If you are staying with us in Indio, you are in the east end of the Coachella Valley, and the places we send guests most often are in Indio itself and the neighboring towns of La Quinta, Indian Wells and Palm Desert. This is our running list of favorites: where we eat, where we stock the fridge, what we do with the kids, and where we go when the dog is along.
We manage several homes on this side of the valley, including Coachella Sol Haus, a six-bedroom home for larger groups, and Indio Oasis House inside Indian Palms Country Club, so these are the recommendations we give our own guests when they message us on arrival.
Mornings in the desert are the best part of the day, and we like to start them out of the house. A few places we come back to:
Hours and menus change, so a quick look at Google or Yelp before you leave the house is always worth it.
For lunch we tend toward casual. Fisherman’s Market & Grill is our pick for fish tacos and grilled seafood, and there is an In-N-Out for the car ride home from Joshua Tree. For dinner, the east valley has some of our favorite restaurants anywhere in the desert:
Most of our guests cook at least a few meals, and the east valley makes it easy. There are Ralphs, Albertsons, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Costco locations within a short drive of our Indio homes, plus a CVS for anything you forgot to pack. If you would rather not leave the pool, grocery delivery through the usual apps works well out here. Our honest tip: do one big shop on arrival day, because the afternoon heat makes a second trip feel like a chore.
This end of the valley is where the big events live. The Empire Polo Club in Indio hosts the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals each spring, and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosts one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the country every March. Outside of event weeks, our favorites are quieter:
If you drive in from Los Angeles, the Cabazon outlets and the Cabazon Dinosaurs make an easy stop on the way.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert is our first recommendation for families. Feeding the giraffes is the moment our own kids still talk about. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the answer on a hot day, because it is always cooler at the top. The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert and the Cabazon Dinosaurs round out the list. For a simple afternoon, our homes with pools do most of the work: put the kids in the water, put some music on, and make a cheese plate. Many of our east valley homes, including Coachella Casa with its pool and hot tub, are set up for exactly that kind of day.
Very. Most restaurants with outdoor seating in Indio, La Quinta and Palm Springs welcome dogs on the patio, and Boozehounds in Palm Springs is a restaurant built around them. BringFido is the easiest way to check a specific spot before you go. Among our homes, Ultimate Outdoor Oasis in Palm Springs is pet friendly; message us before booking and we will tell you which homes can welcome your dog.
Indio sits at the east end of the Coachella Valley. La Quinta, Indian Wells, Coachella and Palm Desert are its immediate neighbors, and Palm Springs is at the west end of the same valley.
Old Town La Quinta and the El Paseo district in Palm Desert hold most of our favorites, including LG’s Prime Steakhouse, Okura Robata Grill and The Grill on Main. Indio itself has plenty of casual spots and Shields Date Garden for a date shake.
Yes. Both festivals take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, so our Indio homes are among the closest places to stay. Festival weeks book far in advance, so plan early.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert and the Cabazon Dinosaurs are all popular with our guests’ kids, and a home with a private pool fills the gaps.
Pet policies vary by home. Message us with your dates and the size of your dog and we will tell you which homes can welcome them.
Our Indio homes range from a cozy three-bedroom to a six-bedroom that sleeps twelve, with pools, hot tubs and a game table or two, and they put all of the spots above within easy reach.
Booking on our own site rather than through a platform means no service fee and about 10 percent less on a like-for-like booking, with our cancellation terms shown before you pay. Browse every home we manage on our Coachella Valley vacation rentals page, or call us at (949) 407-7448 or email support@ratherbeproperties.com and we will help you choose.
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