Indio: Where to Stay, Eat and What to Do
The festival city that is also a working desert town
Palm Springs Spots Editors · Published Aug 31, 2026 · Updated Aug 31, 2026
Indio is where the valley stops being a resort and starts being a place people actually live. It has the polo fields, the date farms, the best taquerias in the Coachella Valley and the cheapest beds within striking distance of a festival gate.
Indio sits at the east end of the valley, about 25 minutes from Palm Springs on I-10 and ten minutes from La Quinta. Most visitors arrive for one of three reasons: Coachella and Stagecoach at Empire Polo Club, the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival in February, or a cheap base for a golf week further west.
Where to stay
Hotel supply in Indio is limited and skews to reliable chains, which is exactly what you want during festival weekends when Palm Springs rates triple. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is the only full resort in town — a real pool, several restaurants, a bowling alley and a concert venue that books national acts year round. Hyatt Place Indio and the Holiday Inn Express are newer, quiet, and a five-minute drive from the polo grounds. Book festival dates the week the lineup drops; these three sell out before anything in Palm Springs does.
Where to eat
Jackalope Ranch is the special-occasion room — a huge ranch-style building on Highway 111 with a mesquite grill and a patio built around water features. Ciro's has been doing red-sauce Italian and thin-crust pizza for decades and is the safe family choice. For the food Indio is actually known for, go to Tacos Gonzalez for al pastor and carne asada, and the Shields Date Garden Cafe for a date shake and a sandwich under the palms.
What to do
Shields Date Garden is the classic stop: 17 acres of date palms, a farm store and the famously earnest film about the romance of the date. The Coachella Valley History Museum, in a 1926 schoolhouse, covers the Cahuilla, the irrigation boom and the farm-labor history the resort cities skip. Empire Polo Club plays actual polo on Sunday afternoons in season, which almost nobody outside the valley knows.
Practical notes
Indio runs a few degrees hotter than Palm Springs and has fewer shade trees. Highway 111 through town is slow with lights; take I-10 if you are covering distance. During Coachella and Stagecoach, expect road closures around Monroe and Avenue 50 and plan an extra 45 minutes for anything.
FAQ
- Is Indio a good base for Coachella?
- It is the best base if you want the shortest ride to the gate. Rooms are limited and go early, so book as soon as the lineup drops or look at La Quinta and Indian Wells as backups.
- How far is Indio from Palm Springs?
- About 25 miles, or 25-35 minutes on I-10 outside of festival weekends.
- What is Indio known for besides Coachella?
- Dates. The city grows most of the country's date crop and hosts the National Date Festival every February.
- Is there anything to do in Indio in summer?
- Fantasy Springs, the history museum and Shields are all air-conditioned or shaded, but July and August regularly hit 110F and outdoor plans should be early morning only.
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In this guide
The hotels
In this guide
The restaurants
Jackalope Ranch
American · Indio · $$$
An enormous ranch-styled restaurant with waterfalls, patios and a mesquite grill. Jackalope Ranch is a american spot in Indio. Prices sit in the upper-mid range. Served here: brunch, lunch, dinner. There is outdoor seating, which is the point most of the year here — though patios are rough in July and August without misters. Kids are comfortable here. Best for groups, festival weekends. Desert restaurants change hours seasonally and some close for part of the summer, so call ahead between June and September.
Shields Date Garden Cafe
American · Indio · $$
Date shakes, date-crusted salmon and a garden patio inside the historic date farm. Shields Date Garden Cafe is a american spot in Indio. Prices sit in the mid range. Served here: breakfast, brunch, lunch. There is outdoor seating, which is the point most of the year here — though patios are rough in July and August without misters. Kids are comfortable here. Best for date shakes, lunch stop. Desert restaurants change hours seasonally and some close for part of the summer, so call ahead between June and September.
Tacos Gonzalez
Mexican · Indio · $
No-frills taqueria with al pastor off the trompo and long weekend lines. Tacos Gonzalez is a mexican spot in Indio. Prices sit in the budget range — easy for a quick, cheap meal. Worth knowing: tacos, cash-friendly. Served here: breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night food. Hours: Daily 9am-10pm. There is outdoor seating, which is the point most of the year here — though patios are rough in July and August without misters. Kids are comfortable here. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Best for quick, cheap and very good. Desert restaurants change hours seasonally and some close for part of the summer, so call ahead between June and September.
In this guide
Where to go
Shields Date Garden
A 1924 date farm with a shaded garden walk, the famous date shake and a long-running film about dates. Shields Date Garden is in Indio. It suits date shakes and a garden stroll. There is no admission charge. Hours: 9am-5pm daily. This is an outdoor activity. From May through September, go at or before sunrise, carry more water than you think you need, and treat midday heat as a hard stop. It works with kids in tow.
Full detailsCoachella Valley History Museum
A 1920s farmhouse, schoolhouse and date museum documenting the valley's agricultural years. Coachella Valley History Museum is in Indio. It suits valley history in an hour. Admission: Around $10. Hours: Oct-May, Thu-Sun. It is mostly indoors, which makes it a reliable option on a triple-digit afternoon. It works with kids in tow.
Full detailsEmpire Polo Club
The 250-acre polo grounds that host Coachella, Stagecoach and Sunday-afternoon polo matches in season. Empire Polo Club is in Indio. It suits festival season and sunday polo. Admission: Varies by event. Hours: Varies by event. This is an outdoor activity. From May through September, go at or before sunrise, carry more water than you think you need, and treat midday heat as a hard stop. It works with kids in tow.
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