Page 180 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

DESERTS
A paradise for adventurers, golfers, shoppers and spa-lovers
B Y C H R I S T O P H E R P . B A K E R
TOP CITIES
Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Barstow,
Indian Wells, Needles, Salton Sea, Mojave
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 10 minutes
from downtown Palm Springs, 44 miles (71 km) from
Anza-Borrego State Park
TOURISM WEBSITES
ci.palm-springs.ca.us
palm-desert.org
la-quinta.org
barstowca.org
indio.org
Anza-Borrego SP: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
Death Valley NP: nps.gov/deva
Joshua Tree NP: nps.gov/jotr
POPULATION
750,000
DESERTS
California’s desert region has lured visitors for more than
a century to bask in its year-round warmth and enjoy its
hot mineral springs, lush palm oases, and serene land-
scapes. After all, there aren’t many places where you can golf in
the morning, go skiing or snowshoeing in the afternoon, and
enjoy a cocktail by the pool in the evening. Which explains why
more than five million visitors annually descend on Palm Springs
and the surrounding desert region, where the summer never dies,
the architecture is retro-cool, and the spirit feels as refreshing as
an iced martini.
In the 1950s and ’60s, Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack made Palm
Springs the definition of cool. By the 1970s, the Hollywood set had
moved “down valley” to Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, with their
luxurious golf courses and country clubs. But Palm Springs has staged
an impressive comeback. Newly fresh and compelling, this hot spot—
ground zero for desert vacations—exudes contemporary cool. No
wonder a whole new generation of Hollywood stars is flocking to
where it’s the 1960s all over again. Plus, a spectacular redevelopment
plan, currently underway, promises to add even more luster to down-
town Palm Springs, with an exciting new luxury hotel, a stunning new
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, and a pedestrian walkway linking
the world-class Palm Springs Art Museum to “The Strip.”
178 2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
WELCOMIA/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: JAMES MATTIL/SHUTTERSTOCK