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Indio lies in the Coachella Valley of the Colorado Desert, ringed by the Santa Rosa and Little San Bernardino mountains about 20 miles east of Palm Springs. It began in the 1870s as a railroad stop on the Southern Pacific line, and with irrigation the desert bloomed into farmland famous for dates, citrus and table grapes. Indio was incorporated in 1930 and is the largest city in the valley.
Calling itself the City of Festivals, Indio is world famous as the home of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach country music festival, both held each spring at the Empire Polo Club. Every February the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival celebrates the valley's date harvest.
Visitors can taste date shakes at Shields Date Garden, explore the Coachella Valley History Museum and admire murals around downtown. Golf courses, desert trails, Joshua Tree National Park and the Salton Sea are all within easy reach.
Two of the biggest music festivals in the world take place each April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio: Coachella for rock, pop and electronic music, and Stagecoach for country. Tickets sell out quickly, and lodging fills up across the valley. Plan for intense desert heat and bring water.
A county fair held each February in Indio, celebrating the valley's date harvest with camel and ostrich races, carnival rides, exhibits, concerts and date shakes. It is a family favorite with a desert theme. Check the daily schedule for the animal races, and try the date treats.
A large polo club in Indio with green fields, best known as the site of the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals. Polo matches are played in the winter season, often open to spectators on weekends. Check the schedule for matches and events, and bring sunglasses and a hat.
A classic roadside stop since 1924, selling many varieties of dates and famous date shakes. It has a cafe, a gift shop, a garden with biblical statues and a vintage film on the romance of the date. Try the date shake, and walk the garden early in the day before the heat sets in.
A museum complex in Indio in a 1926 adobe house, with exhibits on the Cahuilla people, early settlers, date farming and the valley's growth. The grounds include a historic schoolhouse and a date museum. It is closed in summer and opens only certain days, so check the hours first.
Indio has dozens of large murals painted on downtown buildings, showing the city's history, from Cahuilla culture and the railroad to date farming and festivals. A self-guided walk takes about an hour. Pick up a map or check the city site, and walk in the cooler morning hours.
A resort owned by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, with a casino, hotel, restaurants, a bowling center and a large events center that hosts concerts, boxing and comedy. It has views of the surrounding mountains. Guests must be 21 or older for the gaming floor; check the show calendar.
A desert preserve north of Indio protecting palm oases, sand dunes and the rare fringe-toed lizard. The Thousand Palms Oasis area has a visitor center and short trails through shady fan palms. It is free; visit from fall to spring, start early, and bring plenty of water for longer trails.
A popular loop hike in the Mecca Hills southeast of Indio, passing through colorful canyon walls and narrow slots, with ladders to climb up rock steps. The loop is about 5 miles. Access is by a dirt road, so check conditions; avoid summer heat, and never hike during rain due to flash floods.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
Photo: Visitor7, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Northwalker, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Visitor7, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chris English, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Northwalker, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Wallace Parry, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Randy Heinitz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Sergiy Galyonkin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0