Call it the “Fifth Slam,” call it “Tennis Paradise”—hell, call it by its actual name: the BNP Paribas Open. It’s time for two glorious weeks of tennis in a jaw-droppingly gorgeous desertscape framed by a picturesque mountain background. You’ll be bathed in sunny days, chilly nights (seriously: bring a jacket) and drenched in pricey cocktails and the greatest tennis talent the world has to offer: It’s time for Indian Wells.
Indian Wells keeps breaking attendance records—it blew by half a million last year—and it’s easy to understand why. Since the first leg of what’s now known as the “Sunshine Double” started back in the 1970s, the tournament has grown and evolved as much as the valley in which it sits. Today, it’s an event that is truly for everyone—easy access to fantastic tennis for people who want to nerd out point-by-point, and a Coachella-like atmosphere for people who like to party first, pick up a racquet second.