Missed Coachella? Here’s What To Do This Summer Instead

Coachella is one of the most popular and high-profile music festivals in the world, but if you live outside of California or you have, maybe, work, you might not get to catch it every year.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a summer filled with the kind of excitement you’d get from a weekend in the desert.

From adventures in new towns to calmer activities at home, here are some of the best things you can do with your summer instead of going to Coachella.

Plan An Adventure

Obviously, a music festival is a rowdy time. It can get hectic bouncing between stages, scheduling which artists to see, and coordinating with your friends to make everyone happy. Some people love that rush though, so instead of giving up your hopes of high-energy activity, replace those Coachella dreams with something you make happen! Maybe you could go trekking in a national park, find a local escape room, or go on a cross-country road trip.

Get Lost In A Book

Now how about the polar opposite? Instead of driving so far out of your way to sit in a hot desert full of sweaty people screaming along to artists you barely know, stay at home. Enjoy the comfort of a good book. People have restarted their love of reading since the pandemic, so tune into one of the latest National Bestsellers or Pulitzer Prize winners for a weekend. Nothing is quite as thrilling as losing yourself in a good book.

Visit A Museum

Coachella is located in an area with a rich cultural history, and a museum is a great way to explore that same thing elsewhere. If you’re nearby, you could check out the Coachella Valley History Museum, located in Indio, California which details the city’s history from the Spanish colonial period to today.

But of course, if you couldn’t make it to the valley the first time, you might not want to make the trip again. Instead, look around your community. The number of history, children’s, science, or cultural museums in every city will probably shock you. You could spend your summer finding the best-hidden gem in your city’s museum scene. While you’re exploring, you’ll undoubtedly learn something new about your local community and the world around you.

Eat Where The Locals Eat

A foodie summer sounds like a dream. Dedicating your time to the best, most talented chefs in a city means engaging with a vast network of culinary cultures stretching across the country and even overseas. The interrelated influences of every restaurant can help you learn more about your own culture or the culture of the place you live. It can bring you back to childhood, or foster a feeling that you will be able to look back on for the rest of your life.

The best way to establish that is by discovering the best local spots. You might already have your favorites, but it can be a rewarding experience to reach beyond your typical range of restaurants. Research the real institutions in your city, and find the hottest up-and-coming chefs to get the big picture of what your local food scene looks like.

Coachella may be “the place to be” right now, but anyone can make the summer into something to remember!