Help me Coachella!
March 26, 2018 3:59 PM Subscribe
I am bringing my teenage (17) daughter to Coachella this year. I've done basic Google research looking for tips and suggestions, but would love any personal experiences with the festival.
In what I hope does not turn out to be a bout of temporary insanity, I agreed to take my daughter and a friend to Coachella this year. We're going the second weekend, flying into Palm Springs, and have a hotel room on the shuttle route. I rented a locker to stow our bags. I have done some research and feel like I know the basics: stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, bandanna or scarf for the dust. I bought VIP passes because I am old and having a place to land for rest and shade was important to me.
I've done Warped Tour with my other daughter so I'm familiar with how music festivals work in general, but have never gone to a huge multi-day like Coachella. What else do I need to know? I enjoy concerts and plan to experience the music, not just hang in the VIP area while my daughter is out and about. And to that end, what about safety? I intend to let them be on their own with regular check in. Should I worry about two young girls being there without an adult with them at all times? (I have actually been very impressed with the lack of harassment of girls and women at Warped so I'm curious what it's like at other festivals.) I have read that cell service might be spotty. Is that true and are there any other options for staying in touch with them?
Any tips, suggestions, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!
In what I hope does not turn out to be a bout of temporary insanity, I agreed to take my daughter and a friend to Coachella this year. We're going the second weekend, flying into Palm Springs, and have a hotel room on the shuttle route. I rented a locker to stow our bags. I have done some research and feel like I know the basics: stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, bandanna or scarf for the dust. I bought VIP passes because I am old and having a place to land for rest and shade was important to me.
I've done Warped Tour with my other daughter so I'm familiar with how music festivals work in general, but have never gone to a huge multi-day like Coachella. What else do I need to know? I enjoy concerts and plan to experience the music, not just hang in the VIP area while my daughter is out and about. And to that end, what about safety? I intend to let them be on their own with regular check in. Should I worry about two young girls being there without an adult with them at all times? (I have actually been very impressed with the lack of harassment of girls and women at Warped so I'm curious what it's like at other festivals.) I have read that cell service might be spotty. Is that true and are there any other options for staying in touch with them?
Any tips, suggestions, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Best answer: I'll be there week one. It's getting harder to last all three days the older I get. 😁The key is to manage the time spent on your feet and in the sun. Lots of hydration and time spent sitting somewhere in the shade are essential for me. They have two or three air conditioned stages now which are awesome to take a break in mid afternoon.
I take a CamelBak and fill up at the hydration stations so I don't have to leave the stages to buy bottle water or refill smaller bottles.They have real restrooms now and I personally find it worth the extra trek to avoid the porta potties.
The temperature swing between day and night is pretty large so I'd pack a light windbreaker for the evening. Also comfortable shoes and socks are pretty important. Cell service has improved greatly over the years but its still not the most reliable. The best way as suggested above is to pick spots and times for when the group will meet.
We usually pick times for dinner (if the acts aren't great around that time) and definitely for when we leave. Our method is to pick a certain speaker tower out of the way , by the sides (they are named A1, A2 and so on) or one of the art installations. Mid day meetings usually tend to be by the tents or one of the beer gardens. And yes, we timestamp our texts so people know when the text was sent.
Coachella has been getting more and more bro-y and the last two years my girlfriend and I have been hurt by the young muscle heads charging through people when they're getting to or out of Sahara tent and nearby areas.The obnoxiousness or obliviousness seems to increase the closer I get to Sahara. It's usually chill and relaxed everywhere else.
I've done the shuttle a couple of years and they've definitely gotten better at managing the lines.Leaving a little early before the last set or just waiting out the crowd for a bit helps. I'm afraid it's going to be a long wait everywhere, be it a ride service or leaving the parking lot in your own car.
I've always gotten a safe vibe at Coachella and my SO, sister and other friends say the same. Your kids will be fine by themselves. Have a great Coachella.
.
posted by viramamunivar at 6:20 PM on March 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
I take a CamelBak and fill up at the hydration stations so I don't have to leave the stages to buy bottle water or refill smaller bottles.They have real restrooms now and I personally find it worth the extra trek to avoid the porta potties.
The temperature swing between day and night is pretty large so I'd pack a light windbreaker for the evening. Also comfortable shoes and socks are pretty important. Cell service has improved greatly over the years but its still not the most reliable. The best way as suggested above is to pick spots and times for when the group will meet.
We usually pick times for dinner (if the acts aren't great around that time) and definitely for when we leave. Our method is to pick a certain speaker tower out of the way , by the sides (they are named A1, A2 and so on) or one of the art installations. Mid day meetings usually tend to be by the tents or one of the beer gardens. And yes, we timestamp our texts so people know when the text was sent.
Coachella has been getting more and more bro-y and the last two years my girlfriend and I have been hurt by the young muscle heads charging through people when they're getting to or out of Sahara tent and nearby areas.The obnoxiousness or obliviousness seems to increase the closer I get to Sahara. It's usually chill and relaxed everywhere else.
I've done the shuttle a couple of years and they've definitely gotten better at managing the lines.Leaving a little early before the last set or just waiting out the crowd for a bit helps. I'm afraid it's going to be a long wait everywhere, be it a ride service or leaving the parking lot in your own car.
I've always gotten a safe vibe at Coachella and my SO, sister and other friends say the same. Your kids will be fine by themselves. Have a great Coachella.
.
posted by viramamunivar at 6:20 PM on March 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
I’ve gone a bunch. I’d suggest bringing a portable phone charger, cash, ear plugs (for concerts, not the foam ones), and using a fanny pack or wearing a drawstring bag on your front. The bag thing is because people will slit the bottom of backpacks etc from behind, especially when everything is crowded, and I’ve had friends who’ve had things stolen that way.
Have fun!
posted by loulou718 at 9:45 PM on March 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
Have fun!
posted by loulou718 at 9:45 PM on March 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
Seconding the phone charger. I took my teenaged sister to music festivals and she would always have her phone nearly depleted by the time we even got off the shuttle because of all of her Snapchatting.
Pick a spot that's out of the crowd and visible from far away and set rules about when to meet. If you know she's going see band X by herself, tell her to check in at the spot after it ends.
posted by tofu_crouton at 5:19 AM on March 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Pick a spot that's out of the crowd and visible from far away and set rules about when to meet. If you know she's going see band X by herself, tell her to check in at the spot after it ends.
posted by tofu_crouton at 5:19 AM on March 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Bring allergy medication if you have dust sensitivity or seasonal allergies. Mine were out of control the year I went.
posted by guster4lovers at 8:40 PM on March 29, 2018
posted by guster4lovers at 8:40 PM on March 29, 2018
Response by poster: Follow up summarizing our experience for anyone searching in the future:
First of all, it was a blast! Exhausting but I was really sorry when it was over. The first thing I would recommend is closed toe shoes. Most of what I read about wearing them seemed to emphasize getting your toes stepped on in the crowds, and since I didn't intend to get in the middle of the crowds I wore sandals. Well it's really dusty and dirty walking around and my feet were filthy at the end of the day. Second, use the bandanna. The first day wasn't windy so we didn't think it was a big deal, only to find the inside of our noses were black upon blowing (sorry for TMI). There is dust in the air even when the wind isn't blowing.
If you can swing it the VIP pass was invaluable. Not only for my old self but my daughter and her friend also really appreciated having shade and places to sit when needed. The VIP sections offered a place to watch the headliners without being in the crowd directly in front of the stage (not that it mattered one way or another for Beyonce; it was ridiculous crowded wherever you were).
The shuttle worked very well for where we were. Never had to wait more than ten minutes or so going to the festival, and didn't have to wait at all to get on the bus going back at the end of the night. But I did hear someone say that other shuttles had to wait an hour (we stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Palm Desert on the Cook Street shuttle line, if that helps).
I saw quite a few people with Camelbak backpacks for water, but we ended up buying bottled water there and refilling at the water stations when possible. They have kept the price of bottled water to $2 so you don't feel like you are being too gouged for water. Sunscreen is obviously extremely important, but except for the Coachella and Outdoor stages you will be in a tent so it was easier to get out of the sun than I thought. But I also bought a parasol on the first day and used that walking back and forth and I am now a big fan of parasols! I also had a fold up fan that I used frequently (a parasol and a fan; just the ultimate in cool I am).
We all had either charger phone cases or portable chargers and never had to use the charging stations, but they were plentiful. I had investigated using a messaging app like Firechat or Bridgefy before we got there but was surprised when the cell service was fine the first two days. But then it was horrible the third day so I would recommend maybe having one of those as a backup plan. I did have acoustic earplugs which I always use when I am at a concert. I have bought several different kinds that have been OK but this time used Vibes and they were the best at cutting the volume while still allowing the music to come through clear and I would highly recommend them.
Having lunch at the airport waiting for our plane I was pretty dismayed to open Facebook and read the article saying that 100% of women who were asked said they were sexually harassed or assaulted at Coachella. I talked with my daughter and friend about what to do if they were in a bad situation or felt uncomfortable but they both said afterwards that they didn't have any issues. They had guys talking to them, maybe hitting on them a bit, but if they started pushing boundaries they told them to stop and they did. So that was a relief. (They spent most of the second day seeing acts in the Sahara tent which was where they encountered whatever issues they did have, so that confirms I guess the bro-yness of that tent.)
Anyway, it was an awesome experience for all of us and I would do it again in a hearbeat!
posted by Bresciabouvier at 1:11 PM on April 26, 2018
First of all, it was a blast! Exhausting but I was really sorry when it was over. The first thing I would recommend is closed toe shoes. Most of what I read about wearing them seemed to emphasize getting your toes stepped on in the crowds, and since I didn't intend to get in the middle of the crowds I wore sandals. Well it's really dusty and dirty walking around and my feet were filthy at the end of the day. Second, use the bandanna. The first day wasn't windy so we didn't think it was a big deal, only to find the inside of our noses were black upon blowing (sorry for TMI). There is dust in the air even when the wind isn't blowing.
If you can swing it the VIP pass was invaluable. Not only for my old self but my daughter and her friend also really appreciated having shade and places to sit when needed. The VIP sections offered a place to watch the headliners without being in the crowd directly in front of the stage (not that it mattered one way or another for Beyonce; it was ridiculous crowded wherever you were).
The shuttle worked very well for where we were. Never had to wait more than ten minutes or so going to the festival, and didn't have to wait at all to get on the bus going back at the end of the night. But I did hear someone say that other shuttles had to wait an hour (we stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Palm Desert on the Cook Street shuttle line, if that helps).
I saw quite a few people with Camelbak backpacks for water, but we ended up buying bottled water there and refilling at the water stations when possible. They have kept the price of bottled water to $2 so you don't feel like you are being too gouged for water. Sunscreen is obviously extremely important, but except for the Coachella and Outdoor stages you will be in a tent so it was easier to get out of the sun than I thought. But I also bought a parasol on the first day and used that walking back and forth and I am now a big fan of parasols! I also had a fold up fan that I used frequently (a parasol and a fan; just the ultimate in cool I am).
We all had either charger phone cases or portable chargers and never had to use the charging stations, but they were plentiful. I had investigated using a messaging app like Firechat or Bridgefy before we got there but was surprised when the cell service was fine the first two days. But then it was horrible the third day so I would recommend maybe having one of those as a backup plan. I did have acoustic earplugs which I always use when I am at a concert. I have bought several different kinds that have been OK but this time used Vibes and they were the best at cutting the volume while still allowing the music to come through clear and I would highly recommend them.
Having lunch at the airport waiting for our plane I was pretty dismayed to open Facebook and read the article saying that 100% of women who were asked said they were sexually harassed or assaulted at Coachella. I talked with my daughter and friend about what to do if they were in a bad situation or felt uncomfortable but they both said afterwards that they didn't have any issues. They had guys talking to them, maybe hitting on them a bit, but if they started pushing boundaries they told them to stop and they did. So that was a relief. (They spent most of the second day seeing acts in the Sahara tent which was where they encountered whatever issues they did have, so that confirms I guess the bro-yness of that tent.)
Anyway, it was an awesome experience for all of us and I would do it again in a hearbeat!
posted by Bresciabouvier at 1:11 PM on April 26, 2018
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Shuttling to and from the venue is kind of a hassle. I always camp but my friends who have done shuttle services say that they have had to wait HOURS before being picked up. Maybe ask if there is a VIP shuttle service that can be quicker?
Coachella has a very hippie vibe and I have never seen anyone too rowdy; especially directed at women. I say with complete confidence that they will be fine on their own.
I hope you guys have fun! :)
posted by lain at 5:01 PM on March 26, 2018 [1 favorite]