We consider problems related to finding short cycles, small cliques, small independent sets, and small subgraphs in geometric intersection graphs. We obtain a plethora of new results. For example: * For the intersection graph of $n$ line segments in the plane, we give algorithms to find a 3-cycle in $O(n^{1.408})$ time, a size-3 independent set in $O(n^{1.652})$ time, a 4-clique in near-$O(n^{24/13})$ time, and a $k$-clique (or any $k$-vertex induced subgraph) in $O(n^{0.565k+O(1)})$ time for any constant $k$; we can also compute the girth in near-$O(n^{3/2})$ time. * For the intersection graph of $n$ axis-aligned boxes in a constant dimension $d$, we give algorithms to find a 3-cycle in $O(n^{1.408})$ time for any $d$, a 4-clique (or any 4-vertex induced subgraph) in $O(n^{1.715})$ time for any $d$, a size-4 independent set in near-$O(n^{3/2})$ time for any $d$, a size-5 independent set in near-$O(n^{4/3})$ time for $d=2$, and a $k$-clique (or any $k$-vertex induced subgraph) in $O(n^{0.429k+O(1)})$ time for any $d$ and any constant $k$. * For the intersection graph of $n$ fat objects in any constant dimension $d$, we give an algorithm to find any $k$-vertex (non-induced) subgraph in $O(n\log n)$ time for any constant $k$, generalizing a result by Kaplan, Klost, Mulzer, Roddity, Seiferth, and Sharir (1999) for 3-cycles in 2D disk graphs. A variety of techniques is used, including geometric range searching, biclique covers, "high-low" tricks, graph degeneracy and separators, and shifted quadtrees. We also prove a near-$Ω(n^{4/3})$ conditional lower bound for finding a size-4 independent set for boxes.