You can stay in town, Hesperia, Victorville? You can find a room from $35-$150 per night. I've never stayed in a hotel, we always sleep in the dirt or mooch some floorspace in a RV. To live the full El Mirage experience you need to stay on the lakebed. As far as necessities on the lakebed, food water, warm clothes, chairs and a radio so you can listen to the live broadcast.