How much does it cost to visit Shields Date Garden?

Admission, parking, the garden walk, and the date film are all free. You only pay for food, shakes, and anything you buy in the shop.

What are Shields Date Garden hours?

Shields is generally open daily from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Hours can shift seasonally, so confirm before a long drive.

Is the Shields date shake worth it?

Yes — it is the benchmark medjool date shake in the Coachella Valley and the main reason most travelers stop. Drink it on the patio rather than in the car.

What is Romance and Sex Life of the Date?

A 1950s film by founder Floyd Shields explaining how date palms are hand-pollinated. It still screens free on a loop in a small theater on site and runs about 15 minutes.

Where is Shields Date Garden?

On Highway 111 in Indio, roughly 30 minutes east of Palm Springs and ten minutes from the Empire Polo Club festival grounds.

Shields Date Garden in Indio: Date Shakes, the Romance Movie & Garden Walk

The valley's most famous roadside stop, and whether it is worth the detour

Palm Springs Spots Editors · Published Sep 5, 2026 · Updated Sep 5, 2026

Shields Date Garden in Indio: Date Shakes, the Romance Movie & Garden Walk

Shields Date Garden has been selling date shakes on Highway 111 in Indio since 1924, complete with a vintage theater still screening "Romance and Sex Life of the Date." It is equal parts farm stand, oddity, and genuinely good garden walk.

Shields is the rare tourist stop that is both a cliche and worth doing. Here is what is actually there.

The date shake

The reason most people stop. Thick, cold, made with medjool date crystals and vanilla ice cream, served at the cafe counter. Order it and drink it outside on the patio. Variations include a chocolate-date and a coffee-date version, and the cafe also does a full breakfast and lunch menu (date pancakes, sandwiches) if you make it a meal.

"Romance and Sex Life of the Date"

Floyd Shields' 1950s film about date pollination still runs on a loop in a small dedicated theater on site, free with your visit. It is about 15 minutes, completely earnest, and one of the great pieces of California roadside Americana. Sit through it.

The garden and the sculpture trail

Behind the shop, a shaded path winds through mature date palms, citrus, and desert plantings, with a Biblical-themed sculpture garden of larger-than-life figures added in the 2010s. The whole loop takes 20 to 30 minutes at a slow pace and is stroller-friendly. Morning is best — the palms give real shade but the desert heat still wins by midday.

The shop

Dozens of date varieties to taste and buy — medjool, deglet noor, honey, barhi — plus date sugar, date crystals, stuffed dates, local citrus, olive oil, and preserves. This is the best souvenir stop in the valley for anyone who does not want another T-shirt.

Getting there and pairing it

80-225 Highway 111, Indio — about 30 minutes east of Palm Springs, ten minutes from Empire Polo Club. It pairs naturally with the Indio farm belt, a Coachella or Stagecoach weekend detour, or a drive out to the Salton Sea. If you want more dates, Oasis Date Gardens in Thermal is the other classic stop farther south.

FAQ

How much does it cost to visit Shields Date Garden?: Admission, parking, the garden walk, and the date film are all free. You only pay for food, shakes, and anything you buy in the shop.
What are Shields Date Garden hours?: Shields is generally open daily from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Hours can shift seasonally, so confirm before a long drive.
Is the Shields date shake worth it?: Yes — it is the benchmark medjool date shake in the Coachella Valley and the main reason most travelers stop. Drink it on the patio rather than in the car.
What is Romance and Sex Life of the Date?: A 1950s film by founder Floyd Shields explaining how date palms are hand-pollinated. It still screens free on a loop in a small theater on site and runs about 15 minutes.
Where is Shields Date Garden?: On Highway 111 in Indio, roughly 30 minutes east of Palm Springs and ten minutes from the Empire Polo Club festival grounds.

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