Home to an inordinately high percentage of our nation’s most well-off retirees, Indian Wells is akin to a private club.
With a property owner I.D. card, residents enjoy an array of perks, from discounts at hotels, spas, and restaurants to special invitations to parties at the BNP Paribas Open, The Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden’s WildLights, and more.
Thankfully, Indian Wells shares its wealth, including the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (1) (host of the BNP Paribas
Open and Indian Wells Arts Festival), Indian Wells Golf Resort and IW Club (2) , and Desert Town Hall Indian Wells lecture series.
Four deluxe hotel properties lie within the city’s borders: Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Villas, and Spa (3) ; Indian Wells Resort Hotel (4) ; Miramonte Resort & Spa (5) ; and Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa (6).
Tips & Fun Facts
■ When President Dwight Eisenhower first vacationed here, he was so impressed with Indian Wells that it became his winter residence.
■ In 1960, Indian Wells Country Club hosted the first Bob Hope Desert Classic.
■ The upscale golf shop in the IW Club boasts one of only nine Callaway Golf Performance Centers in the country. www.indianwellsgolfresort.com
■ Although The Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden’s street address is in Palm Desert, the park spans both cities. www.livingdesert.com
■ On December 31, 2011, the inaugural Rock ’n’ Roll New Year’s Eve Half-Marathon kicks off in Indian Wells, part of Competitor Group, Inc.’s popular Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon series. www.runrocknroll.competitor.com
Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Whether you live in the Coachella Valley full- or part-time, or just come a-calling now and then, you know this place is more than simply location, location, location. It’s a feeling, a lifestyle, and most definitely a privilege. It’s also one of the “greenest” deserts around, not only because of the profusion of golf courses and verdant botanical gardens, but also for its collective commitment to sustainability evident in exemplary conservation measures, including recycling programs and xeriscaping implemented by cities, resorts, and residents.
What many consider “Palm Springs” is actually a collage of nine quite distinct cities that together fashion a one-of-a-kind resort destination. Included in this potpourri of paradise are Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indio, Indian Wells, and Coachella — municipalities that make life under our beloved sun, blue sky, and majestic palms ever merrier.