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How to be a Chill Coa-chella Fella: Six Wacky and Quirky Things to do at Coachella

Written by Suzy Guese

Thinking about getting in touch with your inner hippie while getting your groove on at Coachella?

Well, first, you must dress the part in your hippie outfit, with sparkly hair and all. Then, we challenge you to do at least one activity of the weird and wacky things we’ve outlined for you (they’re legal :)) to do in and around the festival.

Send us a pic (optional) and we’ll dub ya the chillest of the chillest Coachella fellas.

We know the famous Indio music festival Coachella is in full swing and gearing up to continue through the weekend. And known for its big name lineups, the music, and arts festival brings plenty of cutoff jean shorts and flower crowns to the desert of California.

So… Don your cut jeans and flowers and steal some time to do one of the following activities:

Bask in the Oversized Art on the Coachella Grounds

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The giant figures don’t end in Cabazon with the roadside dinosaurs. Visual art plays a pivotal role in the Coachella experience, and each year brings a different theme for art installations. Rumor has it the 2016 Coachella art installations will be supersized. The goal is to provide a visual impact from hundreds of feet away. Six core art installations will be featured this year and displayed on the grounds.

Visit The World’s Biggest Dinosaurs

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Located just outside of Palm Springs in Cabazon, at the Cabazon Dinosaur Park, the world’s biggest dinosaurs await you! Hard to miss, the classic California roadside attraction features a three-story concrete T-Rex and a 150 foot long Apatosaurus named Dinny. Originally built in the 1960s by Knotts Berry Farm sculptor Claude K. Bell, the two dinos make for a wacky photo op to say the least. Things get even weirder at the small Creationist museum in Dinny’s belly. You can also pay to head inside Mr. Rex for oversized views.

Order a Flight of Bacon at Cheeky’s

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To soak up all of the partying at Coachella, you can head into Palm Springs and find Cheeky’s. The casual eatery has become a favorite breakfast and lunch spot in town with a constantly changing menu. Cheeky’s offers a bit of quirk with a flight of bacon (featuring five different kinds of bacon including smoky Nodines applewood, jalapeno, and Moroccan spice) as one of the items listed on the menu.

Call in Your Connections For the Neon Carnival

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While not affiliated with the actual Coachella music festival, the Neon Carnival has become the party to attend while at the event. Created by Brent Bolthouse, the Neon Carnival is a massive outdoor fair located in another nearby desert location. For one night only, the carnival brings out the stars along with a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and food. While the party is by invite only, you can phone as many people as you know to try and get a chance to dance with Leonardo Di Caprio and friends at this famed late night outdoor dance party.

Tour Elvis’s Honeymoon Hideaway

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In between bands you might want to schedule a tour at Elvis’s Honeymoon Hideaway, located just five minutes from downtown Palm Springs. The Alexander family originally built the house in the 1960s. As its name would suggest, Elvis famously honeymooned here with Priscilla Presley in 1967. It quickly became known as a mid-century modernist icon. You can step back in time during one of its daily tours since the entire home has been restored to its original 1960s glory.

Bust a Move at the Silent Dance Party and the Bad Dancing Competition

Silent_DiscoIn addition to musical performances and art, Coachella hosts a whole slew of activities you can partake in during the festival. Some are downright weird, including the Silent Dance Party during which you bring your headphones and groove until dawn each night starting at 1AM. You can also take your moves (or lack of moves) over to the Bad Dancing Competition. The event honors the worst dancers with prizes and bragging rights.

Grooving in the desert in your best bohemian duds for Coachella can be a memorable experience. Toss in these quirky things to do in and around the festival and you’ll probably be back next year for more weird and wacky action.

Have you been to Coachella? What are your favorite wacky attractions in and around the festival?

About the author

Suzy Guese

Suzy Guese is a travel writer from Denver, Colorado. She caught the travel bug after taking her very first flight at just three months old—she was headed for Disney World—and has been a total travel junkie ever since. From family car trips across North America to stints abroad in Europe, Suzy travels the globe with her redheaded temperament in search of sarcasm, stories, and travel tips to share with anyone willing to listen. She blogs about her travels at http://suzyguese.com.

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