The Thermal Club
Three linkable circuits and trackside villas in the Coachella Valley.
The verdict
The Thermal Club is the most complete private motorsport community in the western United States. Three circuits — Desert, North Palm and South Palm — can be run individually or joined into a long combined course, and the property is built around trackside villas rather than a shared paddock. It has hosted professional testing and an IndyCar event, which says a lot about the facility standard.
Best forBuyers who want a second home attached to a world-class driving campus.
Ratings by category
Every club on this site is scored on the same seven categories. See our method.
- Value for money
- Cost of entry and dues versus what a member actually gets.
- Amenities & service
- Clubhouse, dining, garages, staff, trackside support.
- Technical challenge
- How demanding the circuit is to learn and drive quickly.
- Fun factor
- Flow, elevation, commitment corners — how good it feels.
- Track time access
- Realistic open-lapping availability across the year.
- Member community
- Culture, events, coaching, racing series, no-jerks factor.
- Real estate & garages
- Quality and availability of trackside garages and homes.
Membership & costs
| Tier | Initiation | Dues | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property-based membership | Reported around $5.2M all-in | Not published | Tied to villa or garage purchase |
Thermal's model is real-estate led — most members own a trackside villa or garage. The widely cited $5.2M figure is a reported all-in cost including property, not an initiation fee; the club does not publish a fee schedule.
Fee sources: IndyStar: what a $5.2 million membership gets you
Real estate: Villas and garage estates directly on the circuits; resale values have held up strongly.
What works
- Genuine year-round driving weather
- Circuit variety no other US club matches
- Facility standard high enough for professional teams to test
What to weigh up
- Effectively a real-estate purchase, not just a membership
- Peak summer heat makes mid-day driving unpleasant
Amenities
- Three road circuits
- Trackside villas
- Clubhouse, restaurant and spa
- Karting
- Race shop and storage
- Professional-grade timing
Video: fast laps & facility tours
Curated onboard and tour footage from members and visitors.
What members and visitors say
Aggregated public feedback from Google reviews and Reddit threads, refreshed automatically.
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Photos
Location
Thermal, CA · open the map for Google Maps directions.
Getting there
- Palm Springs, CA~30 min
- Los Angeles, CA~2 hr 15 min
- San Diego, CA~2 hr 30 min