Page 167 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

PGA WEST GOLF COURSE, Palm
Springs, opposite; friends hang out
at the pool, right; Palm Springs Art
Museum, below.
SPECIAL
»
EVENTS 2014
25TH ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL Jan. 3-13 psfilmfest.org
HUMANA CHALLENGE PRO-AM (FORMERLY THE BOB HOPE CLASSIC) Jan. 13-
19, La Quinta humanachallenge.com
PALM SPRINGS ARTS FESTIVAL March 2-3, Frances Stevens Park, Palm Springs
westcoastartists.com
32ND LA QUINTA ARTS FESTIVAL March 6-9, La Quinta Civic Center campus, La
Quinta lqaf.com/cultural-events/la-quinta-arts-festival
COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL April 11-13, 18-20, Indio
coachella.com
JOSHUA TREE SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL May 16-18, Joshua Tree Lake Campground
joshuatreemusicfestival.com
MOJAVE DEATH RACE (RUNNING, CYCLING) May 31-June 1, mojavedeathrace.com
SCOTTY’S CASTLE ORGAN CONCERTS June, check website for exact dates. Scotty's
Castle, Death Valley nps.gov/deva/historyculture/special-events.htm
BORREGO DAYS DESERT FESTIVAL Oct. 24-26, Borrego Springs
borregospringschamber.com/BorregoDays
GEMINIDS METEOR SHOWERS Dec. 4-16, peak nights Dec. 13 & 14
amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/?y=2014
»
MUST
SEE,
DO
» Palm Springs & Palm Desert Art Tours On
the first Wednesday evening of every month, Palm
Springs’ vibrant Backstreet Art District opens its doors.
Visitors can browse through dozens of contemporary
art galleries and interact with jewelry makers,
ceramicists, performers and visual artists. Palm Desert
also features guided walking art tours, one Saturday
each month from September through May.
› backstreetartdistrict.com
› palm-desert.org/arts-culture/public-art/art-tours-and-maps
» Ghost Towns The California desert hosts dozens
of ghost towns—some so well preserved that you half
expect to see a drunken miner stumbling out of the
saloon. Death Valley is especially rich in abandoned
settlements, most of them best explored with a 4-
wheel-drive vehicle. Other “ghost towns,” like Calico,
offer a full range of tourist amenities—including
staged gunfights.
› ghosttowns.com/states/ca
› desertusa.com/mag99/oct/stories/calico.html
» Route 66 The settlement of the American West
began with a series of road trips (of sorts); don’t miss
the opportunity to navigate your way along this historic
motorway, lovingly known as “America’s Main Street.”
On the memorable section running from Barstow to
Amboy, you can practically taste the hamburgers—
especially if you stop at Roy’s Motel and Café.
› theroadwanderer.net/route66CA.htm
» Scotty’s Castle Walter Scott hailed from
Kentucky, but his passion was gold mining—in Death
Valley. Backed by a Chicago millionaire, he built an
impressive villa amid the desert sands: Scotty’s Castle,
complete with a 1,121 pipe organ. Tours are offered by
the National Park Service.
› nps.gov/deva/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm
» Dark Skies There are seven major meteor
showers every year, some producing up to 100
shooting stars an hour. There are few better places to
watch them than the outskirts of Palm Springs or Palm
Desert. The best meteor showers of 2014 will occur
late at night May 5-6, July 28-29, August 12-13 and
December 13-14. Even without creature comforts, of
course, stargazing in the desert is a thrill. For super-
dark skies, pack a folding chaise longue and comforter
and head for Death Valley, Anza-Borrego, or Highway
14 in the Mojave Valley.
› amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar
2014 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 165