Once the playground of Hollywood stars and movie moguls, Palm Springs was THE place to be seen. Today, the little desert town has grown up and although Frank and the Rat Pack are long gone, Palm Springs is still the place to spot celebrities, play a little golf and bask in the sunshine of the southern California winter.

The original Palm Springs’ spas and nightclubs have sprawled across the vast desert of the Coachella Valley and grown into eight sparkling cities, each with its own personality. Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Indigo all have merged to create the Palm Springs Desert Resort. From the spectacular hot mineral water spas of Desert Hot Springs to the history and agriculture of Indio, there is much in between to attract the discriminating visitor.

Shopping, dining, lounging by the pool, golf, tennis…where do you start? Historic Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs is a good bet. Traditionally, this is where the stars came out in the daytime as well as night. Shopping varies from souvenir shops to trendy boutiques with numerous coffee houses along the way. On Thursday nights from 6-10 p.m., Palm Canyon Drive becomes a pedestrian mall for VillageFest, a bustling street fair featuring entertainers, arts, crafts and a farmers’ market.

On the weekends, don’t miss the College of the Desert Street Fair in Palm Desert. Every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year, vendors in this open-air market display crafts, antiques, art, new and used items and gourmet foods. Get there early for the best parking and best picks.

The ultimate shopping experience is the boulevard of El Paseo, known as the Rodeo Drive of the Desert. With over 300 shops, day spas and art galleries, El Paseo is a day’s activity by itself. Renowned clothing and jewelry designers display their creations alongside such standards as Saks, Talbots and Tommy Bahama’s.

Take a break from shopping and have lunch at CC Inn. This family owned and operated restaurant in the heart of El Paseo is a favorite of locals. Save room for the Praline Ice Cream Pie with its crushed Butterfinger candy on an Oreo cookie crust, drenched in hot fudge.

Dining is numerous and varied, from California to Continental and everything in between. For Mexican, the award winning Las Casuelas restaurants are a must. There are four locations of this fourth generation, family owned restaurant-empire, each with a different slant on the same theme.

The most elegant restaurant with the funny name is Wally’s Desert Turtle in Rancho Mirage. Featuring continental cuisine, Wally’s has been a valley staple for over 25 years.

One of the newest and hottest places is Arnold Palmer's Restaurant in La Quinta. A few years ago Arnie has made the leap from the golf course to full course dining at it's best. The menu is varied and the food excellent. Memorabilia can be found throughout such as photographs, an Augusta green jacket, golf clubs and many of Palmer's treasured personal items. The lounge is the place to be seen and there’s even a nine-hole putting course, designed by Palmer, for customers to enjoy. Only minutes away from Palmer’s winter home at the Tradition Golf Club, don’t be surprised if you see him there.

And speaking of golf … this is golf paradise so bring your sticks or borrow a set. The Desert Golf Guide has an extensive listing and Palm Springs Tee Times will get you a reservation on many of the over 100 courses in the area.

A small sampling includes the famous PGA West, which has two 18-hole, par-72 championship courses and provides instruction and golf clinics, while the Landmark Golf Club, a 36-hole, desert oasis with two challenging championship golf courses, is exquisitely manicured and set amid hundreds of acres of natural terrain. The Golf Resort at Indian Wells is located next to the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and has two 18-hole Ted Robinson-designed championship courses; the 6,500-yard West Course and a 6,700-yard East Course. Finally, the Westin Mission Hills Resort Golf Club in Rancho Mirage features an 18-hole, par-70 course designed by Pete Dye and has played host to major tournaments, well-known politicians and movie stars. The Westin's other course is a challenging Gary Player designed 18-hole, par-72 course.

If you plan to play at the Westin, why not stay there? The Westin Mission Hills Resort is an excellent choice if you want to stay central to all the activity. A sprawling Moroccan-style resort on 360 acres, the Westin is surrounded by fairways and six putting greens. A lagoon-style swimming pool boasts a multi-story water slide and is the perfect place to lounge for the afternoon. With 472 rooms and 40 suites, two restaurants, seven tennis courts, three pools, a fitness center and health club and four outdoor hot tubs, you’ll never want to leave.

The Hyatt Grand Champions Resort & Spa in Indian Wells is set among towering palm trees beneath the dramatic Eisenhower Peak of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Besides its claim to fame in the golf world, this 34-acre resort specializes in pampering. The full service spa boasts 26 treatment rooms. There are 460 over-sized suites, or you can opt for one of the19 sumptuously appointed villas, each with a secluded garden courtyard and outdoor whirlpool tub, a living room with fireplace, a dining room, a bedroom and a private butler. There are six pools surrounded by palms and private cabanas, two restaurants, 15 tennis courts and a fitness and health club.

The La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta first opened in 1926 and is the desert's oldest resort. Just as in the days of the Rat Pack, privacy is foremost, which accounts for La Quinta's continuing popularity with Hollywood celebrities. The 640 rooms and 244 suites reflect Spanish hacienda design and desert décor with individual swimming pools and hot tubs set amid lush gardens. There are five championship golf courses, 23 tennis courts an exquisite spa, seven restaurants and a health club. Hey, was that Tom Cruise?

There’s a lot to do in the area besides golf (yes, really). A must see is the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies at the Plaza Theatre. A professionally staged vaudeville-style show reminiscent of the Zigfield Follies, the revue is presented by a still vibrant cast of retired showgirls, singers, dancers, and comedians.

The Palm Springs Desert Museum includes world-class Western and Native American art collections, the natural history of the desert and an outstanding anthropology department, primarily representing the local Cahuilla tribe. Broadway shows, opera, lectures, and other events are presented in the museum's Annenberg Theater.

McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts offers frequent symphony performances with visiting virtuosos and Broadway musicals.

The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens showcases the desert’s indigenous animals and plants in a 1,200-acre desert reserve, museum, zoo, and educational center. It is designed to acquaint visitors with the unique habitats that make up the Southern California deserts.

For a spectacular view of the valley, take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 5,900 feet to the top of Mount San Jacinto. Be sure to bring a jacket. Temperatures are typically 40°F cooler than the desert floor.

The Agua Caliente Indian Canyons were sacred to the Cahuilla Indians and of historical importance to scientists. A wonder to see, the canyons also offer a range of outdoor recreational activities including hiking and horseback riding.

While you’re there, be sure and keep a sharp eye out for celebrities. The story goes that a foursome from the mid-west was playing on one of the area’s exquisite golf courses. Play was slow and the four men were complaining bitterly among themselves when one of the course directors came up to them with a message from a group ahead of them. “Apologies for the slow play – Gerald Ford.”


Palm Springs: Fun, Sun and Desert Cool, copyright 2008, Pamela Watson. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without written permission from the author.