Are you gearing up for an unforgettable Coachella camping adventure? With the desert sun beating down and the music pumping, preparation is key to ensuring you have the time of your life. But who said camping gear has to break the bank? We’ve curated a list of 10 must-have items, all under $100, to elevate your Coachella experience without emptying your wallet.
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Must Buy Items for Camping at Coachella
Camping at Coachella doesn’t mean just having a place to crash – it can be relaxing and pretty crazy at times too. Everything is what you make of it.
With the following items tucked away in your campsite, you’re going to be well on your way to building the perfect Coachella camping setup.
Don’t settle for sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor or random snacks for meals – invest in a good setup and get geared up for the best festival weekend ever!
Tent
A reliable tent is non-negotiable. Shield yourself from the elements and enjoy some much-needed shut-eye after a full day of festivities. Getting a bigger tent is also great for having space to change too. We picked up our 6-person tent from Walmart for $99 but there are a ton of great options.
If you get a 2 to 3-person tent, your air mattress will take up the entire space. These tent options offer durability, an easy setup and enough space to relax, change, and store all of your personal items.
A pop-up canopy tent to cover your campsite is also essential. The sun is intense! We had a total of three canopies at our campsite, all from Walmart.
Ice Chest
Keep your beverages chilled and your snacks fresh with a trusty ice chest. We topped ours off with ice at the Walmart in Temecula and had to purchase a new bag each day to keep items cold. The second weekend of Coachella can hit the 100s.
If the temperature is crazy high, try putting your cell phone with the portable charger in a ziplock bag and charging it in the ice chest. It keeps it cool and charges faster.
Stove
Cooking up a hot meal at your campsite is a game-changer. Whether you’re whipping up a hearty breakfast or a late-night snack, a portable stove allows you to enjoy delicious meals without breaking the bank.
We enjoyed two meals a day at our campsite and only purchased one inside the festivals. We made a TON of great food while we were camping. You can check out the full blog post of easy Coachella camping meals here.
Hydration Backpack
Stay hydrated and hands-free with a hydration backpack. With long days of dancing and exploring ahead, it’s essential to keep water easily accessible.
Hydration backpacks are also great for storing some daily essentials like sunscreen, scarves, and souvenirs. Be sure to keep your items safe with a small bag lock or purchase an anti-theft festival hydration bag.
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Air Mattress
Upgrade your sleeping situation with an air mattress. Please don’t sleep on the floor, you deserve better than that. After a day of running around, dancing, screaming, etc. – you deserve a restful night’s sleep to recharge.
We found this great queen-size air mattress with a headboard at Walmart for only $74. We’ve used it 10+ times already for other camping trips and for when friends stay over at our place. A good air mattress is always handy to have.
Portable Charger
Don’t go to Coachella without multiple portable phone chargers. Your battery drains twice as fast at the festival because there are so many people. The intense heat also makes it difficult for your phone to charge at the large power banks they have setup outside, plus you would need to stay at the power station the entire time your phone charges.
Instead, pack a solar portable charger to keep at camp for your phone each night and speaker. And for during the day, pack a regular portable phone charger that is good for at least two charges.
It was tough to charge our phones in the morning at CAMP because the battery stations are in the blazing sun and hundreds of other phones are plugged in. Save time and stay in the shade with your own charger. Trust me!
Shower Setup
Stay clean and comfortable with ease by setting up your own shower station at your camp. The public showers are CAMP aren’t terrible but there is a lot of dust and the lines can get around 40 minutes long.
Keep it simple and convenient by creating your own shower at your site. Lots of people do it. Shower in your swimsuit and flip-flops. Use a shower mat to keep from getting all muddy in the grass and you’re all set!
Lighting
Lighting is very important for your campsite. At night, you will plunged into complete darkness. You might think you can find your way around because everyone else has lights but every single campsite will look the same at night. Trust me.
Pack some solar lights to hand around your campsite to easily find your way back after the festival and so that you can see when you’re getting ready for bed.
We were the only people in our area that had lights so it was so freaking dark when we shut ours off and people could only find their tent because of our lights. Solar lights are the easiest ones to set up, our set was from Walmart but I found a similar one on Amazon for $27 with great reviews.
Camping Chairs
Camping chairs are a great investment. We’ve used ours not just for Coachella but for afternoons at the park and also at the house when we need some extra seating.
Your camping chair is the only chair you will have all weekend, so make it good. Pick out something you can relax in without any issues.
Costco usually has some great options during the summer and you can also check out Walmart and Amazon.
Folding Tables
Folding tables remind me of my parents. I really never understood why we had so many and now I have three of my own. I’ve gotten carried away with buying folding tables and chairs but you will ALWAYS need them.
Camping at Coachella is just one of the times folding tables are absolutely necessary. We didn’t eat at the table but we used it for cooking, storage and beer pong.
We packed two folding tables and they fit perfectly in our two-site setup. The best deal for folding tables was at Walmart. They had a number of options in size and color and they were all under $100.
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Building Your Coachella Camping Kit
Remember, quality camping gear is an investment, whether it’s for Coachella or another camping trip.
Covering all the basics with these top ten essentials will make sure you’re prepared for festivals and weekend outings.
I hope this list was helpful, if you have any other suggestions for top essentials under $100 I’d love to include them on my list. Let me know in the comments!
I can’t wait to see your Coachella camping setup. See you in the desert!
XOXO,
Julia
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