Indian Wells Neighborhood Guide

Indian Wells sits along Highway 111 between Palm Desert and La Quinta, pressed against the Santa Rosa Mountains and organized almost entirely around a retirement-caliber version of the good life. The city is best known internationally for hosting the BNP Paribas Open each March, one of the largest tennis tournaments outside the Grand Slams, which draws a brief burst of crowds before the area settles back into its default mode of fairways, private clubs, and unhurried afternoons. Residents here largely traded cold-weather maintenance for warm-weather ease, and the community reflects that trade, with a pace and polish that suits people who have already earned their quiet. Outside of tournament season, Indian Wells runs at a noticeably slower frequency than its Coachella Valley neighbors, which is exactly the point for the people who chose it.