Coachella 2026: Everything you need to know to survive and thrive at the festival — or watch at home

It’s almost time to make the annual pilgrimage to the desert for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The event will celebrate its 25th year on the polo fields in Indio, this time with Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G topping the lineup.

Whether you’re heading to the festival or watching from home, we’ve compiled a guide for maximizing your Coachella time from what to pack and what parties and pop-ups are open to the public to how to watch from the comfort of your couch.

We’ll have live updates throughout Weekend 1 at latimes.com/coachella. We’re also answering your questions and compiling your tips.

When is Coachella? Where is the venue?

Coachella 2026 runs April 10-12 and 17-19 at the Empire Polo Club at 81-800 Ave. 51 in Indio.

Who is performing at Coachella 2026?

This year’s main stage headliners are Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G.

There’s also a big production from Anyma, presenting the world premiere of Æden, and other top artists include the XX, Nine Inch Noize, Disclosure, the Strokes, Turnstile, Addison Rae, David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Katseye, Sombr and Young Thug. Here’s the full lineup.

Can I still get tickets to Coachella? How much are passes?

Coachella is sold out, but there are still ways to get in. There’s a waiting list via Coachella itself and there’s also an official resale market and secondary sellers.

On the official Coachella resale site, Weekend 1 general admission three-day passes and GA with a shuttle pass are hovering around $1,000; VIP are starting at $1,630 as of April 1.

Weekend 2 starts at $815 for general admission passes and GA with shuttle on the official Coachella resale site while VIP starts at $1,130. Note that the prices fluctuate often.

(For reference, when tickets went on sale in September, they started at $649 for a three-day GA pass for Weekend 1 and $549 for Weekend 2. For VIP, passes for Weekend 1 started at $1,299 and $1,199 for Weekend 2.)

Beware of secondary sites, but you can find passes there as well. Typically Weekend 2 is cheaper but prices will spike after everyone talks about Weekend 1.

A few things to note: Coachella doesn’t have hard tickets but wristbands. If a deal seems to good to be true, it probably is. Check the policies to see how your purchase is guaranteed if you go the secondary seller route.

What’s the difference between general admission and VIP passes, and are VIP passes worth it?

No matter what level of pass you have, you can roam around most of the field and get up close to stages. Yes, you can have a GA pass and walk right up to the stage. Of course, if you’re a Belieber trying to do that you’re probably camping out all day Saturday.

If you see those special viewing pits near the stage, the VIP passes do not get you to there. Nor do they get you on stage.

VIP passes do get you a dedicated entrance (closer to what has historically been the yellow lot and the ride share dropoff/pickups) and more exclusive food options in spots like the picturesque Rose Garden next to the Mojave Tent. You also can view the main stage from the 12 Peaks VIP area. And there has been a dedicated VIP entrance for the Yuma Tent in recent years.

When does Coachella release set times?

The festival set times are usually announced a few days before Weekend 1, and then the complaints about conflicts will ensue. In 2025, the set times dropped on April 5. When they land, we’ll share them here.

Recent years have also had notable surprise acts revealed in the set times announcement, including Weezer and Ed Sheeran in 2025, Blink-182 in 2023 and Arcade Fire in 2022.

The set times are pretty consistent on most stages through both weekends, with minor tweaks — usually the early DJs or acts opening the stages change up between weekends. However, the lineups at the Quasar stage and the Do Lab are different each weekend.

Once set times are released and you’re plotting your own schedule, don’t plan on easily hopping back and forth between the Sahara Tent and most of the other stages. It moved to the far south end of the festival grounds in 2024 and it’s a considerably longer hike than its previous locations. There was a traffic jam trying to get over there in 2024 and in 2025 the festival made some improvements (swapping the Quasar and Do Lab locations) to ease a crowd chokepoint, but you’re still looking at probably a 15-minute walk from the main stage.

When do gates open at Coachella? How late does the music go?

The parking lots open at 11 a.m. daily and the gates open around 1. The curfew is 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday and midnight on Sunday.

What’s the deal with parking? What about the shuttles? Can I take a rideshare? How’s traffic?

Unlike pretty much any other concert in Southern California, general parking is free at Coachella for the day. If you’re driving in, carpool and get there early. There have been years where people have had to park off-site because it’s so packed. Just be sure to note where you parked because at the end of a long day of music, you don’t want to be searching for your car. (Pro tip: Drop a pin in your phone as soon as you park.)

You can take a rideshare to/from Coachella. That lot is near the yellow lot but I always hear horror stories every year.

Whether you’re driving or taking a rideshare, know that if you stay until the end of the night you’re likely going to be waiting a while.

Pro tip: If you’re driving, leave yourself some snacks that won’t melt and some waters in the car so you have some sustenance if you do get stuck.

The shuttles do require a pass. As of April 1, only Weekend 2 was available to add a pass via the Coachella site and it’s $150. Friends who have stayed on the eastern side of the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs) swear by it, especially if they want to have adult beverages throughout the day.

The worst traffic is on the 10 Freeway the Monday after each weekend. It’s brutal if you’re heading back to L.A. You need to be on the road by 9 a.m. or wait it out until the evening.

Where do I put my stuff? Are there lockers?

There are lockers but they are sold out for both weekends. You are allowed to bring in a backpack 18” x 13” x 8.5” or smaller. If you can travel light, a fanny pack is the way to go, but if you’re planning to bring a hoodie or a beach towel to sit on, your shoulders will be less angry at carrying a backpack over a messenger bag, trust me.

Is there a place to charge my phone? How can I keep my phone from getting stolen at Coachella?

There are some chargers set up around the field, including throughout the covered Craft Beer Barn, but bring your own cable. It’s worth bringing a power bank with you so you don’t have to wait for your phone to charge.

Everyone knows someone who has had their phone jacked at Coachella. Set up and turn on whatever kind of “Find my phone” app your device has before getting to the desert.

I’ve seen people use fanny packs with tethers inside to further secure phones and also phone lanyards.

A lower-tech option I’ve seen is using safety pins to keep front pockets closed, something that works particularly well with zippered pockets.

I don’t have a place to stay for Coachella yet. What are my options?

Most of your options are going to be massively expensive since we’re down to the wire here (I saw an Airbnb listing for a bed in a laundry room in Thermal coming in at just under $700/night for Weekend 1), but as of April 1, there were still car camping passes available for each weekend for $180, which includes the local transient occupancy tax. Powered car camping, which the Coachella site says gets you a guaranteed spot with a power outlet and access to upgraded showers and bathrooms, runs for $700 with the tax included.

Coachella attendees get sprayed with water at the Do Lab in 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

What’s the weather going to be like for Coachella and how can I prepare for it?

My best advice: Keep refreshing the forecast. We’ve had an unusually warm start to the year in Southern California, which typically signals that we’ll be roasting at Coachella, but things have thankfully cooled off a little.

If temperatures look mild, consider bringing long sleeves for the evening because it does get cold. As of April 1, the Weather Channel’s 14-day forecast for Weekend 1 has highs in Indio in the upper 80s. Weekend 2 is typically warmer, but last year that wasn’t the case.

Handheld fans (paper or battery-powered) are allowed. I’m not saying my USB-charged fan kept me from a trip to the medical tent in 2025, but I’m not NOT saying it. They’ve had some for sale at the festival in previous years, but it’s cheaper to buy one off-site.

Plastic personal-sized water misters are allowed in, too, but they have to be empty when you get there.

If you don’t want to stop the fun while you take a break from the heat, the Do Lab is always a good place to catch some shade, dance and cool off.

It’s pretty much a guarantee that you’re going to be in some gnarly wind at some point during the festival, so a face covering like a bandanna or a PPE mask (protects from dust AND COVID) are helpful.

The desert is hot. Are there water stations?

If I’ve learned one thing over the last 18 years I’ve covered Coachella, it’s that dehydration is serious business. However much water you’re drinking, it’s not enough.

Water has been priced at $2 since Coachella started back in 1999, and there are multiple refill stations on-site. You can also bring in an empty refillable container, but it can’t be metal or glass and it has to be 64 ounces or less (even though the Coachella water they’ve sold in recent years is packaged in an aluminum bottle). Empty hydration backpacks are also allowed. (Electrolyte packets for hydration are too.)

Also, I’m told that Electrolit will be back on site with a hydration station near the main stage and handing out free cups of the electrolyte-filled drink.

What should be on my Coachella packing list?

I mentioned the bandanna/mask, fan and power bank and charging cable above. I also don’t go to Coachella without earplugs, hand sanitizer, some baby wipes, sunscreen (non-aerosol only) and a hat because the Indio sun is no joke, sunglasses and a couple of Band-Aids just in case. I’ll throw a hooded sweatshirt in my backpack, too, especially if it’s going to be windy.

Even when I’m not working and I go to a festival as a civilian, I’m all about function over fashion and comfortable shoes and socks to walk thousands of steps each day. For Coachella’s walking, I’ll also bring out some gel insoles.

Oh, and leave your cash at home. Everything is cashless at Coachella now.

Definitely download the app before you get there. In addition to being able to set your schedule, it’s become increasingly harder to get the physical map and info booklets on site.

Pro tip: If you want a poster as a souvenir, something smart I saw last year was someone who brought in their own cardboard poster tube and according to the Coachella FAQ, they are allowed.

What’s the deal with food at Coachella?

Let’s be real. You’re captive at the festival and you can’t bring food in with you. Food is not cheap, but it’s often very good. You can find some reasonably priced options throughout the fest (pizza, especially), but plan on spending about $18-$25 for most entrees on-site. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available, too.

Some of the vendors we sampled last year, including Sandoitchi and Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, are back at Indio Central Market. And Gerard’s Paella and Mano Po are among those returning.

You can also go for the super luxe Nobu pop-up, back at the Red Bull Mirage again this year, or have a fancy family-style meal with Outstanding in the Field with famous chefs.

Here’s a look at some other food options at Coachella in 2026.

Reader Stacey from Rancho Santa Margarita, who has only missed two Coachellas since the beginning, also offered a great tip: Eat your meals off schedule to avoid long food lines.

You can also score some free snacks and things at various brand activations, like last year’s Takis spot.

If you have more time to dine, Times critic Bill Addison recently updated his Palm Springs dining guide.

My go-to move if I’m not stuck in the parking lot late at night is In-N-Out (there are now two locations in Indio and another one just west on Highway 111 in La Quinta).

What’s new at Coachella this year?

We’ll know more once we get the set times and map and will update here accordingly, but there is the mysterious line on the bottom of the lineup poster that reads: “The Bunker debut of Radiohead Kid A Mnesia.”

I always see pictures of famous people at the Coachella parties. How can I get into the Coachella parties? Are there other shows outside of the festival? Can you get me in?

You know how around the Super Bowl everyone talks about “the big game” because they can’t mention it by name but you know exactly what they’re referring to? The vast majority of the events happening in the desert in April aren’t technically affiliated with Coachella but they exist because everyone’s in town for the festival. Coachella = “desert music festival.”

Many of the parties you see with the most famous people are invite-only, like Neon Carnival and Camp Poosh and Nylon House, but there are lots of activations and shows where you don’t even need a Coachella wristband to attend.

Goldenvoice Surf Club takes over the Palm Springs Surf Club both weekends. Passes start at $49 for a single day and $85 for two days. Parking on site is an additional $20. You need to be at least 18 to attend. See the lineup and more details at gvsurfclub.com.

If you want to keep the music going all night, Framework in the Desert is back for a fifth year of afterparty performances April 10-12. Notable artists include a DJ set from Disclosure, Boys Noize and Armin Van Buuren. You need to be at least 21 to attend. Single-day passes start at $74 and $85 depending on the day and three-day passes start at $194. Find more details at thisisframework.com.

Check back for more updates on parties and events open to the public.

That all sounds like a lot. How can you watch Coachella from home?

If you want to celebrate Couch-ella, the festival has partnered with YouTube for years to stream the festival live. There are usually six channels you can watch within the YouTube channel, each dedicated to a stage. Not every performance is streamed live, but the vast majority are.

The stream starts a few hours after things are underway in Indio and not all set times line up with reality, so it’s not unusual to see people who are there posting on social about something that hasn’t necessarily happened on the stream yet.

Set times for the stream typically drop immediately before the festival. After the music is done for the night, the stream repeats until the next day’s broadcast begins.

One thing to note is in previous years the more rock and punk-based Sonora Tent streams Weekend 1 and it’s replaced by the house-centric Yuma Tent for Weekend 2.

There’s also the option of Coachella’s livestream app.

Pro tip: If you’re watching on YouTube, take advantage of one of the multiview options to flip between stages without having to sit through as many commercials.

Have questions you don’t see answered here? Ask our experts!