NOCHELLA, NO PROBLEM. Coachella-inspired things to do in LA this weekend.
So these next two weekends it seems like the entire city of LA clears out and heads to the desert. If you’re not going to Coachella (like us), don’t feel left out. Sure, Coachella is an experience, but there are some awesome alternatives here in LA. You can still have a bit of that Coachella experience without some of the hassles that come with attending the festival (like having to camp or spend the day surrounded by random people in a dry desert).
Grab a bite to eat at your favorite food truck.
Coachella is known for its abundance of food truck options. Thankfully though, we have just as great food truck options in the city of LA, and on top of it, you wont have to wait in any extremely long lines. Check out one of our favorite food trucks this weekend. We know for sure that the Original Grilled Cheese Truck will be stationed in front of LACMA from 10am-2pm on Friday (04/14). And Kogi BBQ will be in Venice Beach on Abbot Kinney Boulevard from 12-4pm on Saturday (04/15).
Ride the ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier.
So you can’t ride the ferris wheel at Coachella. Whatever. Check out the ferris wheel on Santa Monica Pier. The view from atop is incredible, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and city of Los Angeles. Ride prices are a bit steep. But hey, it’s worth it if you’re trying to emulate that Coachella experience. And if you’re not, the Santa Monica Pier is still worth a visit because of the great people watching and wild spectacles. There are a lot of tourists, a lot of people selling churros, and a lot of very amateur side performers.
Make your own pool party at The Hollywood Roosevelt.
It almost seems that the pool parties at Coachella are more talked about than the music festival itself, probably because there is this sense of exclusivity. All of the pool happenings these upcoming two weekends are definitely in the desert. But, regardless, if you’re stuck in LA, you can still enjoy the laid back scene at one of LA’s hottest pools. The pool at The Hollywood Roosevelt definitely has the most Palm Springs-esque vibe in the city. The pool is surrounded by tall palm trees and accompanied with the Tropicana Bar which offers signature mimosas and bellinis. Also, we love that The Roosevelt is centrally located in Hollywood. So if the pool ends up not being your favorite scene, you can either check out one of the other hotspots in the hotel like the Spare Room or walk to various other venues on Hollywood Boulevard. Other great pools to check out around LA are at the Mondrian Hotel (located in West Hollywood) or the Viceroy (located in Santa Monica).
Shop the festival looks.
Just because you’re not going to Coachella doesn’t mean you can’t partake in the festival shopping frenzy. One of our favorite stores to shop Coachella looks is LF Outlet with various locations in West Hollywood, Century City, and Westwood. This store is one of the best kept secrets in the city for any girl; it's the outlet of the original LF Store and has a great selection of previous season's clothing pieces for super reasonable prices (most of the clothing ranges from $12- $32). You can find some super great boho pieces like a woven body suit or vintage pieces like reconstructed band tees. Other stores great for Coachella-inspired shopping are Planet Blue or even stop by the Melrose Trading Post on Sunday.
So yeah, you aren’t going to Coachella like the majority of Angelenos. So what?! You can honestly find some great alternative ways to spend the next two weekends here in LA.
