Coachella is right around the corner, so before you head off to jam in the desert, make sure you’re prepared. We’ve teamed up with DoorDash to figure out the best plan to get you there and home and the necessities to pack — or get delivered if you forget — so you can make the most of your weekend.
Pack like a pro
Think you got everything? Think again. DoorDash can help you skip the last-minute panic run to the store or free up space in your suitcase by delivering essentials straight to you once you arrive. Last year, festival-goers turned to DoorDash for beauty, wardrobe, and hydration must-haves with some unexpected trends:1
When it comes to packing, don’t forget your glow-up. During both Coachella weekends last year, orders for hair dye jumped over 105%, shaving tools jumped over 55%, and orders for false eyelashes jumped over 40%. Other top last-minute beauty orders included hair spray, lip gloss, press-on nails, face de-puffers, setting spray, and glitter.
No time for an appointment at the salon? No problem. Top-selling boxed hair dye colors included purple, brown, red, blonde, and pink, and the most-ordered nail polishes were gold, blue, red, black, and white.
Hot days and late nights call for reinforcements if you want to stay fresh in the fest. Deodorant orders jumped more than 35%, and moisturizers and lotions jumped over 35%.
Hydration is the key to beating the desert heat. Coconut water spiked over 60%, ice spiked more than 40%, and wellness shots jumped over 25%.
Bandages spiked over 90% because blisters and dancefloor injuries are part of the ~experience~.
From forgotten basics to last-minute outfit changes, there isn’t a wardrobe change (or malfunction) that a desert delivery can’t accommodate: DoorDash had festival-goers covered with top clothing orders including tutus, cowboy hats, emergency rain ponchos, bathing suits, earrings, and yes, even underwear.
Whether it was beating the heat or upgrading the campsite, Coachella-goers stocked up on camping chairs, water guns, kiddie pools, card games, foam coolers, and outdoor umbrellas to keep the good vibes going between sets.
Festival transit hacks
Once you’re all dressed and ready to go, planning your route can make the difference between enjoying the music and fighting crowds.
Arrive before 3 p.m. if you want a more seamless entry into the fairgrounds. At 2 p.m., only one-quarter of Lyft-taking Coachella attendees have arrived, but by 4 p.m., that number climbs to two-thirds.
If you want to make it an early night, leave by 10 p.m. to beat the traffic. If you’re going to stay through the last set, wait until 3 a.m. Otherwise, you might find yourself waiting an extra nine minutes for a pickup.
And when the party winds down, getting home should be as easy as getting there, which is why DashPass members unlock exclusive benefits on both food and festival rides, including 5% off on-demand Lyft rides,2 10% off scheduled airport rides (up to four per month combined),3 two free priority pickup upgrades per month, and a three-month free DashPass trial for new members.4
Don’t waste time waiting for your ride — your pickup spot matters.
Make sure you’re ordering your ride to or from one of the Lyft pickup and dropoff spots.The faster one tends to be the southwest corner of the Coachella venue (at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Madison Street). Pickups take 50% longer if you call from the upper right-hand corner of the venue (at the intersection of Monroe Street and Avenue 49).
And when all that’s left to do is fly back to the real world, be smart about your flight time.
Avoid Monday morning flights whenever possible: The Mondays after Coachella weekends (and the Monday after Stagecoach) are the busiest days at the Palm Springs airports all year.
If you can’t avoid flying out on Monday, try to get to the airport before 8 a.m. — over 50% of the day’s Lyft drop-offs occur between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
1DoorDash data reflects ordering trends in the Inland Empire during Coachella (April 11–21, 2024) compared with the seven months prior (September 1, 2023–April 1, 2024).2Save 5% off on-demand Lyft rides & Save 10% off scheduled airport Lyft rides: Must have an active DashPass account linked to a Lyft account. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Maximum of 4 discounted rides per month in total for 5% discounted on-demand rides and 10% scheduled rides to an airport. 5% discount applies only to Lyft on-demand rides in Standard, Extra Comfort, XL, Black, or Black SUV models booked via the Lyft platform, and 10% discount applies only to Lyft scheduled rides to an airport. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Discount will be automatically applied on qualifying Lyft rides. Valid for U.S. users only. Offer is subject to the DashPass terms, the Lyft Terms of Service, and the DashPass x Lyft terms.
3 2 Priority Pickup upgrades each month: Must have an active DashPass account linked to a Lyft account in order to redeem. Free priority pickup upgrade(s) limited to 2 rides per user per month. Offer will be applied automatically on qualifying Lyft rides. Valid for U.S. users only. Offer is subject to the DashPass terms, the Lyft Terms of Service, and the DashPass x Lyft terms.
43-month free DashPass trial: Offer only valid for users that have not been subscribed to DashPass (whether on a free trial or paid membership) for at least a six-month period prior to linking their DashPass and Lyft account. Must have an active DashPass account linked to a Lyft account in order to redeem. Limit of 1 free trial period per customer. After the DashPass trial period ends, you will automatically be charged the then-current monthly DashPass membership fee (currently $9.99) plus applicable tax until you cancel. The DashPass membership fee will be charged to your preferred or any other payment method in your DoorDash account. DashPass benefits apply only on eligible orders from DashPass merchants that meet the minimum subtotal requirement, excluding fees and taxes. Subtotal minimums will be identified for each DashPass merchant on DoorDash. Other fees (including service fee), taxes, and gratuity still apply. See DashPass terms here and cancellation instructions here. Offer is subject to the DashPass x Lyft terms. See further offer terms and conditions here.