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WHAT TO DO
Fun days are in store for you my friend! Below you will find my top activities to give you a memorable day. Everything listed is a very short drive away and well worth your time. No tourist traps! Just my list of the best things I've found in the valley that will make you want to stay longer next time.
Bike
You’ve landed in a bike-friendly part of the globe with many bike shops to choose from should your hotel or BnB not have any handy. Many roads have bike lanes and the neighborhoods are easily navigable with little traffic. It’s a great way to tour the town and neighborhoods.
Hike
Hit the trails! From easy to hard, this valley and its surrounding mountains have many trails to explore. Some trails are short and will take you less than an hour and others can take more than a full day. Pack your sunscreen and water. It gets super toasty in the hills. Taquitz Canyon and Indian Canyons are two sets of trails very close to downtown. Both charge a fee. Taquitz at the west end of Taquitz Rd charges an 8.00$ fee. The trail is about 2 miles up and back with the turnaround being at a beautiful waterfall and pool. South of town on the reservation, Indian Canyons offers several trails for the 15.00$ entrance fee. Well worth the price of admission to see the canyons and the oasis resting alongside the cool waters and restful shade of magnificent clusters of palms.
Palm Springs Tramway
When it's 110 in town it might be time to cool off with a tram ride to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. It will be 40 Fahrenheit cooler and 8500 feet higher on top than on the valley floor. The view is unmatched. The rotating tram will give you a 360-degree view up the canyon walls all the way to the top. Easy walking trails meander up top and there is a restaurant and patio to take it all in.
Joshua Tree National Park
After a forty minute drive, you will find yourself in one of the most spectacular places in North America. The park combines its eerily appearing Joshua Tree with a stunning landscape of stacked rock as if sculpted by Henry Moore. As the sun moves across the sky, so does the landscape with vivid color and shadows. Trails weave among the rocks revealing tiny valleys alongside towering boulders. The park also offers up longer trails, rock climbing, an oasis or two, and impressive promontories that provide breathtaking views. Park fees are 12$ for adults and well worth it. A trip to the park entering on the west side and exiting on the east with ample time to take photos and explore will run about 6 hours. So there is plenty of time to get back and head to the pool.
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Located in Palm Desert, the Zoo and Gardens is a zoo and preserve spanning as much as 360 acres and focuses on deserts of the world.. Bighorn sheep tortoises, lizards native to the area are neighbors with bobcats, badgers, meerkats, cheetahs, and warthogs. Other notables are giraffes and ostriches along with a variety of amphibians. This AZA, accredited zoo also includes several various gardens spanning the many kinds of flora found in the desert. A variety of programs focus on environmental education, native wildlife rehabilitation, plant propagation, habitat restoration, and captive breeding of African and Sonoran Desert species Open 7 days a week.
Palm Springs Modernism Week
With a large event in Spring and a smaller one in the fall, these weeks host some really glamorous locals: our mid century modern architecture. Whether you take the guided tours or attend the many other events, this week will overload your senses with all thing MCM. You’ll see the works of noted architects: Frey, Alexander, Wexler, Krisel and Lautner just to name a few. Designers, architects, photographers and artists come here for a deep dive into our noted homes and buildings and you should come to for inspiration and ideas.
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