What to Know Before Visiting Coachella 2024: Our Full Festival Guide

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One of the first major music festivals of the year is just around the corner as we gear up for Coachella 2024.

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As always, this year’s Coachella lineup sees some of the biggest names in music. Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat are this year’s headliners, while No Doubt is also listed in one of the festival’s high-profile slots. Coachella 2024 will be the No Doubt’s first performance together since 2015. Other Big names on this year’s lineup include Peso Pluma, Blur, J Balvin, Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, and Khruangbin. This year will also see the introduction of a brand-new stage, Quasar, which will host extended sets from major dance acts like Honey Dijon b2b Green Velvet, Michael Bibi, Rüfüs du Sol, and more.

But, as with any music festival of this caliber, there’s a lot of planning and preparation necessary for us as attendees. Below is our complete guide on everything you need to know about Coachella 2024, including where to buy tickets, how to pack, and what to expect once you’re there.

How to Buy Tickets to Coachella 2024 Online

Passes for Coachella Weekend 1 are sold out on the festival’s website, but you can still buy them through resale platforms like Vivid Seats, Ticketmaster, and StubHub — all of which guarantee real tickets delivered before the event. Right now, StubHub is showing the lowest prices with Weekend 1 passes going for a little over $516.

buy coachella passes at stubhub

Coachella Weekend 2 tickets are still available through the festival’s website, but, as of writing, they’re actually cheaper through resale platforms. Stubhub, for example, currently has Weekend 2 general admission passes starting at $415, compared to $499 on the Coachella website. VIP passes are also significantly cheaper through resale sites right now.

Coachella Lineup, Basic Info

Coachella takes place over two weekends, Friday through Sunday, with roughly the same lineup each weekend. The first weekend is April 12-14, and the second weekend is April 19-21. As with previous years, the festival takes place at the Empire Polo Ground in Indio, California, which is about 2.5 hours by car from Los Angeles.

The Friday nights of this year’s Coachella — April 12 and 19 — will be headlined by Lana Del Rey with supporting acts including Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Justice, Bizarrap, Deftones, and Peggy Gou. Day Twos (April 13 and 20) will see Tyler, the Creator, Blur, Ice Spice, Gesaffelstein, Sublime, Dom Dolla, and Jon Batiste. On Day Three, Doja Cat headlines after J Balvin, Jhené Aiko, Khruangbin, Carin Leon, John Summit, and Lil Yachty perform. Check out the full lineup for Coachella here.

As far as timing, Coachella’s website says the venue will open around noon each day. The venue will close at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and 12 a.m. on Sunday on nights.

How to Stream Coachella 2024 Online Free

Can’t make it to Coachella in person this year? You can still see every act live online thanks to Coachella’s partnership with YouTube. On each day of the festival, head to youtube.com/coachella to livestream the performances.

What to Bring to Coachella 2024

Packing for Coachella is no easy task, as you’ll want quite a few supplies but you’ll also need to comply with security regulations. Here are a few of our festival must-haves — all of which adhere to Coachella’s rulebook.

Carhartt Mini Backpack

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$29.38 $34.99 16% off

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Backpacks are allowed at Coachella, and they don’t have to be clear, but they can’t be larger than 18″ x 13″ x 8.5” (but who wants to lug around a big backpack?). If you’re in need of a compact backpack to carry your essentials, pick up this mini pack from Carhartt. Inside the durable, water-repellent exterior is a surprisingly roomy main compartment to stash all your necessities.

Anker PowerCore Fusion Power Bank

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$49.99 $54.99 9% off

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A dead phone can ruin any festival day (especially if you’re coordinating with friends), and it happens far too often. Make sure that won’t happen by picking up a reliable power bank, such as this PowerCore Fusion from Anker. It stores 10000mAh, which is enough juice to fully charge an iPhone about two times. It’s also very compact and features a USB-C port if needed.

CamelBak Eddy+ Water Bottle

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$11.60 $16.00 28% off

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Metal water bottles and liquids are not allowed when entering the festival grounds, so you’ll want a good plastic bottle to fill up inside and stay hydrated. We like this Eddy+ water bottle from the pros at CamelBak, which boasts a lightweight, durable design and a spill-proof top. You get a few size options too, so you can choose one that fits easily in your bag.

Knockaround Classics Polarized Sunglasses

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Knockaround is known for their affordable, rugged polarized shades, which is exactly what you want for something like Coachella: Your eyes will be fully protected from the sun, but it’s not the end of the world if you lose the shades, as they’re less than $30.

Smyrna Turkish Beach Towel

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$9.99

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You can’t bring large picnic blankets into Coachella, so we recommend this slim Turkish beach towel for cleaning up or laying out on the grass. It’s highly absorbent, dries fast, and folds up into a lightweight, portable package.

Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs

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$28.95

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Earplugs are a must if you want to lie down each night after the festival without ringing in your ears. We like these earplugs from Vibes for any concerts or music festivals, as they effectively reduce sound but still let you hear and enjoy everything. Plus, the earplugs’ clear tips make them very discreet.

Where to Stay for Coachella

Getting tickets to Coachella is the easy part; finding a place to stay can be tricky.

Your three main accommodation options for Coachella are house rentals, hotel rooms, and camping. House rentals through services like Airbnb are probably your best bet, as you can find stays near the festival grounds, although they are quite pricey (unless you split the bill with a group of friends). Hotel rooms are sparse in the area, which leaves the option of camping.

Related: Best Airbnb Stays for Coachella

Coachella has a few campsites on location with options for car camping and tent camping. Head here for more details on camping locations and buy camping passes at StubHub. The festival also offers lodges at Lake Eldorado (something of a “glamping” option). A few of these Lake Eldorado tents are still available here.

buy coachella camping passes at stubhub

Coachella 2024 Food, Drink, & Experiences

Musical performances and art installations aren’t the only things worth looking forward to at Coachella.

Top restaurants and chefs from around the country are slated to provide pop-up service at the festival, and there will even be some speakeasy bars sprinkled throughout the grounds. Coachella is working with “some of Los Angeles’ most popular, Instagram-friendly and buzzworthy restaurants,” per a release, bringing in some LA staples like Prince Street Pizza, Sweetfin, Tacos 1986, and Ronan to keep festival-goers fueled. Outstanding In The Field is also returning this year, delivering sit-down, multi-course meal experiences from award-winning chefs in Coachella’s VIP Rose Garden. Get tickets to Outstanding In The Field here.

Of course, there will also be plenty of exciting drink options for Coachella’s 21+ guests. Multiple bars and speakeasies can be found throughout the festival grounds, including Cocktails & Dreams and the Craft Beer Barn. For happy hour cocktails, head to the Aperol Terrazza, which will feature a unique golden hour experience created with Chef Samuele Silvestri, Executive Chef of the Terrazza Aperol in Venice.

See all of Coachella’s food and drink offerings here.

American Express is also back at Coachella this year with some major activations. One is a four-room immersive experience, accessible by Card Members and up to three of their guests, featuring an “icy winter wonderland” inspired by Reneé Rapp’s album, a “retro snack bar,” a market of small business pop-ups, and a “cave-like room” for relaxation. Amex is also bringing some exclusive Reneé Rapp and Tyler, the Creator merch, and a glam services pop-up.

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