TRAVEL EXPERIENCE:
Getting There: Without importance from which corner for the world you are traveling (unless you can drive or take public transportation, of course) , I recommend to arrive at the Palm Springs Int Airport. I recently learn some people decide to flight to Los Angeles instead, but the festival is actually 2+ hours drive from LAX. Even if you have to do an extra layover, I think is worth arriving right into Palm Springs. Why? driving from LAX or other "near by" airports is not that comfortable or as hassle free as you would think. Having to rent a car, deal with traffic, drive yourself or pay USD$100+ in Uber, is not very convenient - believe me.
Arriving to Palm Springs will give you the flexibility to safe time, energy, and potentially significant dollars. The city is fairly small, so no matter where in Palm Springs you'll be staying (YES, because you should definitely stay in Palm Springs) the airport will be less than 30 mins drive from your lodging's location.
Where To Stay: The month of April (not only Coachella weekends) is the busiest and most expensive time to travel to the desert. There's Dinah Shore Weekend and Stagecoach also taking place around the same time. With that being said, if you're trying to safe money on lodging, the options are quite limited. If you're not on a budget, skip to the next part, and book one of the many overpriced hotels - Enjoy room service 🙂
Moving on from the rich brats; Airbnb will be your best ally. But even then, you should book with anticipation - and I mean months. You would think that last minute Airbnbs will be cheaper because the host is interested in getting the listing booked. Well, that is generally the case, but this marketing strategy doesn't apply during Festival season. Young people tend to leave everything for the last minute, this increases demand on those very few places available and as a result, also skyrocketing Airbnb prices. Bottom line, plan ahead and you will safe!
Where To Eat: Now, as many of you know, this is the non-bugdet friendly section of this episode. I splurge on food - okurrttt? (not trying to get sued by Cardi B).
Without further ado, here are my favorite restaurants in Palm Springs:
Farm (6 La Plaza)
4 Saints (at The Rowan Hotel)
Grand Central Palm Springs (160 La Plaza)
Lulu California Bistro (200 S Palm Canyon Dr)
Trio Restaurant (707 N Palm Canyon Dr)
The Tropicale (330 E Amado Rd)
Things To Do: Based on the fact that the most memorable Coachella performances take place at night, I listed my favorite daytime activities. Although you might feel like you wont have the strength to do anything during the day, is definitely worth to go out and get to know the city you're in. Make an effort, get ready relatively early, take some time to explore and take some sick pictures for the gram.
Desert X (A series of amazing art installations around the desert, super interactive and Instagramable)
Taquiz Canyon (Smooth morning hike with great views and water fall)
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (Not much to say, just a dope chill experience)
The Windmills (Great view, easy to access, and great scenery for pictures)
Moorten Botanical Garden (A small garden with cool spots to complement your IG story)
I hope that you take something from this brief travel experience and tips, but if you didn't, just scroll down to my festival essentials picks and shop away! As usual, be safe and enjoy responsibly 🙂
Cheers,
- Fringe Tank Top: Asos
- Leather Jacket: H&M
- Leather Spike Bracelet: Unknown
- Beats Bracelet with Cross Charm: Armani
- Plain Pants: H&M
- Red Velvet Boots: Asos
- Blue Gambler Hat: Fairfax Flea Market (Los Angeles)
- Tiger & Black Eye Rings: Asos
- Silver Band: Gucci
- Black Retro Sunglasses: Vintage thrift store