Page 62 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

DESERTS
A year-round recreational playground
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, Desert Hot Springs,
Rancho Mirage, Barstow, Indian Wells, Needles, Salton Sea,
Mojave, Indio
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 10 minutes
from downtown Palm Springs, 44 miles (71 km) from
Anza-Borrego State Park
TOURISM WEBSITES
visitpalmsprings.com
visitgreaterpalmsprings.com
discoverpalmdesert.com
playinlaquinta.com
visitDHS.com
ranchomirageca.gov
barstowca.org
Anza-Borrego Desert SP: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
Death Valley NP: nps.gov/deva
Joshua Tree NP: nps.gov/jotr
POPULATION
DESERTS
There aren’t many places where you can golf while wearing shorts in
the morning, snowshoe in the afternoon, and laze by the pool with a
cocktail in the evening. This explains why more than six million vis-
itors a year descend on Palm Springs and the surrounding desert region.
It begins with lush palm oases, hot mineral springs and awesome land-
scapes. Add sublime winter weather plus a to-see-and-do wish list from
biking and ballooning to casinos and spas. Top it off with an eternally cool
desert lifestyle that recalls the 1940-60s, when Hollywood stars turned the
area into a world-famous winter retreat. Welcome to a region where the
summer never dies, the Modernist architecture is retro-chic, and the rein-
vigorated youthful spirit feels as refreshing as a chilled martini.
An easy 90-minute drive from Los Angeles, “Palm Springs” is understood
as the entire Coachella Valley, comprising eight “desert resort communities”
clustered at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains. They merge into one
another along Highway 111—one of California’s great urban drives. The phys-
ical setting is out of this world. Majestic mountains soar on four sides,
glistening with snow in the winter sunshine. There’s no shortage of activ-
ities and attractions. The dining is fabulous. The spas are among California’s
best. And the region boasts several ritzy casinos. Museums cater to WWII
aviation buffs, art fans and nature lovers keen to experience desert ecology.
El Paseo offers a luxurious shopping experience reminiscent of Beverly
Hills’ Rodeo Drive. Palm Springs’ music, film and arts festivals are world-
renowned, as is the city’s hip trademark mid-century architecture.
60 2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
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