Empire Polo Club.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Empire Polo Club
Known the world over as the host site of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its country spinoff, Stagecoach, Empire Polo Club sprawls across more than 250 acres in Indio. Opened in 1987 as a polo facility for international games, the legendary venue is dotted with backdrops for events of every kind. Grass-based sports remain a big part of the draw today, from football and lacrosse to soccer and polo. In addition to its expansive grass fields, Empire provides on-site equestrian facilities, including stabling for more than 500 horses.
81800 Ave. 51, Indio
760-342-2762
empirepoloevents.com
Fantasy Lanes
When the competitive spirit strikes, round up the crew for a night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino’s 24-lane bowling alley. It’s your standard ball-and-pins hall with all the trappings that make bowling night great: a bar, an arcade, and late-night lasers, plus bumpers for the little guys. Weekend party packages include cake, ice cream, and pizza.
84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio
760-342-5000
fantasyspringsresort.com
Desert TheatreWorks
Located at the Indio Performing Arts Center, this nonprofit theater company strives to educate, entertain, and expose members of the community to cultural experiences. Desert TheatreWorks is a true community theater featuring local performers, designers, technicians, and volunteers who collaborate to produce entertaining plays and musicals year round.
45175 Fargo St., Indio
760-980-1455
dtworks.org
Shields Date Garden.
PHOTO BY DANIELLA STALLINGER
Shields Date Garden
This date farm has been operating since 1924, when original owners Floyd and Bess Shields arrived in the Coachella Valley from the Midwest. It’s easy to spend a few hours here. Plan to wander the palm groves and garden pathways, which wind through a series of curious statues depicting biblical scenes and around a lake. Then check out a cheeky yet informative documentary called The Romance & Sex Life of the Date that’s been playing on a loop in the theater since 1953. Before you leave, stop by the gift shop and take a tub of dates and a treat to go — you can’t visit Shields without ordering the famously decadent date shake.
80225 Highway 111, Indio
800-414-2555
shieldsdategarden.com
Coachella Valley History Museum
If walls could talk, these would sing of the desert’s earliest settlers. The historic complex comprises the 1909 Indio Schoolhouse, the Smiley-Tyler House, and the California Date History Museum. The schoolhouse, which was relocated to the museum campus, was built with the help of workers from the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Smiley-Tyler property was the home and medical practice of a doctor and his wife. Today, it contains collections that center around the Cahuilla Indians and agriculture and also hosts rotating art exhibitions. The date museum chronicles the palm’s transplantation to and growth within the California desert. Connecting the buildings are various themed gardens — roses, date palms, desert flora, and Japanese. A primarily volunteer staff maintains the grounds, as well as a comprehensive archive depository detailing more than a century of Coachella Valley happenings.
82616 Miles Ave., Indio
760-342-6651
cvhm.org
1909 Indio Schoolhouse located at the Coachella Valley History Museum.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Daniel Mata owner of Return of the Goods.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMON
Eldorado Polo Club
Hop over to Eldorado Polo Club to watch Sunday polo, January through March. Or learn to play yourself: The Eldorado Polo and Riding Academy caters to everyone from beginner riders to well-seasoned players, 8 to 80 years old. Stay for a meal with a view at The Cantina.
50950 Madison St., Indio
760-342-2223
eldoradopoloclub.com
The Lights at Indio GC
At nearly 2,800 yards from the tips, the desert’s only course lit for evening play is one of the longest par 3s in the county. Lights stay on until 10 p.m., and the facility includes a full driving range, chipping and putting areas, and active FootGolf leagues. (The Lights was the Coachella Valley’s first accredited American FootGolf League course.) PGA golf instructor David Ruvolo offers one-on-one lessons for all levels and hosts junior clinics twice a year.
83040 Ave. 42, Indio
760-391-4049
indiogolf.com
The Lights at Indio GC.
PHOTO BY DANIELLA STALLINGER
Return of the Goods
During the pandemic, Daniel Mata developed an interest in secondhand apparel, traveling as far as Texas to rescue retro streetwear from obscurity. His shop, Return of the Goods, grew from a booth at the Indio swap meet to a brick-and-mortar in Old Town Indio. Mata takes a unique approach to selling, rounding up themed drops, like 50-plus-piece collections of NASCAR merch or vintage Nike. Along with his fair prices, fans are drawn to Mata’s generous spirit. “My slogan,” he shares, “is ‘Recycle love.’ ”
82789 Miles Ave., Indio
instagram.com/returnofthegoods
ASK A LOCAL
DANIEL MATA
Owner, Return of the Goods
Daniel Mata.
PHOT BY BRANDON HARMAN
Goods you can expect to find: Graphic T-shirts, sports, concert, wrestling, and women’s [apparel and accessories]. Our sizes range from small to 3X.
Where I source: I travel out of state and out of town. I meet people and build relationships with people on the road. In time they’ll call me and say, ‘Hey, I have this available, do you want to come by and check it out?’ And now I’m capable of getting things from original owners.
My motivation: Giving my community something that’s in demand, having people find their own identity with my clothing, and just giving the east end of the valley a chance to obtain vintage for a very reasonable price.