A beach towel, sunscreen, earplugs, hand sanitizer, comfortable shoes and the multi-purpose bandana are on a must-pack list for the Coachella Festival. (Vanessa Franko/Staff)
Headed to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio April 11-13 or April 18-20? Want to know what you really need to have with you? I’ve been going to Coachella and Stagecoach since 2007. These are the essentials I take with me every day. Do you have other must-have items on your list? Share them in the comments section below.
1. Shoes
If you are truly headed to Coachella for the music, comfortable shoes are a must. I don’t care how cute those heels are, if you actually plan to walk around the field, you will sink in the grass. Some people swear by flip-flops, but you can’t go wrong with sturdy sneakers with good support.
Pro tip: If you are planning to run around the different stages from the time the gates open until the last note is heard, a nice splurge is investing in some gel insoles.
2. Beach towel
Coachella allows you to bring a small beach towel inside the fest. It’s great for when you want to sit on the grass at the Outdoor Theatre stage at night and look up at the stars without having to worry if you just sat down in remnants of someone’s slice of pizza from the I Love Spicy Pie booth.
Pro tip: Roll up the towel and throw it in the bottom of a medium-sized backpack to maximize space if you plan on picking up a lot of records and souvenirs.
3. Water
Coachella allows you to bring in some empty water containers (yes on an empty plastic bottle, no on metal) and as always, water is only $2 per bottle, and there are 16 free refilling stations around the field. The reason why? Dehydration is serious business. You’re in a desert. Coachella doesn’t want you to die.
Pro tip: Get free, cold water when you find 10 empty bottles and exchange them for one cold fresh one.
Another pro tip: Keep a bottle of water in your car if you’re driving each day. After the long hike back to the parking lots, you will want it.
4. Hand sanitizer
After sitting on the ground for a while and deciding you want to get some food, trust us, you’ll want some. Hit the travel aisle at a drug store to get a small bottle for $1 or less.
5. Cash
There are ATMs on site (and the Coachella boutique, record store and merch tent have traditionally taken cards), but most of the vendors take cash only. After raging in the Sahara Tent and deciding you need a Red Bull, you won’t want to find an ATM and wait in line to get cash (and pay fees) before you go right back at it.
6. Sunscreen
The Empire Polo Club is full of wide open spaces where you can soak up the sunshine. You don’t want to be lobsterman by Sunday. Bring sunscreen. I recommend 30 SPF because the sun is intense. Sunglasses and hat are also clutch.
7. Earplugs
If you are going to post up in front of the main stage when gates open just to get a great spot for OutKast’s Friday night headlining set, you will want to be able to hear them by the time they come on.
Pro tip: Buy a 10-pack of the soft, disposable earplugs at a drug store and bring a couple of pairs with you each day. If they fall on the ground or get dirty–and they will– throw them away.
8. Bandana
The bandana may be the best multi-purpose tool you can have with you at Coachella. You can wear it on top of your head to protect it from getting sunburned. If it gets too hot, you can put water on it and put it on the back of your neck to help cool you down. And, if we get a gnarly sandstorm like we did in 2013, you will want it as a cover for your face.
9. Phone charger
There are charging stations around the fest. Bring your charger. Nobody wants to lend you theirs. Trust me.
Pro tip: Make sure you don’t have extraneous apps running to maximize battery life. Also, keep the screen as dark as you can–a bright screen burns through the battery. Also, give yourself a boost at one of the charging stations early in the day, even if your phone is still doing fairly well–it will become packed in the evening.
10. Sweater
Even though the temperatures at Coachella can reach triple-digits during the day, once the sun goes down behind the Santa Rosa Mountains, the cool night can turn downright chilly, especially if you’re in it for the long haul. Bring a sweater.
Pro tip: If you’re planning on getting merch from the fest, do it on the first day. Popular items will sell out by the end of the festival. If you’re looking for something from a specific artist–the artists playing that day have their gear at the main merch table for that day only. (This doesn’t apply to the record store).
11. Bandages
The travel aisle of a drug store is an amazing place. Spend the $1 and get a small package of bandages that will easily fit into a pocket or backpack. If you ignored tip number 1 about the shoes, you will want one to cover the blisters you might get.
If you plan ahead, you can pick up most of these items at a drug store en route without getting weighed down. What do you bring with you to Coachella?
If you want the full list of what is and is not allowed, check the Coachella site.
Also, if you’re headed to Coachella 2014, don’t forget to check out our interactive artist map.
I’ve covered the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival since 2007. For more Coachella news, photos, interviews and information, visit the iGuide Coachella page.
If you want to follow me on social media, I’m at @vanessafranko on Twitter, the Audio File on Facebook and on Google+.