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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Blythe
Use Blythe as a one-night I-10 stop between Phoenix and Palm Springs, not a base: 1 night, fuel and water before the desert stretch.
Blythe sits on Interstate 10 where the California desert meets the Colorado River, about 2 h from Palm Springs and 2 h from Phoenix. It is a fuel, food and bed stop with over 1,200 motel and hotel rooms, plus two real sights: the Blythe Intaglios and the river. Almost nobody needs more than one night.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (over 40 °C most days)Jun–Sep (over 104 °F most days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–170 excl. bed · High $170+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Blythe Police Department (non-emergency) 760-922-6111 · Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Diner breakfast | $10–18 |
| Fast-food combo | $10–15 |
| Sit-down dinner, one person | $18–35 |
| Gallon of fuel | $4–6 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PSP · Palm Springs International
- About 2 h west by car on I-10; the nearest practical airport.
- PHX · Phoenix Sky Harbor
- About 2 h east by car on I-10.
Typical fares
- Blythe → Palm Springs by car
- about 108 miles, about 2 h, fuel about $15–25 (check)
- Blythe → Phoenix by car
- about 150 miles, about 2 h 15 min (check)
- Greyhound Blythe → Los Angeles
- check schedules and fares with the operator
- PVVTA local bus
- check the current fare with PVVTA
Get around
A car is effectively required: sights, river access and the intaglios are all outside town. PVVTA runs local buses in and around Blythe, and a Wellness Express route to Indio on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Taxis exist but are few; book ahead.
See and do
Known for
- Blythe Intaglios
- Colorado River parks and boating
- I-10 desert crossing stop
- Off-roading at the 7-mile dune
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Blythe Intaglios | Drive north on US-95 about 15 miles, then a short graded dirt track | About 45 min each way |
| Palm Springs | I-10 west, about 108 miles | About 2 h |
| Quartzsite, Arizona | I-10 east, about 65 miles | About 1 h |
| Glamis sand dunes | Neighbours Blvd south from I-10 exit 236, then CA-78 | About 1 h |
| Yuma, Arizona | I-10 east then US-95 south | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Donlon Street cluster (I-10 exits 239–240)
- Most of the chain motels sit here, a short drive from the freeway; best for one night with a car.
- Hobsonway (downtown)
- The old US 60/70 main street: diners, a few older motels, walkable but thin on choice.
- East Hobsonway
- A second row of motels further from the centre; quieter, still a drive to food.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the nearest gas station? | Where is the nearest gas station? |
| I need water. | I need water. |
| Is there a motel with a room tonight? | Is there a motel with a room tonight? |
| How far is the next town? | How far is the next town? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Please call a taxi. | Please call a taxi. |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Desert crossings between Blythe and the next town run over 100 miles with little or no service: carry water, keep the tank full and the A/C working.
- Summer daytime heat regularly passes 43 °C; do not walk far in the middle of the day.
- The Blythe Intaglios have little to no cell reception and no shade: hat, water, and go early.
- US-95 north to Needles and south to Yuma is a two-lane road with curves and hills; do not rush it.
- Entering California westbound on I-10 you may be stopped at the agricultural inspection station.
Blythe is a small, low-crime desert town; the real risks are heat, distance and empty fuel tanks. Carry water on every drive and do not cross the desert in summer without a working A/C.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Blythe yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Blythe Intaglios
- Colorado River parks and boating
- I-10 desert crossing stop
- Off-roading at the 7-mile dune
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency: pvvta.com/alerts/ccrr/
- FlixBus — Blythe: www.flixbus.com/bus/blythe-ca
- Wikivoyage: Blythe, revision 5309465 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5309465
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Blythe
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Blythe Police Department (non-emergency)760-922-6111
- Poison Control1-800-222-1222
No embassies in Blythe. Nearest consulates are in Los Angeles; for emergencies, contact your embassy in Washington, DC.
Blythe is a desert stop: fill the tank, buy water and confirm your room before the long empty stretch in either direction.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/blythe). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.