Tennis Paradise in Indian Wells, California
Indian wells Tennis Garden
“Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity. ”
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Indian Wells Tennis Garden
I never had the desire to visit the Palm Springs area of California. I've had plenty of friends tell me how much they love going there to relax and unwind, but it never appealed to me. Until I decided to treat myself to one of my bucket list items – attend a tennis tournament with the top-seeded players in the world.
The BNP Paribas Open, in nearby Indian Wells, invites the top-ranked tennis players in the world to play in a beautiful, small, and intimate venue. I never knew or had heard of this particular tournament until a few years ago. Unfortunately for me, the event is always scheduled during when my kids usually had spring break. And being a stay at home mom-well that wasn't going to work.
Now that my four kids are in college, my chance had finally arrived. I decided to give myself this trip as a 50th birthday present to myself AND make this my first solo trip! A word of advice, especially to all the moms out there that put everybody else first instead of themselves, don't forget to make your own dreams come true every so often!
Tips and Information
I decided that I would maximize my experience by going for the weekend when the finals were scheduled. I purchased a finals weekend package, Getting a package is the way to go if you are able to spend a few days here. which assured me the same seat for the entire three days of tennis. It worked out very well to have the same seat to take away the stress of having to move to different sections and seats for each day of the tournament.
Book Lodgings Early
I waited to decide to go, and I missed the opportunity to book a hotel room in the area. My next option was to go the Airbnb route for my accommodations. I booked a room at a house with a superhost. The room was very nice and within 10 minutes of the venue. Next time I would make sure to book at a hotel though to be closer to amenities (such as coffee!).
Getting There
Next, I had to decide whether to fly directly into Palm Springs or Los Angeles's vicinity. There were pros and cons to both, but in the end, for my first trip to that area, I decided to spend more money and fly into Palm Springs – I didn't want to chance it with LA area traffic (which is notoriously terrible). I was pleasantly surprised that the Palm Springs airport was so lovely and inviting with all the flowers and shrubbery.
Transportation Getting Around Town
I chose to just use Uber to get from place to place. Using Uber was awesome! I did not have to pay for parking, was dropped off in front of the entrance, and did not have to worry about traffic or directions.
On That Note
The weather was warm and sunny the entire weekend. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden complex has plenty of restaurants to choose from. And my view from my seat was incredible (see first pic above)!
I had a fantastic experience in the few days I was there, made some new friends, and will most definitely go again next year!
Restaurants
I didn't try too many restaurants, but the two I did try were tasty and worth a visit:
Wilma and Frieda is a must for breakfast! Winner of best breakfast in Palm Springs three years in row - there’s a reason for that. The food was delicious and the cappuccino I tried was heavenly.
Fresh Agave Mexican Bar & Grill was recommended to me by my Uber driver. This place had really good margaritas, chips, and Mexican food all in a lively atmosphere.
Random Ann Moment
While at lunch at one of the restaurants at the tennis garden I heard a voice behind me that sounded VERY familiar. Turns out it was Chris Fowler from ESPN that was seated behind me!
