Indio

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

By plane
Palm Springs International Airport 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, is the second closest commercial airport to Indio with regularly scheduled passenger flights from Los Angeles and Las Vegas with Southern Airways Express. It is located about 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 in Ontario, about  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 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.





Sun Line's local bus routes provide a connection from Indio to other Desert cities. The 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.

Do

 * Indio is the home of the world-famous
 * 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."

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.