Need advice for a first-timer

[BettiePinUp]

Hi Sexy people,
Ive never been to Coachella and I need advice.
I'm coming from Wisconsin and planning on going alone. I need to know how to go about this or if its even possible!
The $250 ticket, plus airfare to CA, plus renting a car, and hotel seems to be adding up to an amount that I cant afford.
Do people rent cars and then stay in Indio hotels? The hotel prices that I can find are like $200-$300 per night!
I dont mind camping, but my tent is way too big to carry with me. Do I just buy a smaller one and plan on camping?
If I camp, is there any reason to leave the campsite in the 3 days or is there food/showers there that are easy access?
Would I even need to rent a car for the airport?

What do you suggest I do to be easiest and most cost efficient so that maybe Coachella is a possiblity for me?

[TheGunslinger138]

Last year, I flew from DC into the Palm Springs airport and camped on-site. I would not trade this experience of camping in the desert for anything. Since you are coming by yourself, it depends on how adventurous you are but I would recommend you do the same. A new, smaller tent is going to be way more cost effective when compared to hotel lodging for 4 nights. The ticket price for camping is 45 bucks plus service fee. They have showers available (not bad given the context of the concert) and food, beverage etc. You can also catch a cab from the airport to the polo grounds. Last year, our plane landed around 9 o'clock and we were instantly able to find two other people needing a cab and this resulted in a cost saving by being able to split the fare. Most (if not all) of the area cabbies know the deal for the weekend and know that many people will be needing transport to Empire. I can even give you the cab information pertaining to the one we took last year (well, i think i still have the card). As an added bonus, campers have their own private gates for entry.

[nmaff]

if you're friendly and whatnot, you'll meet friendly people at the concert.
if you're flying and staying in a hotel you will almost definitely want to rent a car... you could probably carpool from lax to indio but who knows if you're going to be able to carpool to your hotel and back to the grounds all 3 days... your best bet is to try the onsite camping if you want to save money on car rental... just buy a tent at the walmart in indio for 20 bucks, and then return it on monday before you leave town... there is food and showers onsite with camping, when i went i had a broken leg and arm so i can't tell you how the showers were... we had a small cooler with some food stuffs in it, so didn't need to get any food from the vendors on the campsite, but during the concert, once you're in, you're in... so if you're going to eat you have to get food from vendors there...

we left the grounds a few times in the early morning (stupidly hot + tent = no sleeping past 7am)... any one of your neighbours may make a trek into "town" to get some food or whatever, you can probably just catch a ride with them... everyone i met the year i went was very friendly, i doubt that has changed... just be careful/use common sense...

sure after 12 hours of bands you will probably be pretty damn tired, but to get in your car and drive to a hotel room by yourself (which will probably take an hour with that traffic anyways) will just be boring, especially when you're super tired but unable to wind down for an hour or two anyways...

basically to do this the least expensive way possible: fly to lax, meet up with some people here in the carpools forum to get a ride to indio, stop and get some snacks to hold you over, camp on the grounds, and eat when you can.

[BettiePinUp]

This advice is great. I think thats what I'll do. Yep I'm a friendly friendly chic, so I dont think i'll have a problem carpooling for anything.
I need a smaller tent anyway so i dont mind buying one.

Any advice on airlines or cheap tickets for airfare? I'll be flying out of Madison WI (MSN) or Chicago (CHI). Generally CHI is cheaper.

[anima86tx]

hey bettie i have the same issue. I have never been to coachella. I bought one ticket and if my friends dont go, i am on my own. I love RATM so thats one main reason i am going. I bought a camping pass but i dont know how to set up a tent or anything...I am sure people will help, but this whole thing is very woodstockesque so I am keeping an open mind.

[paganman7]

It just wouldn't be the full Coachella experience without camping.

The only advice I have for you...don't expect a lot of sleep. Not only will you not fall asleep easily (partying, crappy bongo playing, music playing), but by 7:00 am, it's already 90 degrees inside your tent...brutal!

[C DUB YA]

There hasn't always been camping at Coachella.

Its a newer thing mind you.

[JClemy]

yay for Wisconsin. just come over near camp Canada we're always friendly and we'll be complaining about the temperatures same as you.

[Meadowsmeister]

pfsch, England is colder, wetter, drearier, at least you guys have snow! and i was kidding about it being colder, but it is in the -0

[AudioSlave21]

sweet.. there was some good advice there, thanks.

[deathtrip]

Hi all, I'm another first-timer all the way from Singapore and those tips were really helpful, thanks.

I've got another question - my friend is coming along just to camp with me (keep me company) but he's not interested in the bands playing. I am going to get a camping pass and festival tickets. But he won't be going into the festival grounds. So is it okay for him to just buy a camping pass and camp with me, without entering the festival grounds? Or do you need to show your festival tickets as well, just to enter the campground?

Another thing - got this from the FAQ -

Campers may go in & out of the camping area and wristbands will be checked each time upon re-entry (this does not mean in & out of concert venue so you won't be able to go back and forth).

So basically this means, re-entry is possible for the campground, but not for the festival grounds?

Thanks in advance!

[TheGunslinger138]

That's actually a really good question. My understanding is that somebody can camp and not have tickets for the concert. I could be very wrong so let's see what others have to say before giving a definite yes as the answer. Others?

As for re-entry, there is no re-entry allowed when leaving the concert. If you exit the gates, you will not be allowed back inside that day. Kind of like people dressed as The Crow at Satan's Halloween party. They will not be allowed inside. However, you can leave the designated campground and re-enter as long as you are wearing the wristband they give you when checking in. So, to summarize, you can leave and re-enter the campground at will, but once you enter the festival gates each day, you cannot leave and expect to be let back in.

If any of this is incorrect, let those whose knowledge is greater correct me.

[mozabilly54]

Buy the tent when you get to Indio. It's easier. Then give it to some bumm when you leave.

[jerpar24]

I'm also a 1st timer for Coachella. All My friends are getting rooms but I was like F that I got to camp and meet all the people that are coming from around the world. But I Live in Cali so All I have to do is drive and pitch a tent.

[jerpar24]

pfsch, England is colder, wetter, drearier, at least you guys have snow! and i was kidding about it being colder, but it is in the -0

I'll make sure I don't stab you with a Aidz needle since you asked.

[RifleEyes]

Bettie, you're in kind of the same situation as I am! I am from the UP. I have a really crappy job with hardly enough money. And I am lucky enough to have a friend pay for the camping pass. But I still gotta pay for the plane ticket ($276), and the 3-day pass ($287!). Plus money for food, water, merchandise, and other camping supplies (sunscreen and such.) Ah. I'm going to be poor for months just so I can go to Coachella XD

[Meadowsmeister]

To be perfectly honest, im not sure i like the idea of a guy alone in the campsite with all of our belongs....

[TheGunslinger138]

To be perfectly honest, im not sure i like the idea of a guy alone in the campsite with all of our belongs....

Not everyone goes into the festival in the morning; some wait until late afternoon/evening (for whatever reason). Some won't even go in the entire day. It's not like this guy will be the only person in the campground. I wouldn't want to camp out and not go to the concert, though. That shit would be boring. I'd feel like Moses on Sinai outside the gates. . .

[Jonesy_81]

Hi to all my sassy fellow campers!

This is my first time at Coachella, coming all the way from the snowy state of Minnesota! i am just wondering what the alcohol rules are for the on-site camping? Nothing allowed in? If not, are the drinks outrageous? That blows.

[invisiblerobots]

Hi to all my sassy fellow campers!

This is my first time at Coachella, coming all the way from the snowy state of Minnesota! i am just wondering what the alcohol rules are for the on-site camping? Nothing allowed in? If not, are the drinks outrageous? That blows.

http://coachella.com/visitors/onsite-camping

Drinks at the bar are somewhat expensive.

[nmaff]

vodka looks like water for a reason.

i brought in a 40 of vodka in 5 water bottles, nobody said a thing.

[Meadowsmeister]

I'll make sure I don't stab you with a Aidz needle since you asked.

since i asked what?

[foto_synthesis]

This is my first time at Coachella, coming all the way from the snowy state of Minnesota!

Good luck with the drastic temperature difference. I'm glad I'm from FL and used to the scorching heat.

[thaipod]

Jonsey- You're not supposed to bring alcohol on to the campgrounds, but it's very easy to do so.

Bettie- If JetBlue flies out of wherever you're coming from, I'd suggest taking that to Burbank Airport. JetBlue is cheap. Burbank airport is a lot less of a hassle than the nightmare LAX can be, and it's about 30 minutes closer to Indio than LAX is. Also, check out travelzoo.com about once a week (in fact, sign up for their weekly Top 20 sales e-mail list). There's always some kind of good deals on flights there.

Deathtrip- Your friend can buy the camp ticket without buying a ticket for the event.

[chqp1]

hi! i come from austria, europe and therefore want to stay longer... is someone out there from la where i can stay 1-2 nights before the festival starts??
if you ever get to austria i will guide & help you too! ;-)
greetings, chris

[revisitingnixon]

This will be a first time for me as well. I did some research online before hand, and found these two insightful articles about on-site camping and off-site camping. I hope they help. Good luck.

How to Camp Off-Site for Coachella 2007

How to Camp On-Site for Coachella 2007

Good luck.

Rock on!

[smartoneblake116]

rhcp

[kaysee62]

Bettie, Jonesy & RifleEyes - Have you considered a road trip & sharing the cost to/from Indio? I too am going solo (from Detroit) & camping due to accomodations being sky high. I may be driving, to save on airfare & car rental fees.

Based on other posts I've read, it seems nothing is safe in the campground, including your clothes & toiletries, so having a car to lock things up in would be beneficial.

Good luck, my fellow mid-westerners

[tricorne]

what do i do if i want to camp bu am not 18 years old?

fake id? or make yrself look old. i suggest prosthetics and grey hair spray.

[seanyboy]

Ditto. How hard would it be to get in?