Center of Gravity

With over 150 artists, 12 hours of music a day, 10+ stages, and countless art installations and experiences, Coachella is a logistical puzzle disguised as a music festival. The value proposition is enormous, but without careful planning, the festival will play you. I’ve been to Coachella a couple times now (+ Outside Lands and more than a few raves), so I’ve picked up a few tips that can help you squeeze out every last bit of value. This guide isn’t about the year’s hottest acts, fashion, or where to take the best pictures. This is about strategy and resources.

Resources? Avi what the hell are you talking about??

There are three main resources when you go to Coachella.

The first resource is money. For most people, the bulk of this resource is already spent on housing, travel, and the ticket itself. That said, there’s still plenty of cash to be spent at the festival: merch, food, special experiences, and emergency purchases are all but guaranteed. Money is sneaky – it’s the resource with the least immediate consequence if mismanaged, but it can bring a lot of heartache and anxiety when you check your accounts later. Luckily, this is also the most flexible resource – most of the damage can be avoided with good planning.

The second resource is energy. If we had infinite energy, we could sprint from set to set, go to every afterparty, and do every drug all weekend long. Unfortunately, we’re mere mortals that must carefully allot our energy to survive. If you want to last through the weekend, managing your physical and mental energy is a priority. That said, with the right pacing, you’ll know when to conserve energy – and when to go absolutely feral.

The final resource is by far the most precious: time. You can always overspend, you can always push your energy limits, but you cannot get lost time back. Here’s the brutal truth: You’re not gonna see everything the festival has to offer. Make peace with that now, it’s okay. By following this guide, you can easily make the most of your time, planning your schedule confidently and feeling good about even the most difficult set conflicts.

Here’s the thing. Coachella is fun no matter what. But if you want to make every moment count? A little resource management goes a long, long way. Let’s get into it.

Before the festival

The gauntlet begins weeks before the gates open. This is the time to pack smart, plan well, and gather information.

Taking Care

The most essential item, second only to your wristband, is a sizeable water pack that you can refill throughout the day. I highly recommend Liquid IV and other electrolyte packs to stretch every drop of water. The sun is relentless – sunglasses are a must-have, and if you can style a hat with your outfit? Even better. Finally, bring light layers and an emergency N-95 mask. It’s cold, windy, and dusty after dark! Get sick on night one, it’s game over.

Speaking of health, a month out from the festival is a good time to get your body right. Coachella is enormous – the distance between the two furthest major stages is nearly a mile. You don’t need to be an Olympian, but mobility, strong legs, and a bolstered immune system make a world of difference.

Gathering Info

Now let’s talk intel. If you’re going week 2 like me, you’ll have access to priceless information: a free virtual dry run via the week 1 livestreams. This is an enormously underrated advantage. Maximize your value by deciding which acts are worth seeing and which can be skipped. Also, Couchella is a super fun part of the experience in its own right – Grab some snacks, crack a beer, and get hyped for your turn out in the fields!

Another great resource for preparation is Clashfinder. The official released schedules are confusing and difficult to read – I imagine this is intentional. Clashfinder makes it easy to find a line and adjust your plan on the fly. Even if you plan to ‘just wander’, knowing when big names play helps you game the crowds and plan meal/rest breaks.

Home base

(This year, my group is staying at a bnb, so I’ll be speaking on that.)

As soon as you arrive on day 0, prepare your space. Organize your belongings, lay out your fits, set up your makeup station, and otherwise get the annoying stuff out of the way to reduce as much resistance as possible. If you’re sharing the space with a large group, it could be a good idea to agree on bathroom order for hair/makeup etc. Every morning before you leave, prepare the space for when you arrive so you can just eat and knock out. Treat this like a priority – you lose a ton of time and energy if you have to navigate a messy, disorganized space when you’re already spent.

Now let’s talk food.

The best part of a bnb? The kitchen. You don’t need to be a chef to save time, energy, and money. Here’s how smart use of your kitchen can turn a good weekend into a great one.

• Eating at the bnb saves you time. I eat a huge brunch before leaving, pack snacks, and have something easy to waiting for a late-night meal. Saves tons of time. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely days I hit the food court a few times, but I feel a lot less robbed when I can do it on my own terms.
• Eating at the bnb lets you balance your meals. Most people don’t get a gram of fiber throughout their stay. You can be different. Vegetables, clean proteins, and wholesome carbs/sugars are the difference between fainting midday and powering through to the late-night sets. Eat right, party right!
• Eating at the bnb saves you money. Most entrees are ballpark $30, the portions aren’t awesome, and that’s not even including drinks and desserts! I’ve saved hundreds by loading up on calories outside of festival hours.

The Lay of the Land

You can save a ton of time and energy by knowing how to get around. Here’s a sample from 2024 – know the map and know it well. Most important spots to clock are the bathroom, water stations, and first aid tents. You’ll find maps posted around the festival grounds, but I like to save the map as my wallpaper on festival weekend for quick access.

Fast Facts

• Coachella/Main Stage and Outdoor Stage. Crowded, but best sound design you’ll experience in your life. These stages are for the highest billed pop acts, though you’ll sometimes see bigger EDM or hip-hop acts as well. They’re adjacent but deceptively difficult to move between because of the huge crowds they draw. If you’re hopping sets, you want to go back and around.
• Mojave and Gobi are for middle billings. A lot of up-and-coming/niche acts play these tents. They’re shaded and right next to each other, very easy to set hop between. Very gay vibes here, very chill, never too crowded. Easy to get super close to the artists.
• Sonora is an underground concert venue. You’ll mostly see indie, hyperpop, niche acts, and a lot of bands here. It’s indoor, air conditioned, and there’s seating. By far the most intimate setting, you could basically talk to the artists. Also, there’s a bar.
• Yuma is an indoor cyberpunk vibe for edm all day long. Techno and house are the main draws here. The light design is incredible, and there’s basically no break in the sets; it’s a nonstop party. It’s also air conditioned with some seating options and bathrooms right outside! Easy to accidentally stay here all weekend.
• Sahara is for top billing edm and hip-hop acts. It used to present a major traffic issue, so they moved it further down and built the quasar in its old spot to draw crowds. This stage to me has a harsh energy, crashout vibes (I saw a couple fucking here last year). Also, there’s a really nice hill to sit on by the stage.

Game time

Arrival

You wanna get to the festival early. Every minute you’re not at the festival is time and money wasted. Doors on day 1 is hands down the best time to get merch – any other time, you’re either looking at insane lines (I spent two hours in the merch line my first year) or slim pickings. Even if you’re not looking for merch, though, it helps to get to the grounds early. You can beat afternoon traffic, get a lay of the land, and catch performances/experiences that you otherwise would have missed/skipped. Plus, the energy on day 1 is indescribably magical. Bask in it as much as you can.

Set Management

Now, the big question. How many sets can you realistically see in a day? That depends on a few things.

Coachella is designed for crowd control. This means a lot of tough set conflicts. Here’s how I personally choose sets, take what you need.

• I prefer full sets over hopping around – Coachella is an opportunity for artists to curate a unique, exclusive experience. Each set is a story, designed to be enjoyed front to back. If I absolutely have to, I’ll do half sets, but only with artists that I don’t care as much about.
• If I need to choose between seeing two of my favorite artists, I prioritize rarity. Coachella brings in a lot of international and revival acts – I catch them while I can.
• All that to say, if I’m not feeling a set? I leave. I can usually pick up a vibe within the first couple songs, and if I can cut my losses for a good alternative, I’ll do it. I’ve bailed on some of my favorite artists because it just “didn’t feel right” and I haven’t regretted it yet.
• Another thing I consider is group dynamics. This one is a little more of a tossup. I’ve left my group to hit my must-see sets, but I’ve also chosen to stay with my group through “lesser” sets because the vibes were perfect.

No matter the criteria, the bottom line is knowing your rules beforehand. That way, you can confidently choose in every situation.

Energy Management

You’re gonna be at Coachella for a long time. From doors to close, you’re in for 12 hours of sound, sweat, and heat. Add to that prep and travel time, and you’re looking at one of the most packed and exhausting days ever – three days in a row. You need to take care of your body to survive.

Bring earplugs. The speakers are world class – they will blow your drums out after just a couple hours of full exposure. I keep my plugs in by default and only take them out for specific songs or if I’m far enough away from a stage. On a similar note, don’t scream too much or dance too hard on the first day. There’s nothing worse than having a shredded throat and aching bones during day 3’s most hype sets. Remember – it’s a marathon, not a race.

One of the best things about coachella is the way the stages are designed. Even from hundreds of meters away, the jumbo screens and speakers capture the heart of the performance really well. Of course, it’s best if you get on your feet and immerse yourself, but hanging back is a fine alternative – and even ideal if you have back-to-back sets at different stages. If you bring a thin towel or blanket, you can lie down! Such a vibe. When I’m that far back, I like to stretch out, take my shoes off, meditate, and enjoy the air.

Also, be outside during sunset. You won’t regret it.

Party Favors

I’ll keep this part simple and speak from experience. Know your limits; aim below those limits. If you’re going for a triple header, the ideal order is drink, drop, and roll. Save hard stuff for later in the day. The safe bets are caffeine and green, pretty much everything else will best-case elevate the vibe, worst-case ruin it, and either-case exhaust you faster than going sober would. If you’re on the fence of whether or not to use, don’t. The festival magic is more than enough, but this is a guide, not a sermon – make the call that’s right for your risk appetite and desired experience.

Mind the gap (everything in between)

Earlier we mentioned that, inevitably, there will be gaps in your schedule. Gaps are good! There’s so much to discover off the beaten path.

If none of the main stages appeal to you, there’s still tons of music to experience. The quasar (extended techno sets), the heineken house (throwback hip hop acts, light edm), and the do-lab (up and coming dj’s) are just a few of the smaller scale offerings that have all-day lineups of their own. What they lack in star power, they more than make up for in vibes and atmosphere; they’re designed to be fun experiences to pass through and hang out. That said, huge names still hit these spots during headliner hours, and if you’re lucky, you’ll catch some surprise performances as well.

Make time to explore the art installations! These are a main part of the show (eg music & ARTS festival), and they truly add so much to the atmosphere and quality of the experience. Each of the major installations are commissioned specifically for the festival, and they’re designed for interactivity. Most of the time, they’re a great place for shade and lounging. They’re also central to the festival so they make for a great meeting spot when you’re gathering your people for a big set.

There’s also a bunch of other stuff. Just wandering around, you’ll find pop-ups, experiences, giveaways, photo opportunities, and so much more. Planning is key, but a little aimless wandering? Essential to the Coachella vibe.

The long ride home

Leaving the festival every night sucks. It’s like the world’s biggest walk of shame. It’s cold, windy, dusty, and everybody is trashed. There also isn’t really a best time to leave – you’ll hit traffic no matter what. That said, there are ways to make this dreaded part of the day as smooth as possible. You can mitigate the worst of the damage by wearing that extra layer and n-95 that you packed earlier. The entrance point is an insane choke – dozens of groups choose to meet here before walking to the car. Save your group time and trouble by meeting at the parking lot instead of at the gate.

When you get back to home base, eat that meal you prepared, hydrate, and knock out as soon as you can manage. Sleep is far and above the most restorative possible activity you can do to keep it going all weekend long. Rinse. Repeat. Thrive.

When it’s all too much

Coachella can be really stressful to plan for. Just look at me – I wrote a 3000-word guide on resource management alone. This all comes from a place of both deep respect and anxiety. The polo fields have seen some of my highest highs, but also devastating lows – missed opportunities, wasted resources, and real consequences from poor decision making. This guide is my appeal to you: don’t make my mistakes, you can be better.

That said? It’s not that serious.

On the outside, Coachella is this huge culturally aspirational experience, and sure there’s shades of truth in that, but at the end of the day, it’s just a festival! Go out there and do you. When I feel the stress start to take over, I remind myself: I’m goddamn lucky to live in beautiful southern California, I’m blessed that I have the opportunity to attend. If you’re going, you already won. Take what you need from this guide and let it rip – you’ll have a great time no matter what. I’ll see you on the fields!