Nice to Meet You, Palm Springs

The San Jacinto Mountains from downtown Palm Springs

The desert resort town of Palm Springs tends to evoke a few key images:

Bob Hope. Palm trees. Golf courses. Midcentury Modern ranch homes with kidney-shaped pools. Fabulous gay men of a certain age.

Turns out, it’s also a place where you can explore the history, geology, produce, art and culture of California itself.

Formerly a faded remnant of the 1960s, the town has gone through a remarkable transformation in the last few years. It’s now a lovely place to unwind in great style, offering a romantic getaway with a surprising array of fun and fascinating things to do and see.

A two-hour drive southeast of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is also a direct flight from several cities in the North American west and midwest.

Having now visited in every season of the year, I’d recommend:

December to February for crisp, clean air and mountain snow
March to May for a light breeze, wildflowers and warmth without sweltering heat
Late October for, at long last, a break in the summer heat

Once you’ve arrived, here’s what to do/see/visit over a long or short weekend:

Hadley’s Fruit Orchards: If you’re driving in or out of town via the 10 freeway, be sure to stop in nearby Cabazon to wander through this enormous store of snacks (healthy and otherwise) and try one of their famous date shakes. It took me 17 years to finally coast 1/10th of a mile off the freeway and try one of these low-fat, not-too-sweet delights — and it was worth the wait. My perfect blend: half date, half date-banana.

VillageFest: Every Thursday evening from 6-10 pm, businesses along the main downtown drag of Palm Canyon Drive open their doors and make way on their sidewalks for market vendors selling everything from produce to artwork. Seek out a Belgian draft horse named Charlie, the guy with the wooden frog toys, the luminary metalwork of Susan Duranzo, and the gorgeous, affordable handmade jewelry of Bella Bead Designs.

Aerial Tramway: The dream of one happy hiker who found peace atop Mount Jacinto, this mechanical marvel allows you to sail up above the Coachella Valley and breathe the area’s freshest air. From late October to early March, you’ll often find plenty of snow up here in Mount Jacinto State Park, and you (rather than say, me) can either cross country ski or snowshoe your way to the mountain community of Idllywild, a little over 8 miles away. To rent equipment (ski rental – $21 US/day, snowshoe rental – $18 US/day) and obtain a permit for either, stop into the Long Valley Ranger Station tucked into the woods a little ways past the mountaintop visitor center. (click here for Tramway ticket prices)

Desert Adventures Eco Tours: Let it be said that I didn’t take one of these tours myself, but I was lucky enough to hear a lecture by tour guide/owner Mary Dungans, who knows everything there is to know about Palm Springs throughout the history of the Earth. Oh, and she can recite it by heart, too. This tour company specializes in taking you on unique, two-to-five-hour jeep trips up in the surrounding mountains and explaining exactly what you’re looking at, why it looks the way it does and how it might have been different if white people had never settled here. After one of these tours, the significance of McCallum, Shoshone, Yuma, the Inter-Continental Railroad, San Jacinto and the San Andreas fault will all make more sense. (click here for a list of available tours and prices)

Indian Canyons: On quiet, lovely land held privately by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, you can drive in, have a picnic, go for a hike or a horseback ride, and experience a true desert oasis. In winter and early Spring, the hills here are both rocky and green, and all year long palm trees grow wild in clusters around natural, subterranean aquifers. (click here for prices for both admission and ranger-led hikes)

Sunnylands: For many years, philanthropic foundation all-stars Walter and Leonore Annenberg lived in the Republican enclave and private golfing community of nearby Rancho Mirage. Both have now passed away, but a large portion of their Midcentury Modern 200-acre estate here is being turned into a cultural education center/conference center, set to open November 11, 2011. In addition to poising itself as a west-coast Camp David, entrance to its revolving art exhibits and gorgeous, tranquil desert garden grounds will be free to the public, with a prior reservation; a sleek café will offer stunning views of the garden and San Jacintos. Tours of the Annenberg’s actual home will be available for about $35 US per person.

Palm Springs International Film Festival: If you’re here in early January, try to see at least one of the films shown here by auteurs from around the world; the festival, which has been held here since 1989, attracts top-shelf talent. If you can snag a ticket to the opening night gala, know that you’re in for a full-on parade of famous movie stars, and a better sense of how the wealthy members of this desert community are tightly connected to Hollywood’s entertainment industry.

For a fun, romantic base in town, try to book a room at:

Riviera Palm Springs: A swanky Midcentury spa resort with a gorgeous outdoor restaurant, a sexy collection of bars and mirrored pool tables, and a fairly enormous pool, this place is ideal for a relaxed and stylish couples’ getaway. In the spa, try to book a noodly Massage Medley with Kyle and don’t miss the mosiac pools in the co-ed Buddha Lounge.

Ace Hotel Palm Springs: Quite possibly the world’s most tricked-out motel, this desert outpost of a boutique chain offers laid-back, funky rooms that feature record players, vintage photos and denim bedspreads; spa treatments in yurts; cozy little courtyards with outdoor fireplaces; and two pools with mountain views. Coffee is from my beloved Stumptown and the homemade breakfasts are delicious.

Hotel Zoso: A one-off, downtown boutique hotel that feels welcoming from the moment you walk in the elegant lobby. A glamorous renovation of a once-clumsy ’70s design, you’ll find some of Palm Springs’ most beautiful guest rooms here, with vintage Hollywood photos, muted grays and splashes of red and cloud-soft beds. Poolside, the red cabanas and glittering firepits invite cuddling, and I’d love to go back for a jalapeño margarita at the glowing, marble lobby bar.