Attending an event of the caliber of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival can seem overwhelming, especially when it comes to planning your daily outfits, staying hydrated, or finding something yummy to eat. That’s not even taking into account which performances are must-see this year and which ones you’ll have to miss to catch another set.
If you’ve never been to the Empire Polo Club in Indio for the festival (taking place from April 11-13 and 18-20) or are a returning festivalgoer but need a refresher on what to expect in terms of logistics, fret not.
Here are ten things to know before heading out to the desert.
How much are Coachella tickets?
While ticket prices have varied over the years, Coachella 2025 passes start at $649 for weekend 1 and $599 for weekend 2 at coachella.com/passes.
Who runs Coachella?
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival was co-founded by music promoter Paul Tollett and his late business partner Rick Van Santen. Concert and music festival promotion company Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Live, organizes the wildly popular event.
When was Coachella founded?
The first festival took place in 1999, featuring headliners Beck and Rage Against the Machine. It wasn’t until 2007 that it became a three-day headliner event.
Where is Coachella located?
It is located at the Empire Polo Fields at 81-800 51st Ave., Indio, in the Inland Empire region’s Coachella Valley within the Colorado Desert. The festival is a few hours east of Los Angeles and about 30 minutes east of Palm Springs. Naturally, festival crowds will impact travel times.
What’s the parking situation?
Despite many festivals and concerts charging for parking these days, Coachella is not one of them. Several free parking lots are available at the festival. Although GPS can help navigate, it is best to follow the directions listed on coachella.com to better gauge what entrance and parking lot will work best.
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The festival is encouraging carpooling to “Carpoochella” to help cut back on traffic and emissions by arriving at the festival with four or more pass holders in your vehicle and says doing so might even score you VIP for life. If you’re looking to park and camp at the festival, there are various packages you can purchase. Information for both Carpoochella rules and camping packages can be found here.
How do I get a locker?
Being anywhere for 12 hours or more can be exhausting, but it may also require some outfit changes throughout the day to maintain comfort. If you don’t want to carry your hoodie until the cold breeze comes in after dark, consider booking a locker, where you’ll have access to a tent to change into new clothes. You could book one for yourself or go in on a larger one with your pals. The best part is the locker reservations are good for all three days of the festival.
Coachella offers a medium GA locker (Height: 18″ Width: 15″ Depth: 18′) for $89; a large GA locker (Height: 24″ Width: 15″ Depth: 18″) for $99 and an XL locker (Height: 24″ Width: 18″ Depth: 21″) for $109. You can reserve a locker at coachella.com/lockers.
SEE ALSO: 15 Coachella 2025 acts you don’t want to miss at the festival or on livestream
Can I bring in water?
Coachella is held in the desert, so there will be times when the sun is intense and the festival grounds are hot. Be sure to stay hydrated. In an effort to promote sustainability, the festival allows attendees to bring an empty refillable water bottle (no larger than 64 ounces) to fill up at any of its free water refill stations. Locations will be posted on the maps closer to the festival dates, which can be found on the Coachella app. If you forget your bottle, you can always purchase a reusable water bottle inside the festival and continue using it throughout the weekend.
Where can I charge my phone?
There are USB and AC charging stations located in the camping center and around the venue to keep your phone charged. You’ll want to bring your own cable. The provided power cubes are only designed to charge mobile phones. Don’t try to charge external battery packs, hair dryers, curling irons, air pumps, or any other electronic devices. You can also bring a portable battery pack to charge your phone on the go.
Can I buy separate tickets for a specific stage or day?
You don’t need to buy separate tickets to access all eight main stages at Coachella, as they are included with every admission to the festival. If you’re trying to catch one of your favorite acts up close, you should arrive early, ideally a set or two before their scheduled performance, to secure your preferred view.
If you plan to attend the festival for only one day, there is no single-day ticket option available for Coachella. With that said, if you’re only planning on going one day but can’t swing all three, definitely go and keep an open mind while you wander from tent to tent. One of the beauties of Coachella is discovering a new favorite artist you may have never heard of and get to experience live.
What can I bring if I’m camping at Coachella?
Well, it’s more of what you can’t bring. Campers are NOT allowed to bring:
- Amplified sound systems (large speakers, DJ equipment, non-factory installed car audio)
- Animals (Service Animals Are Allowed)
- Branded pop-up canopies or tents
- Compressed gas tanks (E.g., helium, nitrous)
- Drones or remote-control vehicles or toys
- Drugs or drug paraphernalia
- Extra car batteries
- Flammables (including fireworks, explosives, and ammunition)
- Flashlights over 5.5”
- Furniture (sofas, couches, recliners, lay-z-boys, home furnishings, non-inflatable mattresses)
- Generators (Gas)
- Glass of any kind (bottles, large mirrors, containers, solar panels, lights, etc.)
- Heating appliances
- Kegs
- Metal tent stakes
- Open flames (campfires, candles, tiki torches)
- Prescription medication (must be in properly labeled containers that match the holder’s ID; no pillboxes are allowed.)
- Propane (Propane stoves are permitted in Car Camping only. Review the FAQ for details on cooking.)
- Party balloons
- Personal vehicles (skates, scooters, skateboards, hoverboards, segways, electric scooters (Birds, Limes…) Personal mobility devices for ADA guests and bicycles are OK.
- Rugs or astroturf
- Scissors
- Slip-N-slides
- Sports equipment (e.g., golf clubs, bats, hockey sticks)
- Squirt Guns Or Water Toys
- Tools (sledgehammers, screwdrivers, hammers, shovels, gardening tools, metal mallets, woodchippers) Small rubber mallets are OK.
- Vending (inventory will be considered surrendered and not returned.)
- Walkie Talkies/or two-way radios
- Weapons (guns, ammo, tasers, pepper spray/mace, knives, including cooking or steak knives.
- Workout Equipment (kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, etc.)
- Wrapped or sponsored vehicles. Your vehicle will be turned away if it displays advertisements, marketing, sponsors, or company logos. Rental company logos are permitted.
