Indio

Indio is a city of 89,000 people (2020) in Riverside County in the Desert region of California.

Understand

Climate
Indio
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
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   Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
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Get in

By plane

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP IATA) in the nearby city of Palm Springs. Daily flight connections serve most major cities throughout the United States and Canada from most major airlines. Some airlines serving Palm Springs Airport are seasonal and operate only during the busier winter season. One-way taxis from Palm Springs Airport to Indio take 30 minutes and cost about $50.

El Centro/Imperial County Airport (IPL IATA), is the second closest commercial airport to Indio with regularly scheduled passenger flights from Los Angeles(LAX IATA) and Las Vegas (LAS IATA) with Southern Airways Express. It is located about 65 mi (105 km) south of Indio in El Centro. Imperial County's small airport has free parking and a motel on-site, but there are no public transportation connections to Indio.

Ontario International Airport (ONT IATA) in Ontario, about 100 mi (160 km) to the west of Indio, is a mid-sized international airport served by most major airlines. There is no public transportation to Indio from Ontario Airport.

Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD IATA) is just a few miles from Indio and is one of two nearby general aviation airports. This airport is accessed by private aircraft. Private jet charter services are provided at this airport by Desert Jet.

By car

is the main artery serving the Coachella Valley. From Los Angeles, take Interstate 10 east towards San Bernardino, Indio, and Phoenix. Palm Desert is about a two-hour drive if traffic is not heavy. Weekend getaway traffic can be very heavy. Exiting Washington, Jefferson, Monroe or Jackson Streets or Golf Center Pkwy and heading south puts you into Indio.

descends the San Jacinto Mountains into the city from the south. Travelers from the San Diego should head north on I-15, south-east on State Hwy 79 (Temecula Pkwy at exit 58 in Temecula) and then east on State Hwy 371 until it meets with Route 74. Chains may be required on this route in the winter. Route 74 ends at Route 111 in Palm Desert. Go right (east) on 111 to reach Indio.

begins at Exit 145 of I-10 (access from eastbound lanes/merge into westbound lanes only) and goes along the eastside of town, parallel CA-111 towards Brawley on it goes along the western shores of the Salton Sea. There are various east-west roads (Dillon Rd, Ave 50, 52nd Ave, etc) to get onto 111 and into town. Access to eastbound lanes of I-10 and access from the westbound lanes via Dillon Rd.

begins at Exit 111 of I-10, west of Palm Springs, serves a main throroughfare through Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells and Palm Desert with shops, strips malls, restaurants and hotels lined up along the road. East of Indio, Highway 111 eventually goes southeast towards Brawley along the eastern shores of the Salton Sea.

By bus

Indio is the nearest bus stop or station location for multiple long distance bus lines to Palm Springs. The buses typically connect Palm Springs/Indio with Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson and Calexico/Mexicali.

  • El Paso Los Angeles Limousine Express (Los Limousines), (bus stop) Taco Jalisco, 43501 Monroe St, ☏ +1 760 342-1224, toll-free: +1-866 691-9732. Tickets sale: M-Sa 6AM-10PM, Su 7AM-10PM. Travels along I-10 between Los Angeles, El Monte, San Bernardino, Indio, Blythe, Phoenix, Las Cruces and El Paso. The next nearest full service station is at 620 W Mill St in San Bernardino. (updated Apr 2016)
  • 🌍 Flixbus, (bus stop) Palm Canyon at Baristo @ 92622 Palm Springs (Bus will board at the SunLine bus stop at Palm Canyon and Baristo (look for the bus bench and FlixBus sign). The stop is located by 301 S Palm Canyon Dr near BevMo and Orange Theory Fitness in downtown.), ☏ +1 855-626-8585. It provides affordable bus service to Palm Springs directly from the LA area and Arizona. Connects Phoenix/Tempe to Los Angeles via Palm Springs/Indio, Riverside and Ontario/Claremont. They also have an extra stop by the Chevron/Extra Mile station/sore on 6600 N Indian Canyon Dr, Palm Springs. Check tickets and schedules. (updated Jun 2018)
  • 🌍 Greyhound & Cruceros, (bus station) 83100 Indio Blvd (Indio Blvd & Jackson: bus station is in the small pre-manufactured (mobile home) building in the parking lot, next to railroad tracks), ☏ +1 760-347-5888, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Daily 10AM-4PM. Travel along I-10 between Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Indio, Blythe & Phoenix. There's another route continuing south towards Calexico & Mexicali. (updated May 2019)
  • Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency (PVVTA) #6, Hwy 111/Flower TC in Indio to Main St P&R in Blythe, ☏ +1 760-922-1140. M W F. They operate local bus routes in/around Blythe. They operate the Wellness Express (#6) between Blythe (1st and Main) and Indio in the Coachella Valley. (updated Jun 2022)
  • Tufesa, (bus stop) Taco Jalisco Restaurant at 43501 Monroe St, ☏ +1 213-489-8079. Connects Los Angeles to Sacramento (via multiple cities in San Joaquin Valley), Oakland, Salt Lake City (via Ontario, Fontana, Las Vegas, St George); Hermosillo (via Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales) and Tijuana (via Anaheim, San Ysidro) on multiple routes. They also have an additional station at 5201 E Olympic Blvd in E L.A. and a stop in a parking lot at E 3rd St & E Ford Blvd. (updated Jan 2019)

Sun Line's local bus routes provide a connection from Indio to other Desert cities. The 🌍 Hwy 111 & Flower Transit Center is at the bus garage on Hwy 111 and Golf Center Pkwy which is also where Flixbus stop at. It is within a 10 minute walk from Indio's library, post office, and courthouse. The #1 bus connects Coachella to Palm Springs via Indio along Hwy 111 while the Commuter Link Service bus (#10) travels along I-10 towards San Bernardino from Indio via CSUSB Palm Desert (Cook & Berger); Beaumont (2nd & Commerce) and CSUSB San Bernardino Main Campus.

By train

Amtrak Thruway Bus Service Route 19b serves Indio twice daily, with direct connections to Amtrak trains in Bakersfield. The bus stop is located at 83100 Indio Boulevard. Route 19B originates in Indio and also stops at Palm Springs Airport and San Bernardino's train station for connections to the Southwest Chief. Amtrak California's Thruway service is especially useful if you are traveling by train to Indio from either the Bay Area or Sacramento, as it bypasses Los Angeles.

Get around

SunLine Transit Agency serves Indio on bus routes 1, 6 and 8. Bus fare is $1.00 plus $0.25 for a transfer or $3 for a day pass. All SunLine buses accommodate bicycles. Aside from route 1 which comes every 15 to 25 minutes, other bus routes are much less frequent.

Taxis are regulated by the SunLine Transit Agency. Taxi fares have a maximum base rate of $2.50 plus $2.96 per mile. Any taxis stopping at the airport in Palm Springs have a $2.50 surcharge. There are a number of private taxi companies serving Indio. Distances in the Coachella Valley are far apart, so be prepared for a hefty price if you are taking a taxi from Indio to Palm Springs or Palm Desert.

The City of Indio has an extensive bicycle route plan which connects to other desert cities. As the city is mostly flat, bicycling is a relatively easy way to get around.

There are a few Car Rental agencies in Indio. Hertz has a local branch at 81246 Highway 111 in Indio. Enterprise also has a local rental office at 82360 Highway 111.

See

Do
  • Indio is the home of the world-famous 🌍 Coachella Music Festival, Empire Polo Field, 81-800 Avenue 51, toll-free: +1-855-771-3667 (tickets). A large music festival in the desert near Palm Springs, it takes place over two weekends in the spring. $500-700 for a 3-day pass for 2023. (updated Oct 2022)
  • Indio is also where the Stagecoach Music Festival takes place, also at the Empire Polo Grounds. Stagecoach is a country music festival usually held sometime in the spring.

Buy

Sherman's Liquor and Food Store at 45820 Oasis Street is an excellent purveyors of fine libations. Musicians and artists headed to the annual Coachella Festival often make a pilgrimage to these two establishments, both located in downtown Indio, in order to stock up for the long festival weekend. This is where they get the supplies needed to "party like a rock star."

Eat
  • 🌍 Shield's Date Garden Store and Café, 80-225 U.S. Highway 111, ☏ +1 760-775-0902. Store: 9AM–5PM daily; cafe: 7AM–2:30 PM daily, 4:30PM–9PM Tu–Sa. Counter in store is the best place in Indio for a date milkshake. Store sells date gift packs and souvenirs and has a small theatre with continuous showings of an interesting video about date farming. Cafe serves American and Mexican food, $10–$45. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Taco Jalisco, 43501 Monroe St (Monroe & Oleander), ☏ +1 760-347-1262. Daily 7AM-10PM except Fridays which open at 7:30AM. Counter-serve Mexican restaurant offering breakfast, tortas & burritos. They also serve as a de-facto bus stop for Tufesa and Los Limousines (see 'by bus' under 'Get in'). (updated Jun 2022)

Sleep

Go next
  • Salton Sea. Located to the southeast of Indio, California's largest lake formed when an irrigation canal burst in 1905 and flooded the Salton Basin for more than a year. This unusual area is home to geothermal features, a wildlife refuge, the partially built resort community of Salton City, and the "profoundly strange" artwork of Salvation Mountain in the squatter town of Slab City.
Routes through Indio
San Bernardino ← Palm Desert ←  W  E  → Coachella → Blythe
END ←  N  S  → Coachella → El Centro
Palm Springs ← Indian Wells ←  N  S  → Coachella → El Centro


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