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Palm Springs |
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Palm Springs
Palm Springs is hot, hot, hot. It has hot weather, hot springs, and a hot scene thanks to the hip Angelino glitterati who cheerfully share the retro-modern downtown with their leisure-suited elders. Most visitors, though, find they fit right in since everyone appreciates the spas, shopping, outdoor activities, and warm sun that the Coachella Valley has to offer. Luxury travelers are increasingly finding themselves drawn to resort communities outside of Palm Springs, especially the cushy enclaves of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, and Indian Wells.
Activities and Attractions:
Many visitors come to the valley for a taste of what the area’s Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have known about for centuries: numerous natural hot springs. Real mineral water makes Palm Springs spas extra special. Nothing will relax you faster than a natural soak followed by a massage or specialized treatment at any of dozens of exclusive area spas.
Golf is another major attraction in this flat desert environment. The enclave of La Quinta boasts the PGA West TPC Stadium course, whose intimidating bumps and huge bunkers make it one of the most difficult courses in the United States. At the opposite end of the spectrum, beginners can learn the basics at the Indian Wells Golf School, in the town of Indian Wells. There are over 100 courses in the Palm Springs area, so one is sure to fit your handicap.
You can shop till you drop (careful, in the hot, dry air this actually happens) on downtown Palm Springs’s North Palm Canyon Drive. This shopping Mecca is known for its galleries, upscale restaurants, and the Antique and Heritage Gallery District at the far north end. You can also explore the El Paseo district, in the nearby resort town of Palm Desert, whose boutiques and salons draw comparisons to Rodeo Drive.
For a destination first popularized by retirees, the area has surprising nightlife (of course, the Rat Pack also called Palm Springs their playground, so maybe it’s not so surprising.) Beyond dining and clubbing, there are cultural pursuits; the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts in Palm Desert presents Broadway-style shows and attracts internationally famous musicians to guest-star with the symphony. There is also casino action. Palm Springs has gaming right downtown, and the Agua Caliente Casino, in Rancho Mirage, has flashy entertainment extravaganzas and boxing matches that will make you think you’re in Vegas.
If all this action gets too hot (literally or figuratively), take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. This high-tech cable car whisks you 5,900 feet up Mount San Jacinto, where temperatures are 40 degrees cooler than in town and you will be treated to a glorious view of the whole Coachella Valley.
Insider Tip:
The Palm Springs area lost its identity as a prime spring-break location when then-mayor Sonny Bono banned thongs in 1991. For 362 days out of the year, most twenty-somethings still find the area a little expensive and restrained for their tastes. During the last weekend in April, though, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival comes to Indio, about 25 miles from Palm Springs. While most festival-goers stay in and around Indio, the valley vibe can be a little alternative at that time. Of course, for some, the idea of bumping into the guys from Rage Against the Machine at the pool will be plus—book your vacation accordingly.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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