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Surviving Car Camping at Coachella

Table of Contents

Camping Types

Personal Recommendation: Regular Car Camping

Car Camping

Car Camping spots are 10x30 feet and you can have as many people camping in your spot as you can comfortably fit. You only need one car camp pass per car. Spots are good for the entire weekend. Once parked, your car stays in your spot for the entire weekend; There is no driving in/out of your camping spot. Arrive together to camp together, as there is a waiting area past security where you can wait for your group. You cannot enter the spot without a car. You must have a normal passenger car, truck or van. No motorcycles, RVs, trailers, motorhomes, busses or U-Haul trucks will be allowed.

Preferred Car Camping

The first ~15 rows of car camping are reserved for Preferred Camping, putting you closest to the entrance of the festival. This is not always worth it since it is farther from some of the other stuff in camping and will have the most people walking around.

Gear List

I highly recommend the following gear as it is what I wish I had when I was at Coachella.

Must Haves

  • Canopy - A straight legged easy up would be ideal since you will need to take it down every morning due to the wind. It is miserable without shade.
  • Plastic Stakes - Coachella does not allow for metal stakes. Please look out for the horses
  • Cooler - Fill it with a layer of dry ice and regular ice to keep ultra cold
  • Lights - headlamps, lanterns, etc.
  • Tarp - Keeps tent dry
  • Tents - I recommend 2 person tents due to body heat issues
  • Camp Chairs
  • Folding Table
  • Shower Slippers
  • Toilet Paper - sometimes they run out in the porta potty
  • Snacks
  • Water - bring tons of this, especially in a cooler

Optional

  • Portable Shower
  • Air Mattress
  • Decorations
  • Zip Ties

Strategy

In terms of having the optimal camping experience, having a larger group is often better since you can manage your space well and optimize how your layout is going to be. For instance, consider our situation from last year.

Coachella Map

We were able to fit all of the tents into the two exterior spots and then had a lot of space in the middle for sitting and relaxing throughout the day. This was a lot more ideal than just having one spot with a tent that will take up most of the space. this is not necessary, but just nice to have. I would recommend figuring out what your are going to bring and mapping it out like I did above.

I recommend bringing 2-3 coolers and filling it with dry ice, ice, and watter bottles. I also recommend bringing some food and potentially a grill as the food at Coachella is rediculously expensive.

Things to Measure

  1. Car Length
  2. Tent Size
  3. Table Size
  4. Chair Size

Personal Hygiene

Showering

There are showers at the campsite that are fully equipped with hot water. They do get pretty hot, steamy, and dusty in there so make sure to bring shower slippers.You can pretty much dry yourself on the walk back that's how hot it is there. I would recommend going as early as possible.

Overall, I had no issues with this. The line moved fast and the showers were generally decent and clean. There are VIP showers for $10 with a shorter line but the general line moves really fast so I don't recommend.

Porta Potties

Now this is where the issues stemmed from. It is over 100 degrees so the porta potties stink. I recommend finding a far one and using that since they are less likely to be trashed. I also recommend usng the restroom at off-hours so that they are clean and nice to use.

What's On Site

  • General Store
    • Sells all kinds of things ranging from Hygiene products to cool accessories
  • Activities
    • Silent Disco
    • Yoga
    • Art
  • Showers
  • Porta Potties
  • Food Trucks
    • Tons but are really expensive
  • Water Stations
  • Charging Stations
  • Wifi Rooms

Frequently Asked Questions

But what is the difference between car and tent camping?

The only actual difference we've found is that car camping gives you access to your car easily, while tent does not. You do camp separately, but you are in the same main lot, you have access to everything car camping does, and you can still hang out in the car camping lots.

How many people can comfortably fit in a car camp area?

I say usually a mid-size car, 1 tent with 2-3 people is the maximum.

Do you need a tent in car camping?

No. You can sleep in your car, outside under a canopy, or on the ground behind your car. What you do in/with your space is completely up to you.

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