Sundown is just the beginning of the fun at these area attractions.
PHOTO BY DANIELA STALLINGER
SWING
The Lights at Indio
Among the longest par-3 courses in the country, The Lights at Indio presents 2,800 yards of night-lit play, along with a full driving range and active Footgolf leagues. “When people get done with work, we are just beginning to shine our bright lights,” says David Ruvolo, PGA manager at The Lights at Indio. “The Lights is a great place to enjoy some recreation when the sun goes down because we have the entire golf course and driving range lit until 10 p.m. The lights are as bright as daylight, and our facility allows those looking for some after-hours recreation, as well as those in the golf business, a place to unwind and have some family fun during both the peak-season and also the sizzling summer months.”
College Golf Center
Dozens of grass driving range stalls pair with a short-game practice area at this centrally located, public venue at College of the Desert in Palm Desert. The lights come on after sundown, with the last ball buckets sold one hour before closing. Call ahead for summer hours.
Indian Wells Golf Resort
Lasers lend an entirely new vibe to the game at Shots in the Night, a seasonal glow golf experience open through May 31 at Indian Wells Golf Resort. The fun goes down on seven manicured putting greens and at the driving range, equipped with Toptracer games. The bar keeps the booze flowing, and a food truck serves barbecue. Open until 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on weekends.
A new indoor pickleball facility in Palm Desert is perfect if you seek daytime activity.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
SERVE
Indian Wells Tennis Garden
The BNP Paribas Open may be in the rearview, but with 29 tennis and eight pickleball courts aglow until 8 p.m. on weekdays, October through May, and 9 p.m. on weekdays, June to September, you can still frequent the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for your own evening match or clinic.
Pickled Bar
Game for all seasons, this new indoor pickleball facility in Palm Desert offers four professional courts for open and league play, as well as a kitchen, a full bar, and a pro shop. Memberships are available for regulars, though nonmembers are also welcome. Locals looking to scope it out can score a “free” day pass (though you still pay $5/hour for court time).
Community Parks
Municipal play across the Coachella Valley presents a full cache of tennis and pickleball options. In La Quinta, Fritz Burns Park has illuminated six tennis courts and eight pickleball courts. Palm Desert Civic Center sports six tennis courts for nighttime action, and Freedom Park offers eight pickleball courts come sundown. Nearby Cahuilla Hills Park offers one tennis and four pickleball courts lit after dusk. Four courts accommodate tennis and pickleball players at Rancho Mirage Community Park. In Palm Springs, Ruth Hardy Park offers eight lighted tennis courts, and Demuth Park has one with a dozen more reserved for pickleball.
Head to X Park in La Quinta for pump track action at dusk.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
SKATE
X Park
Those seeking some thrash at night can add a new, world-class bike and skateboarding facility to the fray. Debuted last fall, the La Quinta X Park has added some serious air to the local sporting scene.
“We have ample action for sports enthusiasts,” says Victor Nelson, operations director at La Quinta X Park. “Whether you skateboard, BMX, scooter, quad skate, or inline, there are features throughout the facility that cater to all skill levels and riding styles. Along with over 40,000 square feet of skate-park space, X Park also offers state-of-the-art lighting, an air-conditioned pro shop, a concessions stand, and on-site staff to keep the facility safe, secure, and clean for children, adults, and families to enjoy.”
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