Warm Desert Vacation Bliss in Sunny Palm Springs, California
The Coachella Valley of California is in a incredible place to plan a relaxing, warm getaway to a reliably sunny area of the west coast.
While it may not be directly on the beach, Palm Springs and all of Coachella Valley make up for that in hiking, sightseeing, relaxation, restaurants and pooltime.
What's it Like?
Many different cacti line the desert floor, along with dry, colorful brush. The towns in the valley are completely surrounded by the San Jacinto Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains. No matter where you are in the valley, you'll always have a great view of mountains all around you. Natural running water is scarce, but can be seen in the wetter winter months from snow melt and rainfall. Wildlife varies from jack rabbits to coyotes, desert snakes to roadrunners.
Ascending the surrounding mountains around the valley will bring about very different landscapes and wildlife. The temperatures cool greatly in towns like Idyllwild, and offer a wide array of hiking, plant life, and wildlife.
These things impress me every time I drive by.As the wind rushes through the f...
View from the top of Mt. San Jacinto, Palm Springs, CA 8-07Photo taken form the...
Probably Palm Springs has never been this 'bright green', but who cares? I am in...
Taken from the lower parking lots at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway between rai...
Our Hike thru the Indian Canyons here in Palm Springs, with our Friends Jez and ...
All images ? Allen Rockwell 2007
Aerial Shot of Palm Springs Area
To the North...
Yosemite National Park lies to the north of Palm Springs, about 8 hours away, but a surely unforgettable trip to one of the United States' greatest treasures.-
The Crown Jewel of the Sierra Nevada: Yosemite National Park
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There are over 3.5 million visitors that come to take in the awe-inspiring panorama of Yosemite. The California National Park of the High Sierras is one of the best places to camp, kayak, sightsee, rock climb, hike, or just sit back, relax and take i...
Palm Desert
Palm Desert lies in the middle of the Coachella Valley area, next to Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells on Highway 111. The town is home to the highly visited Rodeo Drive-like El Paseo shopping district. High end stores line this boulevard, along with restaurants and many desert galleries.
Also in Palm Desert is the "Living Desert" Zoo. This zoo is surprisingly large, and houses some very cool animals like giraffes, meerkats, bighorn sheep, ocelots, and the gila monster.
Palm Desert is an excellent place to stay, offering some of the best hotels in the valley. Marriott's Shadow Ridge Resort is one of the finer places to stay, along with the Renaissance-Esmeralda Resort.
Fireworks display at the park in Palm Desert.Canon EOS 20D, EF 24mm-70mm f/2.8...
Living Desert Museum and Zoo, Palm Desert, California. D60, 73mm, 1/4000s @ F2.8...
It's a 1.5 mile hike to get here. It's nice and cool under the palm trees. There...
The old and the new, and the brilliant array of leaves forming a rare canopy in ...
A few blocks away from our place in Palm Desert is
Fountain
El Paseo
Can't Stand the Heat??
Summertime temperatures in the months of June, July, August and September regularly reach over 100. Is this your type of thing?
The San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault Hummer Tour - Palm Springs
A cool tour of the San Andreas Fault - largest fault in the Western Hemisphere! Palm Springs California - near Palm Springs.
Runtime: 3:22
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Steaklovers Rejoice!
The Palm Springs area has some of the most well known and all around best steakhouses in the country. LG's Steakhouse, The Chop House, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and The Falls are some of the areas most visited. They're all worth a try!
Vegas Isn't Far!
Vegas is only about 5 hours away from Palm Springs. Why not spend a day or two in Sin City?-
Las Vegas Fun: Hotels, Casinos, Pools and Paradise!
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No really! If you're headed to Vegas, you're technically headed to Paradise. Tell your friends. The majority of the Las Vegas strip is in an unincorporated town called "Paradise," which is right beside the city of Las Vegas, but still in Clark County...
Downtown Palm Springs, Photo by Tim Shell
Indian Canyons
If there's any one thing that you shouldn't skip in Palm Springs, it's this. The Indian Canyons define the city, and are one of the only naturally occurring areas of palms in the vicinity. Three distinct canyons, Murray, Andreas, and Palm Canyon, cover the area. Andreas is an easy hike, with a year-round river running through the middle. Palm Canyon and Murray Canyon are longer, but afford incredible views of mountains, wildlife, palms, and true desert.
Our Hike thru the Indian Canyons here in Palm Springs, with our Friends Jez and ...
May 2005
Pines to Palms Highway
Pines to Palms Highway is a scenic road along Route 74. It starts in Palm Desert off Highway 111 near the El Paseo shopping area. This road will lead directly into the San Jacinto Mountains, slowly ascending to the high peaks above the desert. Before you make the trek up, be sure to stop by the Visitor's Center located on 74 in Palm Desert.
On the Palms to Pines Highway.
Sent from my iPhone
Lake Fulmor off Highway 243 Idyllwild, Ca. (
Photo taken on California State Route 243 at 4,000 feet elevation. Idyllwild is ...
Idyllwild, CA
Aerial view of Palm Desert and Palms to Pines Highway. View to the south-southwe...
Just one of the Indian Canyons of Palm Springs
Death Valley National Park
It's not that far, only about 5-6 hours from Palm Springs. Death Valley is also only an hour or two from Las Vegas!The weirdness, strangeness, and record-breaking hot temperatures are just a few of the things that Death Valley is known for...but...
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Death Valley National Park
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For over a hundred years, visitors have been flocking to the strange, secluded desert of fascinating Death Valley. Sharing sections of California and Nevada, this massive National Park is the largest in the lower 48 states by far, covering 3.4 millio...
It's a Big State!
California (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Amazon Price: $19.80 (as of 10/06/2008)
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Used Price: $14.75
Eyewitness Travel Guides always makes an excellent guide for your vacations. One of the best features is its size, which is just right for traveling. It's also very easy to read on the go, so you won't be wasting your time flipping through the book during your precious vacation time. Highly recommended.
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Palm Springs Links
- City of Palm Springs
- The official site for all things Palm Springs.
- Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
- Ascend 2.5 miles high above the hot valley to see an unforgettable view of the valley, along with great hiking and dining.
- Palm Springs Art Museum
- A great variety of modern art and older art are available for viewing in downtown Palm Springs.
- The Living Desert
- Coachella Valley's excellent zoo right in Palm Desert.
- The Shops of El Paseo
- A directory of shops and things to do on El Paseo in Palm Desert.
- Indian Canyons
- The Indian Canyons of Palm Springs are an amazing sightseeing and hiking opportunity not to be missed!
A Greenhouse Cactarium in Moorten's Botanical Garden
Where is it?
Palm Springs is only 100 miles east of Los Angeles, 142 miles north of San Diego, and 4 hours west of Phoenix. It has its own International Airport, or you can fly into LAX or San Diego International Airport and drive there.
The Living Desert
The Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert is an eclectic mix of not just desert animals, but animals from all over. For example, the Reticulated Giraffe is one of the featured animals, and they're from Africa! Also, there's meerkats, scorpions, wolves, cranes, bobcats, warthogs, and even a gila monster! There's also special desert exhibits and a huge cactus garden featuring cacti from around the world.
Giraffe, Living Desert, Palm Desert, March 2007, zoo, palm tree
Butterfly, Living Desert, Palm Desert, March 2007, zoo, spots, orange, black
Living Desert Sculpture Park, Broken Hill
this snake was scaling the palm tree right in front of us - it was at least a 6 ...
Happy Feathery Friday =) I just adore the way his eyes looked a tad crossed =...
A Roadrunner. I though this shot turned out well. I had a hard time with him b...
East African Crowned Crane
Tahquitz Canyon
It's desert wilderness at its best, and its basically 1/4 mile from the highway...what more could you ask for? Tahquitz Canyon is a long hike to the end, so go early in the morning before the heat sets in and you'll be rewarded with the cool desert oasis waterfall at the end.
Hiking up Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs. It was $12.50 per person to hike.. Ap...
I landed at Palm Springs Airport and was wowed by the quality of the light. Head...
The view of Palm Springs from Tahquitz Canyon
tahquitz canyon, palm springs, ca
Tahquitz Creek
Palm Springs Timeshares
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Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum contains a huge collection of WWII airplanes, artifacts, history and artworks...it's surprisingly great trip and very interesting! Real, working WWII planes sit in several different hangars, as well as war memorobilia like WWII newspapers, guns, medals, Nazi uniforms, and documentary videos...it's a trip back in time that is very well done by the museum.
View of the Northern part of the Palm Springs Air Museum grounds.
All images ? Allen Rockwell 2007
F-14 Tomcat at the Palm Spring Air Museum.? 2006 Allen Rockwell
All images ? Allen Rockwell 2007
Palm Springs Aerial Museum Memorial Day Flower Drop
Palm Springs Postcards
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byCurrent Weather in Palm Springs
Current weather conditions in Palm Springs, CA (92262)
Local Pollen Reports
84°F (Feels like 84°F)
Last update: 10/6/08 9:45 AM PDT
Humidity: 31%Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 50°F
UV Index: 3 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 29.97in steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: calm From: Airport Conditions
Today
Sunny
High: 96°F
Low: 70°F
Sunrise: 6:44 AM
Sunset: 6:23 PM
Tuesday
Oct 7
Sunny
High: 101°F
Low: 73°F
Sunrise: 6:45 AM
Sunset: 6:21 PM
Wednesday
Oct 8
Sunny
High: 103°F
Low: 73°F
Sunrise: 6:46 AM
Sunset: 6:20 PM
Thursday
Oct 9
Sunny
High: 97°F
Low: 68°F
Sunrise: 6:47 AM
Sunset: 6:19 PM
San Jacinto Mountains
Looking south from desert view trail. Mt san jacinto state park.
Palm trees bend in the wind with the San Jacinto mountain range in the backgroun...
San Jacinto Mountains, CaliforniaNear Cabazon, CA
Took this shot this afternoon near Yucaipa, Ca. We drove from Palm Springs to Jo...
There's a cable car to take you up. It's high enough that you get a little brea...
View of Mount San Jacinto State Park. It was a mere 50 degrees up here at 8500 f...
The San Jacinto Mountains are beautiful from Twin Palms Ranch. Mustard plants m...
Cool Palm Springs Stuff
I-10
Palm Springs lies right on I-10, the interestate that runs from California to Florida. Why not plan a road trip to see some of the sites near the interestate?-
Planning a US Road Trip: The Southern Route
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If you love warmth and sunshine, this is the perfect US road trip for you where you'll get to see 8 different states. Some of the most unique areas of the country are all easily accessible from I-10, a highway that begins in Los Angeles and ends in...
Palm Springs Tramway
Near the wind farms of Palm Springs on Highway 111 is the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. Take the Tramway Road off 111 to the parking lots at the foot of Mount San Jacinto State Park to experience five different climate zones on the way up...as well as an excellent rotating tram lift that brings you to an elevation 2.5 miles above the city. There's dining and souvenirs at the top, as well as a huge network of hiking trails. It's part of the Palm Springs experience, so if you're headed here, make this a priority!
the largest rotating tramway in the world...the largest rotating tramway in th...
the largest rotating tramway in the world...the largest rotating tramway in th...
View from inside the aerial tram gliding up the San Jacinto Mountains.The aeri...
Palm Springs, CA - (geotagged)
Palm Springs Tramway in Chino Canyon to the 8,516' "Mountain" ...
Did you pack your sweatshirt?
If you're heading up the mountains, expect the temperature to drop anywhere from 10-30 degrees! The higher you go, the cooler it will get. Expect snow if you're hiking on some of the taller mountains, along with some muddy conditions after rainfall and during the winter.
California's Small Towns
The Most Beautiful Villages and Towns of California (Most Beautiful Villages)
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List Price: $40.00
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Going on a Road Trip?
Don't Miss These Cool Lenses!
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California Road Trip
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California has some of the most famous, scenic and fun places to visit in the USA. The proximity of the destinations in California make sense for a road trip getaway across the state...but don't let the number of destinations fool you! It's still the...
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I-95 Road Trip
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I-95 runs right down the east coast of the United States, hitting major cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Miami, as well as some of the best sites the country has to offer! A trip from Boston to Miami is approximately 1500...
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How to Plan a US Road Trip
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There's nothing like taking a road trip across the USA. Going by car gives you a greater appreciation for the vastness and wide array of parks, forests, cities, museums, beaches and cultures the United States has to offer. By taking a cross country r...
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What to Bring on a Road Trip
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There are the necessities for road trips, and there are the items that will improve the quality of your road trip. Both can be equally important to have a good time on your trip...from technological help like navigation systems to old, trusty road at...
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Planning a US Road Trip: The Northern Route
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When planning a road trip in the United States, you can take 3 options: the northern route, the southern route, and the middle. We'll be analyzing the northern route here, covering the states from Maine to Washington state. If a road trip is in your...
Guestbook
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GlobalOpps
Way to go Kiwi, another great addition to the "Best Places to Visit in California" Group. Keep it up! Posted July 11, 2008 |
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sisterra
Great lens! Posted June 30, 2008 |
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ecovicki
Nice lens! I saw you on the Stores board. Posted June 30, 2008 |
Plan your Palm Springs Trip!
Coachella Festival
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byMore Travel Lenses...
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Washington DC Travel, from the Monuments to the Metro
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Washington DC is one of the most interesting and different US cities. Unlike traditional skyscraping US cities, DC has a sprawling, horizontal old-world feel, complete with beautifully organized monuments, parks and museums that have been perfectly p...
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Yellowstone National Park
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First established as a National Park in 1872, Yellowstone remains America's best-known National Park for its geothermal features, array of wildlife and stunning scenery. It covers three states--Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana--however, most of the park l...
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A Tour of the City of Boston
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Founded in 1630, Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, at a population of 590,000. It's a city full of sports like the Sox, Bruins and Celtics, history (remember the Boston Tea Party?), unique buildings like the...
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Traveling to Beautiful Monument Valley
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Monument Valley is a very remote section of the Southwestern United States on the Arizona/Utah border, close to the Four Corners region. From looking at the pictures, it does not look like a traditional valley at all, and it isn't. Huge, ancient, tow...
California Books
Julius Shulman: Palm Springs
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Postcards from Palm Springs
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Palm Springs Flavors: The Best of Desert Eating, with Recipes from the Area's Chefs
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Palm Springs/desert Cities, California: Laminated (Rand McNally Easyfinder)
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