This World-Class California City Is A Youthful, Hipper Palm Springs With A Year-Round Festival Lifestyle

Coachella Valley is home to some iconic cities, including the infamous Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, a California desert oasis with world-class resorts and spas. This makes it all the more surprising that the valley's largest and fastest-growing city is actually Indio, California, the "City of Festivals." Despite being founded in 1876, Indio, California, is experiencing a revitalization and has become a booming community, welcoming over 1.4 million visitors to its multiple annual festivals.

Located just over 20 miles southeast of its iconic neighbor, Palm Springs, Indio is quickly making a name for itself as a creative, youthful hub for music, art, and more. Indio can be accessed from the north via Interstate 40 and from the east or west via Interstate 10. Palm Springs International Airport is the closest airport for international or domestic flights, just over 20 miles north of Indio. Visitors flying into Palm Springs can find various rental car companies, taxis, and rideshare options.

Indio is also a short 30-minute drive to Joshua Tree, one of California's best national parks, for an escape into nature. The city also has an epic year-round festival lineup, hip restaurants, and accommodations to boot. With nearly 350 days of sunshine per year and a fully packed schedule of events, Indio is the perfect desert destination with a youthful, creative edge.

While Palm Springs is known for its mid-century retro feel, Indio offers a new, trendier vibe with its fresh venues and community-centric retail experiences. Urban Donkey is a vintage shop in downtown Indio with various unique vintage finds. Indio offers more hidden gems than its vintage finds, though. The city also has public art installations, murals, and sculptures.

Indio is all about unique experiences, even when it comes to dining. Indio Taphouse is an immersive spot in downtown Indio with more than 120 craft beers, housemade cocktails, an extensive food menu, and a beer garden for events. Twelve: Cocktails Above is a hot spot to check out perched on the top floor of Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio for top-shelf spirits, wines, and entertaining live music.

Stop at the Coachella Valley History Museum to experience cultural exhibitions and explore historic buildings. With permanent exhibits displaying Mexican folk art and an exploration of the world's oldest cultivated crop, the date palm, and its migration to the Coachella Valley, the museum is packed with history. With so many hip restaurants and attractions, there's no shortage of fun in Indio, but if you're one of the many annual visitors flocking to the city, you're likely there for one of its many festivals.

Each April, Indio welcomes a massive influx of visitors attending Coachella, an annual music festival that has been a tradition since 1999. A multi-day festival, Coachella typically hosts around 125,000 people daily at the 1000-acre Empire Polo Club in Indio. Attended by A-list celebrities, influencers, and music lovers alike, the festival grounds are a maze of campgrounds and multiple stages. For first-time attendees to the massive festival, a guide to navigating Coachella is a must. 

Coachella may be the best-known festival in Indio, but the city is home to many more celebrations. On the same site as Coachella in April, Stagecoach is a massive country music festival. The event draws an impressive 75,000 people or more to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, but music isn't all visitors enjoy at these festival grounds. Every January, the site is home to the Southwest Arts Festival, showcasing the work of over 200 artists across multiple days.

With other events like the Indio International Tamale Festival in December and the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival in early spring, Indio has a jam-packed lineup year-round. Indio, California, is a reinvigorated city designed for celebration, local live music, pop-up art shows, and more. Despite being next door to the world-renowned Palm Springs, Indio presents a hip, fresh take on community and creativity.