Overview
Blythe is a city in Riverside County in the Desert region of California.
1 sights · 1 places to eat · 8 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Blythe
Blythe Intaglios
A Native American land-preservation area just north of Blythe on Hwy 95, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These large images were drawn/carved/something into the ground (what is believed to be) thousands of year…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Nov–Apr. Summer highs reach about 109°F; winter lows dip to about 39°F. Very hot (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Quartzsite)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- YUM Yuma International Airport / Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Yuma — 66 mi away. Directions
- HII Lake Havasu City Airport, Lake Havasu City — 68 mi away. Directions
- PSP Palm Springs International Airport, Palm Springs — 111 mi away (major hub). Directions
Blythe is the center of the southwest desert. From here, you can travel north for 4 hours to Las Vegas, west 2 hours to Palm Springs (4 to Los Angeles), south 2 hours to the Imperial Valley or Yuma (or 4 to San Diego) and 2 hours east to Phoenix.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Dining has a wide variety of food. As this town is located 108 miles from the nearest mall, the locals have become accustomed to local-made foods. If you're looking for the same-ol' usual stuff (McDonald's, Jack-In-The-Box, Carl's, etc.) try Lovekin Blvd. You can't miss it with all of the advertising signs.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Blythe is the center of the southwest desert. From here, you can travel north for 4 hours to Las Vegas, west 2 hours to Palm Springs (4 to Los Angeles), south 2 hours to the Imperial Valley or Yuma (or 4 to San Diego) and 2 hours east to Phoenix.
Interstate 10 (I-10)/Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Fwy passes through Blythe in an east/west direction. It is the main stopping area when traveling from Phoenix through to any major city in California. When heading west on I-10, you will pass directly over the Colorado River. Be prepared to stop and possibly have your vehicle inspected by the State of California Department of Agriculture as you enter the state. California is one of the few states in the United States that has natural barriers against "outside" contamination (i.e. fruit-fly, fire-ants, etc.) that could potentially harm California's delicate environment, and the Blythe inspection station is the first and best at stopping them.
Hobsonsway serves as local road access into downtown Blythe as a local (business) street and as the old US Routes 60 & 70 that used to go (concurrently) through town before the freeway was built to bypass the town. Going west it is the first exit (Exit 242) past the agricultural inspection station and parallels north of I-10, through downtown, towards Mesa Dr (Exit 232 of I-10) as Hobsonway. Eastbound access are at Mesa Dr (#232) and Riviera Dr (#243).
Intake Blvd is locally called "the California side" because the south-bound lanes travel through Arizona. US-95 starts from the intersection of Intake Blvd and I-10 (Exit 240) and heads north on Intake Blvd (at eastern edge of town) to Needles and I-40 (approximately a 2-hour drive), Laughlin (2½ hr-drive), and Las Vegas (approximately a 4-hour drive). This road is very windy, curvy, and hilly! It is only a 2-lane highway. Going south on US-95, it goes concurrently on I-10 to Quartzsite, AZ (at Exit 17) and through Quartzsite on W Main St to Central Blvd (AZ/US 95). Going north on Central Blvd the road becomes AZ-95 towards Parker and south as US-95 towards Yuma.
Neighbours Blvd starts on I-10 (at Exit 236) and travels south. Careful: this road is windy, curvy, hilly and is only a 2-lane highway. During your drive, you will run into the world-famous Glamis (approx 1 hr south of Blythe). 78 will take you to the Imperial Valley (including Brawley, El Centro, Imperial and Calexico).
By bus
- Rocket Fuel & USA Convenience Store on 400 S Lovekin Rd, on S Lovekin & Wells, south of Exit #239 of I-10 in the outskirts of town serves as a de facto bus station for:
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Go Greyhound
Greyhound buses stop day and night. Since Blythe is the only stopping point between Phoenix and Indio/Palm Springs, most travelers are relieved to stop and stretch. Greyhound will take passengers to the local McDonald's (which is usually open 24 hr). There is no open office for any ticket-purchase, and so you will need to buy one from the driver. Just ensure the bus you're boarding is headed in the right direction as they travel all over the southwest. Nearest transfer points to additional cities (by bus or by plane) are in Indio/Palm Springs area, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Bernardino/Ontario. Travelers can take the PVVTA City Circulator/Blue Route (#1) bus going north on Lovekin Blvd to get into town.
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Go El Paso Los Angeles Limousine Express (Los Limousines)
Travels along I-10 between Los Angeles, El Monte, San Bernardino, Indio, Blythe, Phoenix, Las Cruces and El Paso.
Get around
While in town there are a couple of ways to get around: the (only) Blythe Cab or the Desert Roadrunner. Both of these companies are very dependable and are readily available.
See
See Blythe Intaglios
A Native American land-preservation area just north of Blythe on Hwy 95, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These large images were drawn/carved/something into the ground (what is believed to be) thousands of years ago by natives. Their true meaning has never been discovered, yet they have been compared in importance, age, and curiosity with the Inca Lines in Peru. These intaglios are said to point to the north-west of California. Some speculate the drawings point to the San Francisco area, where the great Gold-Rush occurred. Some speculate the drawings are a signal to the "unknown" in space. Some consider this place as spiritual and religious areas. The intaglios themselves have been fenced to help preserve their lines (as they have been marred by unknowing, off-road enthusiasts). When visiting the area, remember to wear a hat and bring lots of drinking water! Also, this area of the mountains has little to no cell-phone reception.
Do
The locals like to cool down along the shores of the Colorado River. Bring a personal-water craft (which can be rented at one of the river-front stores) to ride, or just head down to a river-park to swim and relax in the shade. The off-roading is also very entertaining, with a strip of pristine sand called "7-mile dune" just 11 miles west of town. There, all 4x4's (including sand-rails, quads, buggies & dirt-bikes) can range in fun from following simple trails to challenging extreme sand dunes.
Buy
There isn't much to buy in Blythe. The small-town mentality has kept most major stores away from this town and shopping has suffered the consequences. It's alright though, keep heading west towards the Indio/Palm Springs area (it's only 108 miles)
Eat
Dining has a wide variety of food. As this town is located 108 miles from the nearest mall, the locals have become accustomed to local-made foods. If you're looking for the same-ol' usual stuff (McDonald's, Jack-In-The-Box, Carl's, etc.) try Lovekin Blvd. You can't miss it with all of the advertising signs.
Eat China Garden Restaurant
Delivery available, free within a 3-mile radius.
Sleep
Blythe has over 1,200 hotel and motel rooms. Almost all of the hotels can be seen from I-10, as they all have sky-sign displays. Some of the common companies are:
Nearby
Quartzsite
City / town · 25 listings · 22 mi away
Parker Dam
City / town · 1 listings · 54 mi away
Slab City
City / town · 9 listings · 56 mi away
Niland
City / town · 1 listings · 59 mi away
Calipatria
City / town · 1 listings · 63 mi away
Lake Havasu City
City / town · 15 listings · 63 mi away
Yuma
City / town · 42 listings · 64 mi away
Bombay Beach
City / town · 1 listings · 68 mi away
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