When it came to packing for Coachella, my three friends and I decided we’d buy all the kit we needed while we were there. This meant that we wouldn’t have to take anything on the plane, or try to manage it in San Francisco the week before.
We found the nearest Walmart to Palm Springs where we were staying and after a long day of driving from San Simeon we went on the ultimate Walmart shopping spree to buy everything we needed for Coachella.
I’ve listed everything we bought in Walmart below. It was our first time at Coachella and in hindsight, after the festival, we decided we were Coachella kit list champions. We’d managed to get 99% of everything we needed for the festival. The only things we missed out on was some tarpaulin to connect the boot lid with the canopy for more shade – but borrowing one from our neighbour meant we had a new friend – and another tub of margarita mix. We got through the first one in a day.
Remember that everything you buy has to fit in your allotted space at Coachella, and in your car. After making a pit stop to the off licence in Palm Springs on the Thursday morning for ice and spirits our car was absolutely rammed. Couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than squashed up to my as-of-three-days-before ex boyfriend in the middle of the backseat surrounded by Walmart camping products!
*Check out my Coachella Drinking Guide*
Along with our suitcases we had just enough space for this little lot…
Walmart kit list for Coachella
(Prices may be different, this was for 2014 and was the price in the plan. Prices could’ve been different in store.)
- 9 x 9 canopy | $49.97
- Cooler | $55
- 2 7 x 5 tents | $29.97 each
- 4 folding camping chairs | $6.88 each
- 4 sleeping bags | $19.97 each
- 2 double air beds | $15.97
- 2 x 2-pack pillows $16
Debated but didn’t buy…
- Paddling pool | $8
- Pitcher | $10
- Cups | $3
- Cooking equipment | $22
- Stove | $34
We decided not to bother with cooking anything at the campsite. None of us could be bothered even thinking about it, and we would’ve needed more equipment. People were doing this though and if you have any special dietary requirements it might be a good idea.
Food from Walmart
- Packs of meat – great idea because we had the huge cooler
- Sliced cheese
- Huge bag of bread rolls – these lasted for ages and made for a good breakfast
- Mocha milkshake – so refreshing after putting the tents up
- Pickles
- Mustard
- Reese’s Pieces – bought a huge bag and absolutely annihilated them on the first day
- Bananas – bit of fruit
- Beers, wine, margarita mix, few spirits – remember to decant before going into the festival
- Yogurt
- Granola
- Coke
- Water
- Salt
More good ideas for the best food to take to festivals
I was planning on pre ordering our kitlist for Coachella so we could just pick it up on arrival, but some stuff was out of stock, others would take a few days, and some wasn’t available for pre order – it just became too messy. In the end I printed off the wishlist I’d made on the Walmart website and we went round the store with it. It really helped to have the Walmart kit list for Coachella because we were all totally hyper, over excited and over tired going round the shop and we would’ve been in there forever, and forgotten stuff, without it.
How to get rid of it
On the Monday we asked our kindly neighbour if he wanted it all, seeing as he had a big truck, and he couldn’t get it in there fast enough. The car felt empty as we drove away, Vegas bound!
