My Coachella Experience: Do's and Don'ts
/Coachella 2018 "Beychella"| Travel Package| Shuttle Pass
The Coachella 2018 Festival, A.k.a "Beychella". was a phenomenal experience for me. The opportunity to travel to Indio for this annual festival couldn't have come at a more opportune time. Everything just aligned, especially the lineup which included; Beyonce, Sza, H.E.R. Daniel Caesar, The Weeknd Miguel, Jorja Smith, Brock Hampton and More (literally)! I have always thought that attending Coachella is extremely worth it because if you think about it, individual concerts would end up being more than $530 dollars (the cost of a general admission Coachella ticket).
You aren't just paying for concerts, but a whole experience. Wow, I miss it so much...I will try my best to talk about some of the highlights and/or moments that were pertinent to my experience.
In case you are more interested in what to pack for your next trip to Coachella, check out my Coachella Packing Guide. I took everything on that list and had everything that I needed. The list is tested and CkingDesirée approved, for what that is worth:
The Outfits: The best part of my experience was shopping for my daily outfits. I really enjoyed dressing up in the name of Coachella, with tattoos, headpieces, and jewelry. I did end up packing way too many options and I only needed three. You won't have time to head back to your hotel to change during the day. So whatever you need, should be brought with you to the festival and kept in the nifty lockers. Do: Only pack what you need for the weekend! Bring a jacket for the nighttime.. for more tips see packing guide. Don't: Overpack, like I did.
The Makeup: Glitter seemed to be on everyone's makeup must haves. Faces were beat along with appropriate attire. Although I was a bit hesitant to wear makeup throughout the hot day, I decided to just go for it because cute photos were my goal.
The Heat and Dust: They were not kidding about coming home and coughing up black gunk from inhaling all of that dirt. Prepare for the worst and you will be ok. Although the weather during weekend one was beautiful--not too hot and not too windy--at some point I felt myself overheating. I definitely needed my bandana and my Vibedration pack. They both came in handy when I almost fainted in the heat. However, the festival grounds have spray fans and water misters that you can sit under if it gets super hot (and they aren't only for VIP). Do: Bring a hydration backpack or something to replenish electrolytes like Pedialyte. *Purchase and get an extra 10% off at checkout using the code: VIBEDRATED*
The Long and Expensive Food Lines: Coachella has a plethora of food options and it was all really yummy. HOWEVER, just be aware that the lines are super long and the cost is extremely steep. At one point I was craving a burger and had to get over myself to pull out a 20 dollar bill to pay for it, Ridiculous. Do: Try the many different food options available. Bring some snacks with you for during sets. Don't: Deprive yourself of food options because of the price. It's Coachella, so splurge a little. Honestly, that mindset was the only way I could stomach paying $20 for a freaking burger.
The Exclusive Spots and Perks: I brought my American Express Credit Card to tap into some of the exclusive perks at the festival. This year, American Express had a lounge packed with light refreshments and photo opportunities. A free Ferris wheel ride and a monogram were also included. I ended up monogramming my Coachella jean jacket. Do: Bring your American Express Card.
The Ferris Wheel: I DID NOT RIDE THE FERRIS WHEEL!!!! I waited until the last minute and was not able to ride it due to time constraints. I AM SO SAD ABOUT THIS. Do: Get to the Festival early to ride the ferris wheel if that is on your list. Don't: Wait till the last minute because you will regret it, like me. :/
The Interactive Experiences and Artwork: Honestly, like the Farris wheel, get to the festival early so that you can partake in all of what the festival has to offer. Coachella isn't all about the music, but also the art and interactive exhibits. Unfortunately, my friends and I were not able to visit all of the exhibits because we ended up sleeping in. I had to leave a bit of Jorja Smith's set to visit the HP tent, and even then they had maxed out at some of the exhibitions. Honestly, I find that it is impossible to incorporate all activities in just three days... that is probably why they have two weekends.. duh.. but I am not that wealthy. Do: Get to the festival grounds extremely early and plan all activities in advance. Visit all the art exhibits and interactive tents. Rack up on all the free stuff :)
The Long Days and Nights: My Friends and I left our hotel room around 2 pm and got back to our hotel around 3 am, each night, basically morning. If you think the lines inside the festival will be long, imagine 100k people leaving the venue at the end of the night--triggering. However, the line to get on the shuttle bus the first night that we were leaving was excruciating. All of our backs were hurting, my feet started to ache and I truly underestimated how cold it could get in the desert... I had a jacket, but I should have brought sweat pants. but at the end of the day it really helped to sleep in a comfy hotel bed. Do: Get a Hotel Room or a Travel Package ( hotel, festival tickets & shuttle passes are included). Bring a Sweater and extra battery charger for your telephone.
Long Lines to Get Out of the Festival: There is nothing much to say about this except be prepared to inch out of the festival grounds. It is the most exhausting part of the whole day. However, if you get stuck in the crowds know that it is low key entertaining to watch everyone. I am a people watcher, so I enjoyed the crowd. Saturday night, my friends and I experienced the carriage ride after the festival. That was really fun for me. The crowd at Coachella is lit. Do: If you want to bounce right after the last act, be towards the back of the crowd... but truly what fun is that? Be in the moment. :)
The Porta Potty's: It's all good and dandy at the beginning, but when the days grow longer, people become gross. I tell you sometimes you will want to just pee in a bush than deal with nasty poop filled hot containers, but its all good just do your business quickly. Do: Bring sanitary wipes and hand sanitizer Don't: Pee in a Bush...
The Overlapping Music Sets: There are TONS of acts so your favorite artists may definitely overlap at some point. The Stages are a pretty good distance from each other and sets are usually no longer than 25 minutes, if that. Mapping out your schedule for acts during the day can really help you make the most out of your time. Do: Do yourself a favor and make a schedule of the acts that you want to see. Don't: Be afraid to leave your friends. We ended up staying together most times, but there were a couple of times I wish I had ventured off alone to see some of the artists that I really wanted to see.
The Merchandise and Artist Paraphernalia: Be prepared for your favorite hoodie to be sold out by the second day of the festival. Do: Get your items the first day of the festival Don't: Wait or procrastinate cause that 'Yonce hoodie will be gone..yes, I am still salty.
The Exclusive Pool Parties: So, my daydreaming self was under the impression that I would mysteriously run into a celebrity and they would be so enthralled with my presence that they would invite me to all of their exclusive pool parties and such... Don't judge me too hard, I had very high expectations for my first time at Coachella. It's ok, a "Kardashian" didn't find me, but there are there are plenty of pool parties ranging from free to exclusive. I did RSVP to some parties... but my friends and I did not go to any. We really did not have the time. I suppose we could have attended the parties in the morning before 2 pm when we needed to be at the festival, but it took us forever to get ready and recover from the night before. Going to pool parties is possible but can get overwhelming hectic when you do not have a car. Do: RSVP to the parties that provide the opportunity. Don't: Feel bad about not going to the pool parties. Especially if it is your first Coachella, you will be too busy and excited trying to see everything on the festival grounds.
Famous people are for the VIP's: Or so it seemed. I packed my sharpie and autograph book only to be disappointed at the lack of celebrity sighting. I probably sound like a groupie. I am honestly not one to go up to any celebrity anyways, but I thought "hey, if we end up brushing shoulders I may just ask for a quick selfie".. but no such luck..haha. 1. It is too much for me to sit in the hot sun and "lookout" for celebrities. It is never that serious. 2. The festival area is way too big. Do: Get VIP if you want the possibility of running into any type of celebrity. Don't: Get VIP tickets for the sole purpose of seeing Celebrities... it's not worth it. Let them live their lives. Also, most of them will probably have an artist pass and I think that's a separate area altogether.
The Shuttle Pass and Hotel: God really blessed me to be able to stay in a nice hotel over Coachella weekend because I really could not see myself camping outside with bugs, dirt, and nature. The only thing I would advise making sure of when booking a hotel is the distance from the Empire Polo Club. I assure you, the distance will matter to you at night when you are trying to get home. Despite the hotel distance, what really made a huge difference in our experience was purchasing the anytime any-line shuttle pass. Do: Book a hotel or travel package through Coachella! Travel packages come with both three-night stay and a shuttle pass. The shuttle pass is SO worth it. Don't: Book a hotel too far out from the Polo Club. Try not to uber because they are über expensive.
The Lockers: The festival provides lockers and they are absolute lifesavers. Although my fanny pack saved my life, the lockers came in a close second. It was convenient to store our extra jackets/outfits and merchandise in the locker when we needed to. Do: Get a locker if you plan to take a lot. Don't: Not get a locker if you plan to take a lot.
Water Fountains: Water fountains were available! This was a lifesaver and saved a lot of money on my end. Do: Keep your hands free and bring your own water backpack. Don't: bring a water bottle unless you have something to put it in. Your hands will thank you.
The plenty of photo opportunities: Bring a Camera! According to the website cameras with interchangeable lenses were not permitted so I carried a small handheld one instead. Take every opportunity to snap some photos, but also make sure to enjoy the festival. I found it hard to do both. There were times that I just had my camera on, but I realized that I really just wanted to be in the moment.
The Empire Polo Club at Night (Nightchella): The festival grounds at night is something to marvel at. If you are wondering what I mean, take a look at the photos linked above.
The Safety: Security is phenomenal and after the many attacks around the world, it frightened me to attend a festival as big as Coachella. However, I felt safe everywhere I went.
The Outfits: The best part of my experience was shopping for my day outfits. Below are the outfits I decided to wear for the weekend.
Day One Outfit
Day Two Outfit
Day 3 Outfit
Honestly, Coachella felt like a whole different world. It was breathtaking, exciting, mesmerizing, fun, exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time. I am so blessed that I had this experience. If you ever have the opportunity to go, I would definitely take advantage of it. After reminiscing as I write this article, I wish I could experience it all over again! Maybe someday when someone else pays for me 'cause I am still digging myself out of the debt it put me in. It was worth it though..becuase Beyonce.
Below are some photos from the weekend! I tried my best to capture moments while also living in the moment. If you know what I mean.
Have you been to Coachella? Please let me know of your Coachella experience in the comments below!
Also, feel free to ask any questions that you may have about Travel packages, ticket purchasing and|or anything else concerning Coachella. I am not an expert, but I can try my best to answer your questions based on my experiences.
Til' Next Time,
XO|Ck
