The Cactus Hugs Guide to the BNP Paribas Open
Headed to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the 2020 BNP Paribas tennis tournament? Well, you have come to the right place as we have all the real info you need – including dates, tickets, food, parking, and much more.
Dates for the 2020 BNP Paribas Open
The BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament will run March 9 – March 22 in 2020. The two week combined ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Tour Premier event features the top men and women professional tennis players in the world and really should be a Grand Slam event already!
You can get more info on all of the events here.
Location
Everything pretty much takes place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden – a pretty rad facility that is booming with tennis activity for two weeks each year and then spends pretty much every other day vacant – except for a few weekends in April when festies show up in the parking lot to pick up Coachella and Stagecoach wristbands. They used to do concerts and an outdoor NBA game here, but they don’t anymore and that’s really too bad – but you are not here for those sad memories, you are here for tennis info, so let’s get back to that, shall we.
Tickets
You can get into the stadium for as little as $30 with a Grounds Pass (well, not counting those Free Days we already discussed). Reserved seating will cost you more than that. Tickets for the 2020 BNP Paribas Open are not yet available.
Where to Stay
Ideally, you want to stay near the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, so the city of Indian Wells along with La Quinta and Palm Desert are your best bets. The thing is, you want to book as soon as possible as the best spots book up super fast. We recommend checking the following for the best rates:
You can also opt to do an Airbnb or HomeAway as the area does have some cool opportunities for vacation rentals for you – but, once again, the earlier you book, the better – so you might want to check them out now.
Parking
While very few events in the Coachella Valley charge for parking, the tennis tournament does. Luck you, right? Daily rates are $25 – so you honestly might just be better Ubering in and out if you are staying or have a friend nearby. There are shuttles that come with some hotel packages for those coming from out of town. You can get more info on that here. If you are one for beating the system and planning on parking across the street at the Applebee’s or down the way at one of the grocery stores, they get real pissy about tennis fans parking there and put up warning signs that you will be towed if you do, so be careful with that.
Food & Drink
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden comes stocked with quite a few spots to grab a cocktail, beer, or wine. I checked out most of it and posted about the best options to eat here and a guide to drinking at the BNP Paribas Open here.
Like most stadiums, the food and drinks can be a little pricey, so if you are headed out to a night session, you might think about stopping in down the road for a drink at Beer Hunter, further down the road at Vue, or even further down the road at Eureka! before heading in. Those looking for some nearby food can check out Cork and Fork, Cliffhouse, Fisherman’s Market, and Okura Sushi, as well as faster options like Five Guys, In-N-Out Burger, and El Pollo Loco. You can also grab-and-go or buy some groceries at Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Sprout’s.
What to Expect
Quiet! No seriously, it’s going to be quiet while the tennis happens. It’s just one of those sports where everyone sits in absolute silence the whole time and if someone sneezes they get the stink eye from everyone. Also, just a heads up, if you get up from your seat for a bathroom break, they may hold you back from returning for several minutes. It’s just how it is. Meanwhile, outside of the stadium, they have live music and TVs and stuff. It’s always odd seeing so many people pay to get in and then just sit and watch the tennis on tv, but to each their own.
Wait. It’s all on TV?
Yes. In fact, you don’t even have to go to watch most of it – as, in 2019, 120 hours of it was broadcast on the Tennis Channel and ESPN Networks. ESPN also featured first-ball-to-last-ball coverage of the tournament on ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
This page will be updated as more details about the 2020 tournament are released. Check back for updates.