I traveled from Guatemala to California for my first Coachella, and it was worth the money and miles

As a huge music fan, I've always wanted to go to Coachella in Indio, California. So, I bought my ticket for $500 in May 2022, months before this year's lineup announcement.

Three of my friends and I went to the second weekend of Coachella, all traveling to our Airbnb separately. My 2,700-mile journey from Guatemala City to Indio took much longer than I expected — 16 hours, to be exact — because of some last-minute changes. 

But as a traveler who enjoys unique experiences, these unexpected moments made my first Coachella memorable and fun. Here's what it was like, and why it was worth the roughly $2,000 I spent to go.

My flight out of Guatemala got delayed, so when I landed in Houston, I had to rush through the George Bush Intercontinental Airport to catch my next flight to Los Angeles.

I planned on taking a train from Los Angeles to Palm Springs (and from there, a bus to Indio) but received an email that Amtrak had halted service from its station in Palm Springs due to high winds. 

The most convenient alternative was to rent a car for about $120 and drive three hours to Palm Springs. I'll admit that I panicked at the thought of landing in Los Angeles at 8:30 p.m. and having to drive alone in the dark.

After picking up my suitcase at baggage claim, I took a shuttle bus to pick up my rental car. It was already 9 p.m. by this point, and my stomach was empty. So, I stopped at the first open restaurant I saw: Denny's.

I thought the roads would be clear since it was late, but the drive to Palm Springs was prolonged because of traffic in Los Angeles.

I dropped off the car at Palm Springs International Airport around 1 a.m. From there, I took a 50-minute Uber to Indio that cost about $40 and arrived at the Airbnb around 2 a.m., clocking in a 16-hour travel day.

Some adventurous travelers camp at Coachella, but we chose to rent a house for five nights. We each paid $500 for the stay. 

Even though I'm still in my 20s, spending three consecutive days at the festival took a physical toll on me, and I needed a place to relax.

The pool and backyard were the perfect spots to enjoy In-N-Out Burger and sip delicious cocktails. Plus, we needed a place where we could work remotely. 

Coming back to separate rooms with comfortable beds after long festival days was definitely worth the money. 

I expected it to be easier to watch some of the most popular artists during the festival.

As a Latina, I love Bad Bunny's music. But I would've had to wait in the sun for hours to be near the stage for his performance and I didn't want to sweat excessively or risk getting dehydrated.

I preferred to comfortably watch him from farther away, repeating this strategy during performances by Rosalía, BLACKPINK, and Calvin Harris.

Since I knew there would be a lot of people waiting by the stage during those shows, I found a convenient location in the back where I could listen to their music.

I enjoyed smaller artists' sets, especially the house-music ones, the most. Because there were usually fewer crowds, I could dance and enjoy my drink without getting overwhelmed by the number of people around me.

I wasn't dying to see any of the artists performing on the last day of the festival, so I explored the area with one of my friends instead, which was a nice change of pace.

My friends and I decided we'd eat lunch at the Airbnb each day before going to Coachella to reduce expenses. That way, we could try a variety of delicious snacks instead of splurging on big meals.

At the festival, I tried tiny lobster rolls, mac and cheese, Korean barbecue, Mexican churros, and different flavors of ice cream. I paid around $40 for snacks each day of Coachella.

We also waited in some pretty long lines to order different cocktails, but they were pricey (for example, the drink I got at one of the festival's speakeasies was about $25).

It's worth trying different cocktails and mixed drinks, and I spent about $40 on beverages each day, including water bottles and soft drinks.

Most of my festival outfits were inexpensive, as I incorporated thrifted pieces and garments I already had in my closet. I only spent about $100 on new items for Coachella. 

My looks on the first two days were inspired by Bad Bunny and Rosalía, and I went for a more relaxed look on the third day. I prioritized comfort and left my designer clothes at home so I wouldn't ruin them. 

My trip back to Guatemala was very different from my arrival to California.

This time, I was able to ride from Indio to Palm Springs in my friend's rental car. Then, we spent just $20 to ride a bus and an Amtrak, which had reopened since my arrival, from Palm Springs to LAX.

Even though the return trip was long, it felt nice to sit down after my exhausting Coachella experience. Thankfully, my return flight was direct, and I slept for the majority of the five-hour journey.

I was willing to travel internationally and spend thousands of dollars on a three-day festival because I don't know the next time I'll be back at Coachella with my friends.

Going into the weekend, I never thought it would take 16 hours to arrive, and I certainly didn't imagine I'd end up driving alone at night.

Even though some travelers probably wouldn't want to put so much time or money into a short trip like this one, I enjoyed every bit of it.