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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Palm
Springs California Day Trip
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By Matthew
Martz |
When you're
checking off the list of reasons why you should plan a
visit to Palm Springs, make sure to include, sunshine,
great resorts, shopping, outdoor adventures, museums,
and spectacular scenery. This oasis in the Mojave Desert
has it all.
While Palm Springs is often associated
with beautiful rolling green golf courses, condos, and
millionaires, visitors often miss the more "close-in"
experience that the area has to offer.
Ever since movie stars first appeared
here in the 1930s, laying claim to ranch estates and
filling up the numerous five star resorts, the clean
dry air and sunshine, just 120 miles east of Los Angeles,
have made Palm Springs irresistible to the California
upper, and the upper middle, class.
With the massive Mount San Jacinto Mountains
hovering over its sprawling suburban lifestyle, Palm
Springs embodies an eclectic mix of Spanish Colonial
and mid-twentieth-century modern architecture, as well
as Native American History.
Located at the center of the downtown
core, nestled along the palm-lined boulevard and intersecting
side streets, is the main shopping district with its
numerous designer shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants,
museums and one-of-a-kind stores. It's all within walking
distance and offers visitors a chance to discover some
of the country’s most exquisite art, and exclusive
commodities, while enjoying unique cuisine at one of
the many sidewalk cafes.
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Palm Springs California |
One of the
better ways to explore the downtown experience is Villagefest.
This outdoor extravaganza is more than 16 years in the making
and is sure to entice you with a new experience each time,
as it does to thousands of visitors each week.
Each block offers great street entertainment in the heart
of beautiful downtown Palm Springs, while you browse more
than 200 booths offering beautiful art, and handcrafted
items.
Many of the shops stay open late, and you can cap off
the day with a pub crawl to one of the many upscale nightclubs
that are scattered along Palm Canyon Drive, including
The Hair of the Dog, a small English pub and favorite
hangout of late entertainer, and former mayor of Palm
Springs, Sonny Bono.
As you weave your way throughout the downtown corridor,
you will find 330 sidewalk stars honoring various show
business celebrities, pioneers, civic leaders, humanitarians,
and congressional medal awardees. There are also more
than a half dozen wonderful and uniquely different museums
anchored by the Palm Springs Art Museum to the west, and
split by a foot-wide street designed to be pedestrian-friendly,
called Museum Way.
The Art Museum, with its 400-seat Annenberg Theater,
features a permanent art collection of 19th, 20th, and
21st century works, focusing on contemporary California
art, classic western American art, Native American art,
American mid-twentieth century architecture, and American
photography.
The areas other museums are the Cornelia White House,
McCallum Adobe, Palm
Springs Air Museum, Ruddy’s General Store, and
the Sheldon Storybook Land Doll Exhibit.
As you leave the downtown area, you will begin to discover
that Palm Springs - and the surrounding desert cities
- makes up the outdoor recreational playground of Southern
California.
Whether you’re ascending to the
top of Mount San Jacinto in the world famous Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway, touring the San Andreas fault
or getting up-close and personal with nature and animals
at The Living Desert, you'll find a variety of ways to
spend time within the expansive relaxed desert environment.
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Palm Springs Tram |
Palm Springs Air Museum |
One of the more interesting
places to spend a day having some outdoors fun is an area
known as the Indian Canyons.
Just a 10-minute drive from downtown Palm Springs, the Indian
Canyons are four canyons preserved by the Agua Caliente
Cahuilla Indians and open – for a fee – to the
general public for hiking, horseback riding and picnicking.
Hiking the 15-mile-long Palm Canyon, is a truly unique
experience. Nature enthusiast will be fascinated with
its indigenous flora and fauna that make it seem so far
from the glitz and glamour of Palm Springs. It is a moderate
hike good for the entire family, with a gradual grade
and partially paved footpath that weaves its way down
into the canyon past its colorful landscape and rock formations.
The trail features several groves of the California Fan
Palm beside a stream that makes for a perfect picnicking
spot.
Visitors can purchase maps of the entire area, refreshments,
Indian art and artifacts, books, jewelry, handmade baskets
and pottery, at the Trading Post near the trailhead.
Before leaving the area, another great spot to explore
is Tahquitz Canyon. A short, easy two-mile loop hike that
has some nice scenery to a spectacular seasonal 60-foot
waterfall. Families could easily do this hike with children
and it takes less than two hours. Parking is free but
there is a small admission price. They offer complementary
hiking sticks and the Visitors Center near the entrance.
Finally, what better way to spend a sweltering summer
day, than at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Soak City
Palm Springs. A 16-acre water adventure park themed to
1950s Southern California beaches.
Because the temperatures can soar well into the 100s,
November through May is usually considered the prime season
for Palm Springs. But the Palm Springs area also is viable
during other times of the year when prices are much lower.
By Matthew martz
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Palm
Springs Tram ride from catus to the
clouds onboard 360 degree rotaing tram cars. |
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The
Living Desert this one of a kind desert
zoo & gardens is an amazing desert oasis. |
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