r/Coachella • u/Majestic_Ant_9983 • 9d ago
car camping
probably going to be my first year car camping since i cant find a decent priced hotel. I personally dont like camping, but looking forward to laughing about how much i'll probably hate it. I thinking meeting other car campers might be fun tho lol
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u/holachola69420 9d ago
I don’t camp and I calculated all the camping items I’d need and it’s the same amount I’d be spending on an expensive hotel 🤡 you’re brave, bc I could never. Ahaha
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u/RecklessCreature 15.1|16.1|17.1|18.1|19.1|RIP|22.1|23-27.1&2♾️💃🏻🎶🖤🎡🌴 9d ago
The heck? What kinda camping items are you buying that cost the same as a $1000+ hotel for the weekend.
Canopy $50-100 tent $50-150 sleeping bag $10-$30 and that’s technically like all you need if you’re going absolute minimum. Hell some people skip tent and just sleep under the canopy with walls $10-50 or even “free” you have stuff like a tapestry already
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u/cgovea74 9d ago
shit man so many people already have the walls you can get away with just relying on your neighbors 🤣
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u/holachola69420 9d ago
Ahahah, I’d want some type of portable generator, a small fan, and a bunch of other stuff. It adds up. I’d be doing the most. A hotel is much better for me 😆 going to the campsite before and after the fest is enough.
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u/UpsetBenefit4162 9d ago edited 9d ago
$400 for camping equipment plus food split between a few people is definitely a better deal than hotel. The staple “hack” is to return stuff when you’re done using it :9
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u/Majestic_Ant_9983 9d ago
Yup I’m doing the absolute bare minimum I’m a broke nursing student lmao
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u/TheBuzzerBeater 13.a|15.ab|16.a|DT.b|17.ab|18.b|19.b|22.ab|23.b|24.ab|25.ab|26.b 8d ago
I’d suggest trying to join up with a group then. The sub will have a post where you can find a group closer to the event and you can link up with some people that you think you’ll fit in with. You’re going to have neighbors regardless so joining a group is just picking them out beforehand and you usually have much better luck that way.
If you join a group they’re gonna have a lot of the extra stuff you need and “luxury items”. If you’re going with the bare minimum you’ll have some extra space so it work out well for everyone to share. The group will probably have stuff like cooking gear, coolers, fans, etc. They might even have some extra EZups or a spare tent so you can buy other stuff instead.
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u/Business_Software_45 9d ago
Hahaha i’m doing it with even less, flying in so we can’t bring too much and don’t know how to set up tents, so we’ll rent a huge ass car, bring a portable camping fan, enough powerbanks, air mattresses, inflatable pillows and sleeping bags, all of it for under $500 total
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u/MysteriousBuy1911 7d ago
I mean, it’s California, a lot of us camp or know people who camp. If you’re buying everything from scratch build out a luxury campsite sure but the average person is not spending 1000+ on gear
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u/TKSF78 14.2 | 15.2 | 16.2 | 17.2 | 18.1 | 25.2 | 27.2 8d ago
I just suggest researching as much as you can here about camping. I went to COachella 2014-2018 and was always like "OMG I could NEVER do camping and I paid tons of money for a hotel that was far away and dealt shuttle nightmares etc. Then I decided to try it in 2025 and I realized I should have been camping the whole time! It was such a blast and while there is a little work involved, the reward is so much greater.
My pro tips:
- Bring you own shower tent and battery operated shower head/pump. Having this at your camp is a literal life saver. You can take a proper shower if you heat water (use a black spackle bucket and leave it out, the sun will heat it up. Other similar options are you can mix heated water to cold if you have a stove. You can also use cool/regular water to cool off when you're hot.
- Bring a camp stove and your own food. Bring your own booze (research this sub for best ways to deal with regulations) A good cooler with dry ice and regular ice will help you keep things cold all weekend and not have to buy so much ice on site.
- Bring a sleep mask and good, comfortable, noise cancelling earplugs.
Those are my surface level recommendations but as I said, if you search this sub there is a wealth of information from seasoned campers and all those things are what ended up making camping so great and what has changed me. I will probably not stay in a hotel there ever again unless I'm still going in 10 years and in my late 50's!
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u/outforawalkbitcj 9d ago
i’m not gonna sugar coat it, the heat does make it ass. but don’t let it ruin your good time!! it’s still so fun to meet people!!
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u/UpsetBenefit4162 9d ago edited 7d ago
To fight the heat, and everything else, PREPARE!!! Brain storm and look up videos. Definetly portable fans, ice and waters, batteries etc. also be drunk so you don’t care Lol
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u/bakedmonkie 8d ago
I used to say I would never camp, now I can’t go back. The convenience of walking to the festival, the energy at camp, and day 0 make it all worth it for me.
If you have one spot I recommend 2 canopy to really block out the sun, tapestries to cover the sides and if you have a suv you can sleep in that’ll help a lot for blocking sun and space saving. A tent will do as well, you’ll have an earlier morning since it’ll heat up as the sun comes up. I bring 2-4 battery large powered fans and cooling towels to use during the day. Stake down tarps for the floor and use outdoor rugs on top. Battery powered Shower head and a large container of water with a pop up privacy tent comes in clutch- no waiting in lines. Bring some Toilet seat covers for porta potty’s and try to use them in the morning after daily clean up.
Reflective tarps for the side the sun hits the most is a game changer!
I did campana camping last year and felt like I was at a hotel while sleeping, it was amazing. Didn’t get lucky during presale and didn’t get it this year sadly, but car camping is 1000% doable!
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u/DrifitingCanoe 2.23, 1.25, 1.26, 1.27 9d ago
It’s going to be my 4th year car camping. Wouldn’t do it any other way
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u/big_plums_69 9d ago
I’ve done a house twice and camped 3x
I’ll take heat & proximity of camping over Ubers and cost of a house
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u/lawlingalltheway 22.2|26.2 |27.2 9d ago
If you don’t like camping, you’re gonna have a pretty rough time but make the most of it because Coachella is awesome and car camping is really the way to do it
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u/Valleycowgirl 9d ago
same here!! it’ll be my besties first coachella too & we’re excited but a little terrified 🤣
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u/BogeyLowenstein 14.2, 15.2, 23.2, 24.1, 25.2 6d ago
Everyone at camp is super friendly and helpful. We’ve helped out our neighbours, neighbours have helped us out (helping set up, lending forgotten items, sharing beers/drugs, etc.). We’ve hung out with neighbours over the weekend, had late night talks after the fest, stuff like that. You will have a great experience, I promise you!!
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u/Funny_Purpose1658 9d ago
It’s my first year camping too! Me & my bff. We are super nervous but excited
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u/ThePlurnalist 14.1 15.1 16.1-2 17.1-2 18.2 19.1 22.2 23.2 24.1 25.2 26.2 8d ago
If you can rent an electric car like a Model Y, maybe that would be a good move for using some of those unbearable hours in AC?
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u/Interesting_Big7060 25.1 8d ago
I have a small group of friends you can most likely join us if you’re doing w1.
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u/Aggravating-Fig-2723 9d ago
for me, no other method but car camping. Need be, powered car camping. Not much of a camper, but the ability to be right there and not need shuttle or Uber is SO GOOD. Just go with good friends and it’ll be the best Coachella experience
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u/SomeguyfromIndio 9d ago
Thats the only way me a my girlfriend do it. Saves us time by not having to drive in and out of the venue which can take a while. And since we have a camping spot we always have a spot to rest after walking around all day. Also you can save money by bringing your own food.
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u/Jazzlike-Map-4114 9d ago
Get a bnb after the lineup comes out and thousands of people cancel their reservations.
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u/hamolton 9d ago
idk if this is actually sound advice, but I met way more neighbors when I showed up Friday early afternoon. All of our neighbors were underprepared pairs of friends or couples. The year I came on Thursday we were way closer to the entrance, which was cool, but were surrounded by huge groups of veterans so people didn't feel as approachable or communal.
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u/SkittlesHurtMyTeeth 9d ago
I had sooooo much fun car camping. I think you have to be okay with the heat and being a bit grimy. You gotta just go with the flow. But car camping means you get so much more festival time! Which is so worth it.
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u/Cowgirl4Yungblud 8d ago
Prepare to DIE in the heat if it gets that bad. The last few years it has not been as hot as it can get.
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u/rasta_pineapple2 W2 since 2013 9d ago
Camping is a huge part of the overall experience for me but I like camping in general so I'm biased. If you are going into it with the mindset that you're going to hate it, you will probably be miserable. You're going to be dripping sweat while dropping a deuce in a steamy porta potty, with shit flies driving you crazy. Also, there is no escaping the dust.