Date Farms of the Coachella Valley: The Complete Local Guide (2026)

Written by Jason Shopshear, who grows dates in Sky Valley — updated October 2026.

People ask us constantly: “what date farms can I actually visit around Palm Springs?” and “who are the real growers out here?” Since we’re one of them, here’s the complete local guide — every working date farm, stand, and packing house in the Coachella Valley worth knowing, written by a neighbor with no reason to hide the competition. Visit them. The valley’s fruit is better when people meet the farms.

We grow these. Golden Zahidi Baking Dates — Shipping Included | California Farm-Direct from our family farm in Sky Valley, California — from $19/lb, shipping included. See them →

Farms you can visit

Shields Date Garden — Indio. The institution since 1924: the famous date shake, the “Romance and Sex Life of the Date” film, gardens, a café. The classic first stop. (Our take: Shields vs our farm, honestly.)

Sam Cobb Farms — Desert Hot Springs. A real grower with wonderful weekend tours (mid-October through April), his own “Black Gold” selection, and one of the valley’s best farmer stories. Weekends only. (Our neighbor comparison.)

Desert Mountain Dates — Desert Hot Springs. Rick’s farm: free tours by appointment, miniature horses the kids feed date seconds to, XL Medjool. Call before you come. (Our comparison.)

San Marcos Date Farm — Desert Hot Springs. The Marcos family’s beloved stand: samples of everything, chocolate-dipped dates, informal tours, stand prices. Cash preferred. (Our comparison.)

Fresh Dates by Anderson — Thermal. A 1920s-rooted family farm where you buy beneath the palms, feet from the packing tables. Mondays and Fridays only; worth planning around.

Temalpakh Farm — Coachella. The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians’ organic farm and market — produce, smoothies, and a beautiful new visitor center on sovereign land.

Aziz Farms — Thermal. Dates plus one of the valley’s loveliest event properties — orchard dinners, festivals, farm charm.

Pato’s Dream Date Gardens — Thermal. A small organic oasis — ducks, guinea hens, no-spray dates, mountain-view sunsets.

Packing houses & stands that sell retail

Fernandez Date Sales (Coachella) — a packing house selling to the public at farm prices; their crews work LA farmers markets too. Leja Dates (Coachella) — friendly, famously inexpensive by the box. Samano Dates (Coachella) — small wholesaler, happy to sell you a flat. Desert Valley Date (Coachella) — one of the big commercial packers. Hadley Date Gardens (Thermal) — the groves behind the famous Cabazon store. (Hadley vs our farm.)

And us — the one built for shipping

Desert Sun Dates — Sky Valley. We’re a young working grove, not a visitor stand: jumbo Medjool, golden Zahidi, and seasonal Barhi, hand-harvested, cold-stored on the farm, and shipped nationwide within days — prices posted plainly from $19, shipping included, with wholesale cases and Ramadan 2027 pre-orders. Locals can arrange gate pickup by appointment: (760) 501-1845.

Tips for a date-farm day

Harvest runs late August through October — the stands are richest then. Carry cash for the small farms. Call ahead everywhere; these are working farms, not theme parks. And try a Barhi at khalal stage if anyone has them — it’s the valley’s best-kept secret.