Coachella camping is a unique experience and, let’s be honest, a little dust and chaos.
Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned festival-goer, a solid morning and evening routine can help you feel refreshed and ready for a day (and night) of music, fun, and adventure.
From early morning bathroom runs to nighttime wind-downs, I’m sharing my tried-and-true Coachella camping routine that keeps me feeling cute, clean, and prepared.
These tips are designed to help you make the most of your festival experience while staying comfortable in the desert heat. Let’s dive into how to keep your Coachella camping routine both fun and functional!
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Morning Coachella Camping Routine
6:00 AM – 6:30 AM: Wakeup and Use Restrooms
Using the restrooms early at Coachella is important. Not only is Camping packed but the Porta Potties can get icky very fast. Avoid the ick and head over early when they are empty and freshly cleaned.
Pack a small bag with toiletry essentials: Wet wipes, bathroom flushable wipes, hand sanitizer, designated shoes for restrooms if you wanna be extra. Also keep a headlamp in the bag for the evenings – the portapotties don’t have lights.
Bring cleaning wipes or rinse your shoes after icky porta-portty encounters.
6:30 AM: Read, relax, affirmations and Wash face and brush teeth
Having some YOU time is very important when you’re surrounded by thousands of people for an entire weekend. Take some time for yourself and continue with your normal morning routine.
I like to listen to affirmations while I put on a sheet mask or do my red light therapy mask. Hydrate with some water and electrolytes and stretch.
This is also a good time to check the charge on your portable chargers. Plug them into your solar charger if needed. If your phones are charging too slowly in the heat, pop them into a zip lock with the portable charger and charget them in the cooler. Trust me, this helps.
To wash our face and brush our teeth, we keep a water basin and a water container at our campsite. We empty the dirty water in the center drive aisle when it starts filling up. Avoid letting the water run off in your campsite – you don’t want it to get muddy.
We also wash our dishes here for small things but plates and utensils are all disposable to keep washing to a minimum. We do keep reusable water bottles and insulated mugs for coffee and cocktails.
Related Post: Tips for Making Your Coachella Car Camping More Luxurious
7:00 AM: Shower
If you don’t have your own shower setup, I recommend lining up for the showers around 6:30 or 6:45 AM. They typically take around 45 minutes in line early in the morning and later in the day can be around an 1 hour at least.
If you’re able to set up a shower station by your car and shower in your swimsuit – I recommend it.
The showers at Coachella aren’t bad but they’re super crowded and you have to wait in a dirt line and then it’s dirt everywhere around the shower trailers too.
As soon as you exit the showers your feet get dirty again on your walk back to your campsite.
If you pack your own shower setup, you can shower on your own time and stay nice and clean in your area.
7:30 AM: Breakfast
Your meals are so much easier when you plan ahead. I know there’s a million things to do before arriving at Coachella but preparing your meals ahead of time needs to be a priority.
We like to make breakfast burritos ahead of time and also pack some cereal and yogurt if we’re feeling something cold in the morning.
The burritos are very easy to reheat over the stove top and are the perfect way to start a festival day.
Check out my blog post on easy meals for camping at coachella for more details.
Coffee is another extremely important part of our morning routine and it will not be missed. You can purchase coffee at CAMP for $10 or so but it’s much cheaper and faster to make your own.
I like to pack STOK cold brew and pack a little soy milk to add in. My husband loves his French press, so I purchased a stainless steel one to camp with. It was perfect!
Having your perfect cup of coffee shouldn’t be skipped just because you’re camping.
8:00/9:00 AM Check out CAMP Coachella
After breakfast is a great time to head to the main CAMP area to check out the activities tents.
They have a fantastic crafts tent with sewing, bracelet making, fun essential oils, so much stuff! I wanted to live in that crafts tent. I could craft all day!
They also offer some nice early morning workout classes like yoga and on one of the days they did ice baths. It was 90+ degrees that morning, so I imagine it felt amazing.
There is a calendar of events posted for each day, so be sure to check it out if you want to participate in any of the activities.
10:00 AM/11:00 AM: Get ready for Coachella
We like to start the getting ready process early because in the intense heat it can take some time.
When you get ready also depends on your level of outfit for the day and also what time you plan on entering the festival.
I like for my hair to airdry since I don’t pack my hair dryer – another good reason to shower early. And I typically style my hair in some type of braids to avoid needing to straighten or curl it.
We like to start getting ready and taking our time with drinks, maybe playing some beer pong or a card game after hair or makeup before we’re ready to go out to the festival.
Its super hot and dry at Coachella, dust everywhere. Your skin will be super dry. I like to hangout at our tent with a hydrating sheet mask for 20 minutes before putting on my makeup.I also have a fan going in our tent at all times to keep it cool.
We listen to music and enjoy a drink or play some games. This is all part of the experience! Have fun!
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Have Lunch
Please eat! Yes to whatever else you want to do before a festival but also PLEASE EAT! And for the love of life, please HYDRATE!
The sun and heat are not messing around. I got a heat rash on my legs on day 1 of the Coachella.
Apply and reapply sunscreen, hydrate and eat. And try to stay in the shade or wear a hat.
Going back to the food, on the first day of Coachella we made carne asada tacos. We picked up the meat the day before at the carneceria and kept it on ice.
We made a ton of tacos and packed corn tortillas and we pre-chopped the cilantro, onions and limes.
The tacos were a big hit with our group and our neighbors. Sharing food and drinks is a great way to make friends in CAMP!
1:00 PM – Go to Coachella
Coachella starts at 1 PM. If you want cute photos or to line up early for your favorite act, arrive on time.
Last year we entered around 2 PM and it was perfect. Super short line to enter and we had a ton of time before our favorite acts came on around 5 PM.
We also came back during the day on the second day of Coachella to have lunch at our campsite, hydrate and then have a cocktail before heading back in.
Camping is perfect because you don’t have to go very far to get back to your area to rest during or after the festival.
Related Post: How to Have a Better Coachella Campsite On a Budget
Evening Coachella Camping Routine
Return Time: Bathrooms & Shower
Whatever time you return to your tent, hit up the bathrooms. Last time we had 5 of us in our group and my husband and I came back around 11PM each night but everyone else stayed out until around 1AM or so.
We would get back and grab our stuff, head to the bathrooms one last time before bed. Reminder, there are no lights inside the porta potties, so you’re going to want to pack a headlamp.
Also pack your bathroom kit with wet wipes, flushable wipes and wear your designated porta potty shoes hahaha. The evenings can look kind of scary in the porta potties.
The large charging stations are usually pretty empty at night too if you want to bring a chair and hangout there to charge your phone. But I recommend packing a solar phone charger to charge in the AM to use for your electronics at night.
There is one set of showers that’s open late but unless you’re camped next to them it will be a very long walk to find them.
We like to wipe down before bed at our campsite before changing into our pajamas using wet wipes or a wet cloth. Anything to get the dust off.
We keep a large water container at our camp for washing our face, brushing our teeth and also wiping down. Some makeup removing wipes before washing your face are good to use too because then you’ll use less water washing your face.
Also be sure to hydrate before bed. Keep a large water bottle in your tent to have with you during the night.
Because it’s so dry it’s very important to stay hydrated and moisturized. I make sure to put on a good lotion before bed to keep from getting dry and itchy.
Pack a saline spray for your nose too because it will start to hurt with the dust. I know wearing a mask or bandana isn’t always the cutest but it really helps to protect from getting ‘Coachella Cough’.
Some dry-eye drops are also very helpful to carry with you at all times.
Winding Down after Coachella
To help us find our way back to our campsite each night, we have some solar lights we picked up at Walmart for $16. They’re also very helpful for seeing at night around your campsite too.
Each night we usually heated up a snack like taquitos or some ramen to help soak up any drinks from the day – it was perfect. Simple snacks are the best for late nights.
Check out my full Coachella meals and snacks list here.
You can hear the festival music in the distance but it’s not too crazy loud at camp. What is loud is the people in CAMP. Neighbors or partygoers in the main CAMP area where the stage is.
The music continues at CAMP until around 1-2 AM but people are up screaming and partying until around 4 AM. Be prepared.
Pack some earplugs, a sound machine. Something to help you sleep. You’re going to want to get as much sleep as possible.
Coachella Camping Routine
There you have it, a very packed but helpful Coachella camping routine. I know some bits may sound early or a little “too much”, but when you’re trying to stay alive and happy and hydrated for 3 straight days of partying – a strong morning and evening routine is a lifesaver.
Be sure to take advantage of all the activities happening in CAMP the entire weekend. There’s so much great stuff to do, you’re going to love it!!
If you have any tips you think should be added to this routine, feel free to add them below in the comments.
We’re gearing up for another Coachella season and the planning is in full throttle!!
See you there!
XOXO,
Julia
Coachella FAQ’s
- What time do you have to leave Coachella camping?
- You may begin leaving Coachella camping around 2AM on Monday. But should be out by 10 AM. We typically leave by 8AM.
- What time does Coachella end at night?
- On Friday and Saturday of Coachella, it ends around 1AM and on Sunday it ends at midnight.
- Do people shower at Coachella?
- Yes, people shower at their campsite or at the public showers. Check out the Coachella camping amenities here.
- Does Coachella camping have showers?
- Yes, Coachella offers free and paid showers.
- Do people sleep in tents at Coachella?
- People sleep in tents or their cars at Coachella.
- Can you leave Coachella and come back?
- Yes, you make leave the Coachella festival and return later. You will need to scan in and out each time.
- You can not go in and with your car in the camping area. Cars are locked in once the festival starts. Check here for camping companion pass parking details.
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- Tips for Surviving Extreme Heat at Coachella
About the Author: Hey there! I’m Julia, a passionate theme park and travel writer. My love for theme parks has fueled my obsession with sharing tips and adventures for years. Join me as I uncover the magic of Coachella and beyond!
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