Page 65 - 2024/2025 Travel Guide to CALIFORNIA

PALM DESERT, Coachella Valley, opposite.
SPECIAL EVENTS 2024
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Jan. 4-14,
Palm Springs psfilmfest.org
THE AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLF TOURNAMENT Jan. 15-21, PGA West,
La Quinta theamexgolf.com
MODERNISM WEEK Feb. 15-25, Greater Palm Springs modernismweek.com
RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIR AND NATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL Feb 16-25, Indio datefest.org
LA QUINTA ART CELEBRATION Feb. 29-March 3, La Quinta laquintaartcelebration.org
BNP PARIBAS OPEN March 3-17, Indian Wells bnpparibasopen.com
FASHION WEEK March 15-21, Palm Desert fashionweekelpaseo.com
WHITE PARTY GLOBAL March 29-31, Palm Springs whitepartyglobal.com
COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL April 12-14, 19-21, Indio coachella.com
STAGECOACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL April 26-28, Indio stagecoachfestival.com
JOSHUA TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL May 16-19, Joshua Tree joshuatreemusicfestival.com
BORREGO DAYS DESERT FESTIVAL Oct. 19-20, Borrego Springs borregodays.com
GREATER PALM SPRINGS PRIDE Nov. 3-5, Palm Springs pspride.org FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS PARADE Dec. 7, Palm Springs psfestivaloflights.com
IRONMAN 70.3 INDIAN WELLS-LA QUINTA Dec. 8, La Quinta ironman.com/im703-indian-wells
Sports and Active Adventures
You might be forgiven for thinking that a desert offers little to do and that it’s just too darn hot to do it in any event. Wrong on both counts! The region is replete with exciting recreational activities.
There’s no more quintessential image of the Palm Springs region than an emerald greensward studded by palms and framed by boulder-strewn moun- tains gloriously snowcapped in winter. In fact, the Coachella Valley has earned the distinction of “Winter Golf Capital of the World,” with more golf courses than you can shake a 4-iron at. Millions of visitors come annually to play golf on more than 110 courses. Almost as many arrive to explore the palm groves, alpine summits or spectacular desert landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Joshua Tree National Park, where boulder formations prove an exciting challenge for climbers.
MUST
SEE,
DO
• JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK Spanning 1,240 square miles, this park protects one of the most spectacularly scenic of desert regions and is named for the peculiarly-shaped Joshua trees, which grow here in abundance. Fantastical rock formations draw climbers, and a spiderweb of hiking and mountain bike trails lace the park. Be sure to call in at the Visitor Center and Keys View, a lookout with panoramic views over Coachella Valley, with the San Andreas Fault clearly visible below.
• nps.gov/jotr
• PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY Whisking you to another world as it revolves through 360 degrees, the tram climbs two and a half miles to the mountain station at an elevation of 8,516 feet. Go for the sensational ride, or to escape the summer heat and hike the pleasantly cool pine forest. In winter the mountain is usually swathed in snow—perfect for exploring on cross-country skis or snowshoes. The mountain station’s gourmet restaurant tempts you to linger for a candlelit dinner overlooking the sparkling lights of the valley far below.
• pstramway.com
• PALM SPRINGS MODERN The city claims one of the most important concentrations of mid-20th-century Modernist architecture in the world. For a fascinating insight into how Palm Springs became Modernism’s place in the sun, explore with the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture & Design Center. The curated tour will explain the inspiration for such icons as the Steel Houses, the “House of Tomorrow” and the Ronchamp-inspired Bank of America building. Plus, you get to see inside several celebrity homes.
• moderntour.com
• PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM Acclaimed as one of California’s top regional art venues, the museum houses a stunning collection spanning pre-Columbian and Native American art to works by classic western American masters, plein air art on a desert theme, and contemporary California artists. Much of the artwork was donated by local residents, such as author Sidney Sheldon and actor Kirk Douglas. It occupies a striking Modernist building with a sunken sculpture garden.
• psmuseum.org
• LIVING DESERT ZOO/GARDENS Despite the sizzling heat and lack of water, wildlife abounds in the desert. Most desert denizens hide by day, especially in summer. To see them, head to Living Desert Zoo & Park, which displays fauna from arid environments around the world. Local critters include desert tortoise, mountain lion and desert bighorn sheep, while exotic wildlife include oryx, giraffes and Mexican wolves. More than four miles of interpretive trails weave through the surrounding wilderness.
• livingdesert.org
2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 63