Your first day at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells

The BNP Paribas Open brings the world’s top players to the Coachella Valley, and the men’s and women’s tours play the same event. AXS calls it the largest combined event on the ATP and WTA Tour calendar, and its January 2025 release says both tours had named it Tournament of the Year ten years in a row. In 2024, a then-record 493,440 fans came through the gates of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. That is nearly half a million people agreeing on how to spend two weeks in the desert, and both tours agreeing with them.

With a crowd that size, the ticket is the first decision. For a first visit, we suggest a grounds pass and an early stop at the practice courts. Front Office Sports reported that in 2026 a grounds pass gave no entry to Stadium 1 or Stadium 2. If watching play in those two stadiums matters to you, check which stadiums your 2027 ticket includes before you buy.

The practice courts are where we would point a first-timer. Watch the feet between shots and the way a rally builds. You can enjoy those details without knowing a player’s ranking or predicting the next champion. Your own backhand can stay a private matter; you can still admire a great one.

Whatever you choose, it lives on your phone: tickets are digital through AXS, so check the date and session with everyone coming. The venue is cashless, so the cash in your back pocket can sit this one out. Confirm current details on the official visitor page before you leave.

• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen: the average high at Palm Springs airport is 74°F in February and 81°F in March (NOAA, 1991–2020 normals).
• Pack the warm layer we keep mentioning for the evening: the average low at the same station is 50°F in February and 54°F in March. Check the forecast for your dates.
• Check the 2027 bag rules before packing; the 2026 clear-bag limit was 12″ × 6″ × 12″.
• Leave umbrellas, outside food and selfie sticks at the house: the 2026 policy did not allow them, so check the 2027 list before you pack.
• Have your digital AXS tickets ready on your phone, and bring a way to pay at a cashless venue.

The bag rules are where a good morning can stall. Under the 2026 policy, visitors could bring one clear bag up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″ or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, plus a small clutch or purse up to 4.5″ × 6.5″. Treat those limits as a guide and check the 2027 rules on the official visitor page before you pack.

Measure the bag you plan to bring and share the page with your group. Do any repacking at the house, where nobody is waiting behind you.

Pick the house for the evening, not only for the drive. Via Chianti Toscana Retreat in Indian Wells sleeps 10, and Kingston Court Desert Escape in Palm Desert sleeps 10, so a group can replay the day’s best rally under one roof. Think about the evening you want together: dinner, a conversation that wanders away from tennis, and somewhere to put your feet up.

Our booking links use March 8 to March 15, 2027, covering the tournament’s second week and final day on March 14. Change those dates on the booking page if you want another part of the event. Check everyone’s travel days together, and settle who sleeps where before anyone arrives. After a day of watching professionals sprint from corner to corner, you will be ready for a plan that involves a chair.