Welcome to Tennis Paradise! Whether you’re a tennis veteran or a first timer, Indian Wells truly lives up to its paradise moniker. It’s become a pilgrimage for tennis fans and for good reason. In comparison to the Grand Slams, it’s easier and cheaper to attend so here is my Indian Wells tennis guide to help get you to the Garden!
What Is the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden?
The BNP Paribas Open is a Masters 1000 tennis tournament. It has both ATP and WTA draws, which essentially just means there are men and women playing. It is played on hard court at Indian Wells Tennis garden and is considered one of the best tournaments of the year because of the location and calibre of players.
When Is The BNP Paribas Open in 2025?
The tournament is typically played in early March and lasts for 2 weeks. In 2025, it will take place between 5th and 16th March.
Can You Plan A Trip To Indian Wells Masters On Your Own?
There are plenty of tour operators offering package options to the tennis tournament. These are a great option if you want everything sorted for you, however, they are more expensive than organising yourself. It was relatively easy to organise everything separately so I would definitely recommend if you’re trying to save money or prefer the flexibility.
Where to Stay for BNP Paribas Open
The town of Indian Wells is the closest place to stay, however, Palm Springs is the best option in terms of restaurants and other activities. It’s only 25 minutes away by car and offers a wide range of hotel options for all budgets. For a bit of adventure around the tournament, be sure to visit Joshua Tree National Park, the aerial tramway and Indian Canyons.
Getting to Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Indian Wells Tennis Garden is located in Indian Wells in the Greater Palm Springs region of California. The closest airport is Palm Springs but if you’re flying internationally, you’ll probably land in Los Angeles. From here, you can hire a car and drive around 2.5 hours to the desert.
The venue offers free parking so it is easy to drive to the event from nearby towns.
BNP Paribas Open Tickets – What To Buy
There are two sessions on each day of the tournament, day and evening, and there are several types of tickets for each session. Grounds passes are the cheapest option and grant access to unreserved seating at all courts besides Stadium 1. Queues for stadium 2 and 3 can get quite long, especially early on the tournament but the grounds pass is still a great option to soak in the atmosphere and see a good amount of tennis.
The other option is reserved seating in Stadium 1. This is the main court where the biggest players will be playing. It’s also the iconic arena that you see in all the photos and is well worth seeing, even if you just get Stadium 1 tickets for one session of your trip.
To see the best tennis for ticket value, I’d recommend going for singles round 2 or 3. The top players will have a bye in round 1 so you’re unlikely to see them but round 2 will have a great range of matches across the whole venue so you have the best chance of seeing something great. Obviously semis and finals are exciting but they’re often the only games going on that day so you lose a lot of the atmosphere.
You can buy tickets and packages here starting from around 9 months before the event.
Indian Wells Tennis Seating Chart
While the stadium looks big (and is for a tennis arena), you can get a pretty good view from anywhere! The south/south west portion of the court provides the best views of the mountains, with the view improving the higher you get so I would definitely recommend getting at least one set of tickets in this area as it really is stunning!
What to Wear to the Indian Wells Masters
There isn’t really a strict dress code at Indian Wells, unlike some other tournaments like Wimbledon. I’d say around 75% of people there were dressed as though they were going to play a game of tennis themselves at a local country club, and the other 25% were in sun dresses or shorts. It can get hot in the desert so dress accordingly but make sure you bring some layers for the evening as it can get chilly after dark.
They also operate a clear bag only policy. It says online that you can take in non-clear small bags but that ended up not being true. I’m not sure if this is normal in America but everyone there seemed very prepared with a huge range of clear handbags and purses that baffled me a little bit!
Tips for Indian Wells Tennis
To summarise some of the tips I’ve covered plus a few extras:
- Remember to take a clear bag
- Book one set of tickets for the South side of Stadium 1
- Remember to bring a hat and layers for the evening
- Go for round 2 or 3 of the singles draw
- Download the app so you can check on game times
- Take a wander round the practice courts to see some of the big stars up close
- Go to the merch tent early in the day
- Take note of where you’ve parked!
All in all, Indian Wells is an incredibly experience for tennis fans and a definite must-do tournament!
