Coachella Camping Guide: Festival Passes, Packing List, and More [2024 Updated]

Coachella is one of the most popular annual music and arts festivals in the world. It's known for its diverse lineup, including indie, alternative, rock, hip-hop, and electronic dance music, as well as celebrity sightings. If you want to witness the vibe of the festival, try Coachella camping this year. Camping at Coachella offers a completely different experience from staying at a hotel.

The overnight Coachella camping option lets you park the vehicle on your campsite and build an awesome weekend oasis for an ultimate camping trip. If it's time for your camping experience and you want to soak in the whole vibe, it's important to plan in advance, pack the essentials, and check the festival passes.

Here, we will include everything about Coachella camping, how to plan your trip, and what to pack to enjoy Coachella camping.

Festival Passes

If you want to save more on Coachella camping, consider buying the festival passes early. You can even add a shuttle pass in the cart to skip the entire driving hassle and get the closest dropoff to the Coachella grounds. Here's the cost of the Coachella camping pass:

Weekend 1

General Admission: $499 - $599 + Fees

General Admission + Shuttle: $619 - $719 + Fees

VIP: $1069 - $1269 + Fees

Camping:

Car Camping: $145 + TOT + Fees

Preferred Car Camping: $375 + TOT + Fees

Tent Camping: $145 + TOT + Fees

Camping Companion Parking: $199 + TOT + Fees

Bundles:

Lake Eldorado Lodge + General Admission for 2: $3198 + TOT + Fees

Lake Eldorado Lodge + VIP for 2: $4338 + TOT + Fees

Lake Eldorado Tent + General Admission for 4: $4196 + TOT + Fees

Lake Eldorado Tent + VIP for 4: $6476 + TOT + Fees

Safari Camping: $11000 for 2

Weekend 2

General Admission: $499 - $599 + Fees

General Admission + Shuttle: $619 - $719 + Fees

VIP: $1069 - 1269 + Fees

Car Camping

Fee: Car Camping: $125 and Preferred Car Camping: $325 + Fees

Coachella car camping is a popular overnight option that involves parking a vehicle on the campsite and building a weekend oasis. The sites are 30'×10’ and allow one vehicle per site. You may bring food and drinks to the Coachella RV camping spots, though general stores and food vendors are also available on-site. Some other amenities include phone charging stations, free WiFi, water refill stations, etc. Only passenger cars, vans, and trucks are allowed.

Here's how to do Coachella car camping setup:

• Car camping spots are 10'×30', so you can comfortably fit as many people as you like in your place.
• You need one car camp pass per car to enter the Coachella campground, so make sure you have the passes handy.
• Once you enter the camping spot and park, your car stays in the spot for the entire weekend — meaning there is no driving in and out.
• Invest in a comfortable bed with heavier, cushier mats, blankets, and pillows. Remember, cars, like tents, can get cold at night, so pack an insulated blanket or temperature-rated sleeping bag.
• If you want additional sleeping space, buy a car-top or roof-top tent. It's one of the most exciting ways to camp and comes with a ladder to access the tent.

Camp in a Tent

Fee: $125

Whether you are planning to camp without cars or prefer a vehicle-free environment, you may consider Coachella tent camping. It's ideal for international travelers or people without vehicles. The sites are typically 15'×10' and are assigned in order of arrival. Each site can accommodate unlimited friends or tents. You can bring food and drinks but no glasses.

Safari Camping

Fee: Safari Tent: $9000 (Tier 1) and $11000 (Tier 2); Safari Cabana: $10000 (Tier 1) and $12000 (Tier 2)

The Safari campground is tucked behind the main festival venue. It offers fully furnished and air-conditioned accommodations amid mountain views and lush palm trees. Some amenities available at Coachella safari camping grounds include air conditioners, power strips, pillows, mini-fridges, seating, etc. You can also get breakfast and late-night snacks at the safari campgrounds.

Coachella Packing List

When packing essentials and appliances for Coachella camping, you'll need to check the official website and ensure no prohibited items are packed. Some items allowed in venues include backpacks, bandaids, binoculars, cameras, chapstick, dancing shoes, earplugs, face masks, etc. Here's the Coachella festival packing list for beginners:

1. EZ-Up/Canopy:A straight-legged EZ-Up tent or canopy is an absolute necessity for Coachella camping. You can invest in a canopy wall for improved privacy and to keep the sun out.

2. Tent Stakes:You'll need plastic stakes to stake down the EZ-Up or canopy. If you don't want to opt for plastic stakes, choose metal stakes that will 100% be confiscated by security.

3. Food Cooler:Since you'll be carrying food and beverages to the Coachella camping ground, it's essential to have a cooler to store them. This will keep everything fresh for a comfortable camping trip.

4. Multi-tool: Carry a thin rope, zip ties, and duct tape to secure things in case of emergencies.

5. Camping Shower:You can bring a portable camping shower for a comfortable stay. Even if you don't bring one, try to shower anywhere around 7 AM at local showers at Coachella campgrounds.

6. Ear Plugs and Eye Mask:Bring ear plugs and an eye mask if you want to sleep comfortably and relax during Coachella camping.

7. Jackery Solar Generators:You'll need lights to keep everything illuminated, a cooler to keep food and beverages fresh, and smartphones to stay connected. For this reason, you will need a portable battery-powered generator like a Jackery Solar Generator to charge most camping appliances. They are lightweight and powerful charging solutions that supply steady power to lights, food coolers, smartphones, cameras, etc.

8. Sunglasses & Tinted Glasses:As there will be a lot of dust and dirt, it is essential to wear sunglasses or tinted glasses to protect your eyes from flying dust and debris.

9. Comfortable Shoes:Combat boots or tennis boots are comfortable and ideal for stomping all day around the dessert

10. Jacket or Scarf: Desserts can be blazing hot during the day and chilly at night. For this reason, Coachella campers should add layers when it gets cold. Space blankets are a popular and convenient way to keep yourself warm.

Coachella Camping Tips

The basic Coachella camping is to know who you are camping with so you can split up the packing items and save money. Each Coachella camping spot is 10’×30’ — meaning you can bring a fair amount of people in there. Generally, you need one pass per space, and getting multiple people with car camping passes in the group lets you double the number of people you can camp with. Here are some Coachella camping tips:

• If you have multiple Coachella campsites, make sure to leave together and drive in right next to each other. You can even set a meeting point, like near the grocery store.
• Always fill up your gas tank again before entering the grounds. The campground generally opens at 9 AM one day before the festival. If you arrive early enough, you'll get a prime spot near the festival.
• Once you arrive at the Coachella camping spot, put the canopy to work in the shade. If you have more than one campsite, make sure to line up all the canopies to maximize shade. Next, set up the tent or sleeping area where the shade will be maximum.
• After setting up everything, walk around the campground and look for facilities such as bathrooms, water stations, the general store, and showers.

Jackery Solar Generator for Coachella Camping

Coachella is a popular music festival that encourages the use of solar-powered generators. These generators can supply safe and clean electricity to most of the Coachella camping appliances. Jackery is a renowned solar manufacturing brand that offers high-quality solar generators, solar panels, and power stations.

The Jackery Solar Generators combine the powerful Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations and Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels. When sunlight falls on the monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the solar energy is converted to DC electricity and passed to the portable power station. The DC is then converted to AC electricity to charge appliances.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus has a large LiFePO4 battery with 2042.8 Wh to power most Coachella car camping equipment, particularly for multiple days. The Jackery Battery Pack 2000 Plus can expand the battery from 2 kWh to 24 kWh. It can charge most small and large appliances during the car or tent camping at Coachella and can be moved anywhere with the double wheels and sturdy handle.

Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus

Similar to the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus, the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus has a LiFePO4 battery of 1264 Wh. It's designed to power 99% of Coachella tent camping appliances, such as smartphones, food coolers, mini refrigerators, etc. If you want more power, the solar generator can be easily expanded from 1.2 kWh to 5 kWh with the help of the Jackery Battery Pack 1000 Plus.

Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station

The Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station is a portable, lightweight charging solution for one-day Coachella camping. Its NMC battery is 518 Wh and can charge small appliances like smartphones, lights, cameras, etc. It features multiple USB ports, a 12 V car output, and an AC outlet to charge various electronics simultaneously. It can be charged with a wall outlet, a car charger, or even Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panels.

Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station

The Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station has a LiFePO4 battery of 288 Wh and a high output of 300 W. It has dual PD ports capable of supplying up to 100 W output to charge appliances faster. It weighs only 8.27 lbs and can be carried in the bag pack to the Coachella spots. The small generator for camping features 52 protective mechanisms, 4 types of physical protection, and 12 BMS algorithms to take safety to the next level.

Coachella Camping FAQs

How much does it cost to camp at Coachella?

You can camp at Coachella for $149 for a tent or car spot and $375 for a preferred place, which is often close to the festival. You can also consider a variety of other passes available at different prices.

Can anyone camp at Coachella?

Yes, anyone attending the Coachella festival can enter the camping areas and enjoy camping. However, all the campers should have a festival pass to enter the camping area.

How strict is Coachella camping security?

The security at Coachella is very random and strict. All attendees go through a car camping check, where two or three people will look through your car (center console, glovebox, etc.). There is security walking around the camping sites. Be careful if you see people on police horses, as they are actual police. You'll also go through a security checkpoint each time you enter the Coachella festival grounds from the campgrounds.

Do people sleep in tents at Coachella?

Yes, Coachella offers tent camping spots that allow people to sleep in tents. You can carry and set up your tent or rent one from the Coachella festival. If you are carrying your own tent to the Coachella festival, make sure to purchase a Coachella camping pass and follow all the guidelines provided by the festival.

Conclusion

People often say Coachella camping is the best part of the festival. All the attendees can choose car camping or tent camping to get the complete vibe of the music festival. If you are attending the Coachella festival for the first time, consider packing the right essentials, buying the tickets, and understanding the security. Since you'll carry essential electrical gadgets and appliances, you must invest in portable power sources like Jackery Solar Generators. They are light in weight and can be easily transported from one place to another.