April · Indio, California
Coachella
packing list
Two official rules shape the bag before anything else. Your water bottle has to be plastic, empty, and 64oz or under, and your sunscreen cannot be aerosol. Past that it is sun cover, one layer for the night, and shoes you broke in weeks ago.
At a glance
- Venue
- Empire Polo Club, Indio, California
- Typical dates
- Two weekends, early-to-late April (2027: Apr 9-11 & Apr 16-18)
- Base city
- Palm Springs (30 min)
- Fly into
- PSP (Palm Springs) or LAX (2.5 hr)
- Crowd
- ~125,000 people per day
- Running
- Since 1999
- Music
- Pop, rock, electronic, hip-hop
- Format
- Day festival (off-site lodging)
Plan at your pace
The starting list
0 of 15 packed
Comfort & safety
Use this list in four passes.
- Start with ID, ticket, payment, water, phone power, and medical basics.
- Add the festival-specific items, then adjust for camping, travel, and expected conditions.
- Use the linked official source shortly before departure to confirm bag, entry, and permitted-item policies.
- Save or print the final list after your last forecast and travel check.
The kit, checked weekly
Gear that earns its space
Every pick below is a real product we chose for Coachella specifically — checked for price, rating, and availability, and re-checked weekly. Prices move; treat them as ballpark.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes what we recommend.
If you buy one thing
Owala FreeSip 32 oz bottle
Fill it at every water station you pass. Insulated enough that the water is still cold at the headliner.
Check price on Amazon
02
Loop Experience 2 earplugs
The earplugs you actually keep in. 17 dB off the volume without muffling the mix, and they don't scream 'earplugs' in photos.
Check price on Amazon
03
Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50
One bottle for face and body, so you are not rationing a 3 oz tube across a weekend. Absorbs without the white cast, and holds up 80 minutes against sweat — which is roughly one set.
Check price on Amazon
04
Neutrogena Clear Face SPF 50
Non-greasy face sunscreen that won't sweat into your eyes by the third set. The 3 oz size clears most gate rules.
Check price on Amazon
05
Anker Zolo 20,000 mAh 30W power bank
The cable is built into the body, which is the whole point — the thing festival-goers actually lose is the cable, not the battery. 20,000 mAh covers a phone for a full weekend.
Check price on Amazon
06
Tilley LTM6 Airflo sun hat
The hat people actually keep wearing after the festival. Mesh crown vents the crown, the brim holds its shape in wind, and it floats if it ends up in water.
Check price on Amazon
07
Obacle dust bandanas
Breathable face cover for dust, wind, and sun. Works soaked in water as emergency AC.
Check price on Amazon
08
Sukeen cooling towels (4-pack)
Wet it, wring it, and it drops your neck temperature fast. Four in a pack means the whole crew gets one.
Check price on Amazon
09
MAXTOP fanny pack
Four pockets, sits flat, fits under most size rules. Everything you need for the day, nothing bouncing on your back.
Check price on Amazon
10
BAGAIL clear stadium bag
Meets the 12x6x12 clear-bag rule used by most big US festivals. Cheap insurance against repacking at the gate.
Check price on Amazon
11
Band-Aid Hydro Seal blister cushions
The difference between limping through Sunday and dancing through it. Stays on for days, even sweaty ones.
Check price on AmazonThe full kit runs about $270 — and most of it follows you to every festival after this one. Start with the top three if you’re choosing.
Pack for this place.
April in Indio runs 90 to 100°F through the afternoon and drops into the 50s and low 60s after dark. Dry air hides how much you are sweating. Wind is the wildcard: gusts pull fine dust off the polo field most afternoons, and in 2026 they got strong enough to cancel a headline set and flatten tents in the campgrounds.
There is no event parking on Thursday, and shuttles stop running about an hour after the music ends, so settle which one you are relying on before the night you need it. Drop a pin on your car when you park. Agree on a meeting spot too, because phone service in a crowd of 125,000 is a coin flip.
Rules are the final word.
Coachella's official FAQ caps bags at 18 x 13 x 8.5 inches when packed, checked against a sizing box the way airlines check carry-ons. Water bottles must be empty plastic, 64oz or less, with no metal, glass, aluminum, or steel. Hydration packs are plastic only and 2 liters or under. Aerosol sunscreen and umbrellas are both prohibited. Rules move between editions, so read the current FAQ before you pack. Read the rules-check guide.
Dress for it.
Light and loose wins: breathable tees, tanks, flowy dresses, or shorts in light colors that reflect sun instead of soaking it up. The photos you have seen are real, but so is the 95-degree afternoon — pick fabrics you can sweat in for ten hours. The full what-to-wear guide covers night layers, footwear, and the extras.
Quick answers
Coachella, asked and answered
Can I bring a hydration pack into Coachella?
Yes, if it arrives empty, is plastic only, and holds 2 liters or less. Free refill stations run inside the grounds. The spec has held across recent editions, but check the official FAQ before you go rather than trusting last year's bag.
Is spray sunscreen allowed at Coachella?
No. Coachella's official rules permit non-aerosol sunscreen only, so spray cans get pulled at the security line and you either walk yours back to the car or hand it over. Bring lotion or a stick instead. There is almost no shade on the polo field, so whatever you pack you will be reapplying it all day.
How windy does Coachella get?
Windy enough to plan around. Afternoon gusts drag fine dust across the open polo field, which is why a bandana or dust mask sits on this list at all. In April 2026 the wind canceled Anyma's Weekend 1 headline set, with Coachella citing strong wind affecting his stage build, and campers reported tents and canopies blowing across the grounds. If you are camping, bring more stakes and guylines than you think you need.
What should I wear at Coachella after dark?
The desert drops hard after sunset — often 25 to 30 degrees cooler than the afternoon. A light jacket or flannel you can tie around your waist during the day is the standard move.
Is Coachella a camping festival?
Most people stay off-site, but Coachella sells separate car and tent camping passes with their own rules and gear needs. This list covers the day-festival core; add camp gear only if you booked camping.
When is Coachella 2027?
Weekend 1 runs April 9-11, 2027, and Weekend 2 runs April 16-18, 2027, both at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Tickets went on sale May 1, 2026, well before any lineup announcement — Coachella typically reveals artists between October and December, so early buyers are betting on the festival itself, not a specific bill.
Can this replace the official rules?
No. This is planning guidance; the official policy linked above controls what is permitted at your edition.