Coachella Camping Packing List & Tips: 55 Must Have Items

Packing for Coachella weekend in Palm Springs? If you’re going to the music festival in Coachella, there probably seems to be a million things you need to pack. So to ensure you don’t miss a thing, here is the ultimate Coachella camping packing list. These are some of the most essential items to bring and you almost cannot go to Coachella camping without it. Even if it’s your first time at Coachella, this Coachella camping packing list will have you covered.

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Coachella Camping Packing List

1. Tent

At Coachella, one of the most important things to bring is a tent to sleep in. You’ll probably see some people sleeping out in the open but a tent can really protect you from dirt and most importantly give you privacy. If you’re not an expert camper and are worried about not knowing how to set up a tent, don’t worry because these ones are super easy to put up and take down.

The 4 and 6 person tent linked below can be set up in under 60 seconds and the 9 and 12 person tents can be set up under 2 minutes.

4-Person Tent (great for a small group of friends!)

6-Person Tent

9-Person Tent

12-Person Tent (perfect for a large group!)

2. Flashlight

It gets pretty dark at night time in Coachella so be sure to bring a flashlight so you can see at night. A LED lantern will be easy to put on the ground while lighting up your entire tent. In addition to the LED lantern, also bring a handheld lamp in case you need to walk around the campsite at night. This handheld flashlight is incredibly bright, water-resistant, and compact so it’s really handy to have around. Quite a lot of people like to put up string lights inside their tents for functional and aesthetic purposes.

3. Headlamp

If you don’t want to carry around a handheld flashlight while walking around at night, it’s a good idea to bring a headlamp so you can free your hands. For example, going to the bathroom will be so much easier with these headlamps.

4. Air Mattress or Sleeping Pad

For a good night’s sleep and for maximum comfort, it’s best to bring an air mattress. Make sure you have enough space in your tent before bringing an air mattress. If an air mattress is too big, you could bring a compact sleeping pad instead. You want to get as much sleep as possible to have enough energy for the next day so it’s so worth it to bring a comfortable air mattress or sleeping pad.

5. Sleeping Bag

If you’re the type of person that can sleep anywhere, a sleeping bag will work for you for Coachella. It’s easier to pack as well because it’s more compact. Temperatures at Coachella during the nighttime can drop to low 50 degree Fahrenheit so it’ll be a bit chilly. This sleeping bag is great for keeping you warm with that kind of weather without needing an extra blanket.

6. Blanket

If you’re bringing an air mattress or sleeping pad, you’ll need some blankets as well to keep warm. If you tend to get cold easily, you might want to bring a lighter blanket to layer on top of the sleeping bag.

7. Pillow

You can definitely go without a pillow or just use a jacket as a pillow. But for maximum comfort, you’ll want to bring a pillow. To save packing space, you can bring an inflatable pillow like this one and blow it up only when you get to Coachella.

8. Earplugs

This is one of the best things to bring on this Coachella camping packing list. At the campsite, there will be thousands of other people there also and noise will be inevitable. Do yourself a favor and get some ear plugs so you can get undisturbed rest. A lot of earplugs slip out very easily but these ones have an extra loop which keeps it in your ear even when you move around. They also come in many sizes so you can pick the one that fits your ears the best.

9. Foldable Camping Chair

Coachella is a long event so you’ll want to sit down throughout the day. The best way to do that without going back to your tent and sitting on the floor is to bring a foldable camping chair. If you want even more comfort, you can even bring an inflatable couch. Not everyone brings this so I’m sure some will be jealous of it.

10. Cooler

A good cooler can keep your items cold for days. We recommend the Yeti Tundra 35 cooler for its insane ability to keep ice frozen for more than 3 days. It’s reliable and that’s something we love when it comes to packing for a camping trip. For a more affordable option, the Coleman Cooler 316 Series is a great option for the same features. A cooler is very much needed and an important item on this Coachella camping packing list.

11. Handheld Fan

During the daytime, Coachella can be quite hot so having a fan right by your side is a life saver. This particular fan has 21 hours of battery life after 1 charge. It’s also small enough to fit in your pocket when you’re not using it. A plus is that there is a small flashlight that comes with this fan. While it’s not as bright as the one listed earlier in this list, it’s still something handy to have.

12. Bug Spray

Sleeping outdoors always has the risk of getting bit by bugs and mosquitoes. So it’s important to put on bug spray so you can prevent getting bit.

13. Trash Bags

Have some trash bags ready to use. Go for the ones that are heavier duty so you can prevent poking a hole through it.

14. Camping Griddle

Cooking yourself is part of the fun at Coachella! So if you plan to cook, you’ll definitely need one of camping griddles. This is a 3 burner which gives you a good amount of space and heat distribution to cook a few things simultaneously. There’s food sold at Coachella also but that can get expensive.

15. Canopy

To hide away from the bright sun, you’ll definitely need a canopy. You’ll see tons of these at Coachella. This specific one is one of the easiest canopies to set up. You should need to press one button and it’ll lock all of the canopy legs. Literally only takes seconds to set up.

16. Foldable Table

You’ll need a place to put your food and drinks and a foldable table will be perfect for that. If you also plan to play board games or want to eat at the table as a group, then a foldable table is a must have.

17. Eye Mask

18. Reusable Water Bottle

19. Power Strip

Bring a power strip so you can charge multiple devices at the same time. This power strip is amazing because it can charge 12 devices at the same time.

20. Portable Speaker

During times when you’re not at the music festival and you’re back at your sleeping area, it’s fun to bring a portable speaker so you can blast music while you cook, eat, play board games, etc. Portable Speakers are sold for pretty cheap like this one. It’s gonna be a good time when there’s music.

21. Portable Phone Charger

When you’re at the festival grounds, you’ll probably be using your phone a lot to take pictures and videos. So a portable phone charger will be a life saver when your phone battery is low.

22. Solar Shower

Many people will go without showering for 3 days but if you absolutely cannot stand that, you can invest in a solar shower. Essentially how it works is the water in the bag will get heated up using solar power from the sun. This solar shower contains 5 gallons of water which is enough for a few quick showers.

23. Shower Essentials

If you do plan to take showers, remember to bring the shower essentials like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Here are our recommendations:

Shampoo & Conditioner: OGX Argan Oil Shampoo + Conditioner

Body Wash: Aveeno Body Wash

24. Other Toiletries

Also bring some toiletry necessities such as toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, face cleanser, and moisturizer.

25. Hand Sanitizer

At Coachella, your hands will inevitably get germs from touching various things so best to bring some hand sanitizer to use throughout the day and especially before eating. The small travel size hand sanitizers are best and easiest to carry around.

26. Wet Wipes

Wet wipes will come in handy to get rid of dust and dirt that gets on you at the end of the day. If you don’t plan to shower, you can use wet wipes to feel more refreshed after. These wet wipes are individually packed so it’s easy to use. Lots of people bring baby wipes but they have a distinct smell that many people probably don’t want on themselves so these wet wipes are a better choice.

27. First Aid Kit

It’s always good to bring a first aid kit to longer trips like Coachella! You can get a kit like this one which includes all the necessities.

28. Sunscreen

Face and body sunscreen are absolutely festival essentials. Being out in the sun without sunscreen all day is quite damaging on the skin. Remember to also reapply sunscreen throughout the day. It’s a good idea to bring a face sunscreen and a body sunscreen. Our recommendation for the face is the Supergoop Oil-Free Face Sunscreen and for body, our pick is the La Roche Posay Anthelios Spray Sunscreen. A spray sunscreen is perfect for the body because it’s so much easier to apply.

29. Extra Batteries

Just in case you need batteries, make sure to bring some extras.

30. Clothes and Socks

Make sure to bring some comfortable summer clothing and socks to Coachella. It’ll be hot so bring dresses, short-sleeve tops, sleeveless tops, shorts, skirts, etc.

31. Comfortable Shoes

You’ll be walking a ton so bring some comfortable shoes to walk in. Sneakers are great but if you want to wear open toe shoes instead, we recommend Birkenstocks (Arizona model) if you’re into that look. They are the most comfortable pair of sandals.

32. Shower Slippers

If you plan to shower, it’ll be helpful to bring a pair of waterproof shower slippers. Even a pair of waterproof flip flops will work just fine.

33. Hat

Bring a hat to shield away from the burning hot sun. Depending on your preference, you can bring a simple baseball cap or a visor if you want to prevent the top of your head from sweating.

34. Snacks

It’s always nice to have snacks to eat while playing board games and just throughout the day when you want something to munch on.

35. GoPro

DSLR cameras are not allowed at Coachella, but GoPros are allowed so bring a GoPro to record your whole Coachella trip! The newest model, GoPro 11 has better resolution but the GoPro 10 has minimal differences so if you do plan to get a GoPro, I’d say go for the GoPro10 to save some money.

36. Bandana Face Mask

A bandana face mask is on this Coachella camping packing list because Coachella is prone to winds which means there will be dust. A bandana can be used as a fashionable face mask to prevent inhaling the dust. If you want something more secure around your face, we recommend a buff like this one.

37. Toilet Paper

For the porta potty which almost always does not come with toilet paper.

38. Quick-Drying Towel

If you’re showering, a quick drying towel will be so useful. It’s important that the towel is quick drying because damp towels often cause bad smells.

39. Cooling Towels

Coachella weather is going to be so hot so a pro tip is to bring cooling towels. These cool towels stay cool for up to 3 hours so you can lay them around your neck for a few hours to help your body cool down. It works even better than a fan.

4o. Fanny Pack

At the music festivals, it’s not fun to carry around a purse or a backpack. You can’t possibly store everything in your pockets so one of the best things to bring is a fanny pack. Just put it around your waist and you can store things like your phone, wallet, and a few other necessities.

41. Battery Powered Fan

A battery powered fan is on this Coachella camping packing list because it will come in handy while you’re playing board games or just chilling in your tent. Bring a few of these because one will not be enough!

42. Hydration Pack

There are water stations all throughout the festival so a hydration pack will be an easy way to hold a lot of water at once. It’s also a great option if you don’t want to carry around a water bottle with your hands. A hydration pack will free up your hands so much.

43. Board Games

There is going to be some down time during Coachella so board games will be a really fun activity to do with your group of friends. Most common and popular group board games are Codenames, Catan, and Monopoly.

44. Electrolyte Packets

This is probably not on the top of mind when thinking about a Coachella camping packing list, but it’s very much necessary. To keep your immune system healthy and strong during the trip, it’s a must to get Emergen-C Vitamin C Packets or Liquid I.V. Hydration Packets to mix in with your water to drink.

45. Powdered Greens

At the festival, you probably won’t be eating lots of greens so it’s best to bring powdered greens to feed your body with the nutrients it needs. The Bloom Greens & Superfoods is so popular and it actually tastes good. This can also aid digestion, boost immunity, and prevent bloating.

46. Lip Balm

Being outside all day and a long day of dancing and singing at the festival will make your lips dry so bring your favorite lip balm to Coachella. A safe choice for lip balms is to add Burt’s Bees lip balms to your Coachella camping packing list.

47. Cash/Credit Card

To buy food and drinks at the festival.

48. Phone and Charger

Of course, for obvious reasons.

49. Festival Wristband

Don’t forget your festival wristbands at home! Also remember to bring your Coachella tickets and car camping passes.

50. Workout Clothes

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What can you not bring into Coachella?

There are quite a few things you cannot bring into the Coachella venue including chairs, tents, coolers, outside food and beverage, and more. Be sure to read the list here carefully so you don’t violate any Coachella rules.

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And that’s a wrap for the ultimate guide to a Coachella camping packing list! It might seem like a long list of things but having all of these things at Coachella is going to make your trip so much easier. Save this list or send it to your friends who are also going to Coachella this year!

Read more: If you’re going to stop by Orange County during your Coachella trip, here are the top things to do there!