Coachella Travel Guide

In the appropriately named Coachella Valley is the city of Coachella, best known for being the home of the Coachella Music Festival (although the festival grounds are actually in Indio). A quick drive from Los Angeles and San Diego, Coachella is also close to other desert oasis towns like Palm Springs. A popular activity is to visit the Salton Sea, which is a salt water lake/flat located less than 10 miles south of the city. Coachella is known as the City of Eternal Sunshine and with its high temperatures and bright days its easy to see why.

Things to Do in Coachella

Start an outdoor adventure at the Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area, where adventurers can hike, bike, horseback ride, and go fishing. It is a beautiful park but as with most places here it is best visited in morning or late afternoon because of the midday heat. Rancho Las Flores Park probably has the most amount of options for recreational activities like tennis courts, basketball hoops, and picnic and barbecue areas.

For a wonderful, unique place to visit consider The Living Desert Zoo and Garden in nearby Palm Desert. The wildlife park many of the plants and animals native to the California deserts. Wandering around the flower gardens will give people the chance to see blooming cacti, prickly pears, and even sit on a camel (not native to California but still fun).

The Coachella Valley Preserve is a wonderful spot for everyone to walk around and see the sand dunes, palm groves, and rare wildlife. Also try out the Ladder Canyon Trail tour where hikers must ascend and descend ladders to get to various parts of the canyon.

Museumgoers can visit the La Quinta Museum, which features art from local artists; many pieces focus on Mexican culture will had a huge influence in the creation of the Coachella Valley’s own culture.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden and Indian Palms Country Club are the best places to play tennis and golf, or see a professional tournament.

Best Places to Stay in Coachella

Bagdouma Park has numerous restaurants, stores, banks, and shops making it a convenient place in Coachella to stay. For those looking to rent a home in the summer we highly recommend something with a pool.

Best Time to Visit Coachella

Coachella is very much in the desert. During the summer temperatures can be well above 100 degrees throughout the day, and sometimes even at night. April is often the most crowded and hardest to find a place to stay because of the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals.