clothes, and something that makes it easy to carry everything back and forth.
The shower experience is one of the things people seem most nervous about before camping at Coachella, so I put together a complete guide to showering at Coachella camping with what the showers are like, what I bring, and what I wish I knew beforehand.
Read that BEFORE you’re standing at camp holding a towel wondering what you’re supposed to do. Hahaha.
Mistake #9: Forgetting Bathroom Essentials
While you’re thinking about showers, think about the bathrooms too.
I always want hand sanitizer, wipes, tissues, and backup toilet paper around camp.
This is festival camping.
I would rather have it and not need it than discover I need it at 1 a.m.
I also like having a little toiletry setup at camp so I’m not digging through my suitcase every single time I need something.
Again: your campsite is your home for four nights.
Organize it like one.
My Coachella camping shower guide also includes tips and what you’ll need to survive the porta-potties.
Mistake #10: Assuming You’ll Have Easy Access to Power
Your phone is going to work HARD at Coachella.
You’re taking photos and videos.
Checking set times.
Texting your group.
Using the Coachella app.
And probably scrolling through the 400 photos you took that day while lying in your tent at 2 a.m.
Don’t assume you’ll always have a convenient outlet waiting for you.
Portable chargers are one of my biggest festival essentials, and I bring more charging capacity than I think I’ll need.
I also think through everything else that needs power before the trip.
Phone.
Watch.
Camera.
Portable fan.
Lights.
Whatever you’re bringing.
I have a full guide to my favorite gadgets to bring to Coachella if you want to see the electronics and little camping tools that have actually been useful for us.
Mistake #11: Forgetting Lighting for Your Campsite
Your beautiful little campsite is going to look VERY different once the sun goes down.
Bring lights.
String lights, lanterns, headlamps, and other camping-safe lighting can make your setup so much easier to navigate at night.
I especially love having hands-free lighting available for walking around camp and finding things after dark.
You do not want to be holding your phone flashlight in your mouth while digging through a suitcase looking for your pajamas.
Mistake #12: Letting Your Campsite Become a Disaster
This happens SO quickly.
Thursday:
Look at our beautiful campsite!
Everything has a place!
We’re so organized!
Saturday:
Why is there one shoe under the table?
Whose sweatshirt is this?
Why are there twelve empty cans over here?
Where did all this trash come from?!
Clean as you go.
Have designated trash bags.
Put food away.
Throw away food scraps.
Empty drinks.
Put clothes back where they belong.
Keep walkways clear.
It takes five minutes to reset camp before you head into the festival, and it makes coming home at the end of the night SO much nicer.
A messy campsite also makes it approximately 500 times harder to find anything.
Mistake #13: Leaving Valuables Around Camp
Don’t leave your important things sitting around your campsite while you’re inside the festival.
Phones, wallets, cameras, car keys, expensive electronics, and anything else valuable should be secured.
Coachella specifically recommends locking valuables in your vehicle rather than leaving them inside your tent.
We also try to be aware of who’s around us and get to know our neighbors.
Which brings me to another tip:
Say hi to your neighbors!
You don’t have to become best friends, but you’re all living next to each other for several days. Knowing who actually belongs at the campsites around you is helpful – and it makes the whole camping experience more fun anyway.
Mistake #14: Not Checking the Current Coachella Camping Rules
THIS ONE.
Do not build your entire packing list from a TikTok you saved three years ago.
Please.
Coachella camping rules can change.
Something someone brought five years ago might not be allowed when you’re attending.
Before I finish packing, I always recommend going directly to Coachella’s current camping rules and checking the allowed and prohibited items.
This is especially important for things like:
Canopies and tents.
Cooking equipment.
Tent stakes.
Alcohol.
Glass.
Tools.
Vehicles.
And anything you’re unsure about.
Your vehicle and belongings are searched when you enter camping, and prohibited items can be surrendered at check-in.
It’s much easier to check beforehand than lose something you wanted to keep.
Mistake #15: Thinking You’re Stuck If You Forget Something
You are going to forget something.
I don’t care how good your packing list is.
And coming from ME – the Vacation Prepper who starts packing weeks in advance – that is saying something. Hahaha.
Luckily, forgetting toothpaste does not mean your Coachella weekend is ruined.
There is a General Store in camping, and there are other ways to pick up supplies during the weekend.
Coachella also offers a supermarket shuttle for campers, which can be incredibly helpful if you need groceries or something you didn’t bring.
I have a complete Coachella supermarket shuttle guide explaining how that works, and I’m also putting together a guide to the Coachella Camping General Store and what you can expect to find there.
So yes, make a list.
Pack carefully.
Double-check everything.
But if you forget something?
Don’t panic.
Bonus Mistake: Expecting Coachella Camping to Be Comfortable All the Time
I think this is worth saying.
Camping at Coachella is FUN.
But you’re still camping.
You’re going to be hot sometimes.
You’ll probably be dusty.
You might not sleep perfectly.
Your campsite will never feel like a hotel room.
You might wait for a shower.
Someone near you might be loud when you’re ready for bed.
Something you carefully organized will somehow disappear into the abyss of your tent.
That’s part of it.
For me, the convenience and experience of staying onsite outweigh those little annoyances.
I love waking up at Coachella.
I love getting ready at camp.
I love having our little home base.
I love being able to walk back after the festival instead of figuring out transportation.
And some of my favorite parts of the weekend happen while we’re just sitting around camp together.
Preparing for the uncomfortable parts ahead of time makes it MUCH easier to enjoy everything else.
Final Thoughts: Avoid These Coachella Camping Mistakes
If you’re camping at Coachella for the first time, my biggest piece of advice is to think beyond your basic packing list.
Don’t just ask:
Do I have a tent?
Ask:
Where is my shade?
How am I keeping my food cold?
Where is everyone sleeping?
How are we organizing our 10’×30′ space?
What am I wearing when it gets cold?
How am I showering?
How am I charging my phone?
What happens when the wind picks up?
What am I doing about THE DUST?!
Hahaha.
The more of those little questions you answer before you arrive, the easier your weekend is going to be.
And you don’t have to figure everything out yourself.
I’ve put together my complete Coachella camping guide, along with separate guides to my campsite setup, what food I bring, showering at Coachella, the supermarket shuttle, camping gear, and all the other tiny details I wanted to know before my first time.
Basically?
I made all the lists.
You just have to pack.
And once your campsite is set up, your canopy is up, your cooler is cold, and you’ve accepted that you’re going to find desert dust in your belongings for the next six months?
Go have fun.
Camping is genuinely one of my favorite parts of Coachella, and being prepared makes the whole experience SO much better.
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About the Author: Hey there! I’m Julia, a travel writer, over-packer, list maker, and self-proclaimed Vacation Prepper. I share the tips and little details I learn along the way to help you feel prepared before your next adventure.
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