When someone mentions “Palm Springs,” what comes to mind? Do you think of the legendary getaway for Hollywood icons? The picturesque desert and mountain landscape? Midcentury modern architecture to the max? Or maybe a golfer’s paradise? All of these are absolutely accurate, but Greater Palm Springs is so much more. In fact, it encompasses nine destinations—Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella—each with its own personality.
It’s easy to get to this dream SoCal destination. Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) offers nonstop service from more than 30 cities across the U.S. and Canada. It’s also just a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and San Diego.
When planning your trip, you’ll need to find a great place to stay as you explore all that Greater Palm Springs has to offer. I highly recommend the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells where you can take in the scenic mountain and desert views right from your private balcony. After that, you may want to relax in a cabana near the pool’s sandy beach or get in a quick workout at the 24/7 fitness center. Or maybe you’ll opt to grab a refreshing drink at the H2O Pool Bar or dine on some delicious cuisine at the Seven Olive Modern Gastropub, CAVA, The Place, or Glo Sushi.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you save time to visit the resort’s Spa Esmeralda where you can indulge in your choice of soothing activities such as wellness therapies, facials, massages, body treatments, bath rituals and couples’ massages. After all, getaways were made for relaxation, and this is definitely a great place to start.
If golf is your game, you will think you’ve gone to the proverbial golfer’s heaven when you visit Greater Palm Springs, especially when you set your sights on PGA WEST in La Quinta. It is definitely a bucket list golf destination with five public courses offering 90 holes of incredible golf. The Pete Dye Stadium Course is famous for its Hole #17, also known as Alcatraz, because it’s surrounded by boulders and water. The Pete Dye Dunes course offers the challenges of well-guarded greens and railroad tie-wrapped water hazards and the Pete Dye Mountain Course is known for its bunkers, rock formations and elevated tee boxes. All three of these courses are fresh off a multi-million-dollar restoration. Two other golfing greats are also represented at PGA WEST. The Nicklaus Tournament Course delivers plenty of challenges, including not just one, but two island greens. The Greg Norman Course, not surprisingly, is inspired by Australia’s Outback.
As though that wasn’t enough to get your competitive juices flowing, you can even learn to make some serious improvements to your game by booking an appointment at The Performance Lab at PGA WEST. If it’s putting you’d like to improve, the lab’s Zen Green Stage replicates real-world course contours so you can learn how to master them. How’s your swing? The lab’s GEARS 3D Motion Capture technology stands ready to analyze your force and motion and give you feedback on ways you can improve your swing and, ultimately, your game.
I recently had the pleasure of playing in the ProAm for the American Express Golf Tournament held at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA WEST. The January tournament is the highlight of the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing. It attracts top golfers to compete on these challenging courses and a large fan base who come to watch their favorite pros in action and to enjoy the phenomenal hospitality at the specially designated fan zones. The tournament includes The American Express Concert Series and this year, it featured two Grammy-nominated bands, OneRepublic and Old Dominion. The tournament is also dedicated to giving back to the community. Since it began in 1960, it has contributed more than $67 million to non-profits in the Coachella Valley.
Greater Palm Springs is blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine each year, so it’s easy to see why it’s a haven for golfers, wellness aficionados and outdoor adventurers. One popular activity is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It boasts the world’s largest rotating tram car, offering riders spectacular panoramic views of the Coachella Valley below as it transports them over two-and-a-half miles along the cliffs of Chino Canyon to an elevation of more than 8,500 feet. At the top, riders can access more than 50 miles of hiking trails.
Those who crave art and culture won’t be disappointed, either. There are plenty of excellent museums to explore, including the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Palm Springs Air Museum, the Living Desert Zoo and Garden, and the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert. And if you should find yourself in Palm Springs on a Thursday any time of the year, you won’t want to miss VillageFest. It’s when Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs is closed to traffic so visitors can enjoy the arts, crafts, food and entertainment offered by more than 180 vendors.
In the future, there will also be something you wouldn’t expect to find in the desert—the largest wave pool in the U.S. A private resort real estate development firm, Meriwether Companies, is partnering with Thermal Beach Club to develop a world-class, 48-chamber surf lagoon for members of Coral Mountain Desert Club, a master-planned community now under construction in La Quinta. At the heart of the club will also be an 18-hole golf course, marking David McLay Kidd’s first-ever desert golf links. While the wave basin and new course are not anticipated to open until 2028, but it sounds like the destination will be worth the wait.
Whether you decide to golf, hike, or head to the spa or any of Greater Palm Springs’ many other attractions, you’re sure to work up an appetite. You’ll have no shortage of dining options. Here are a few of my top picks:
Mole, located at The Shops on El Paseo in Palm Desert, specializes in creative dishes made from scratch that reflect the authentic flavors of Mexico. Be sure to save room for some Prickly Pear Flan, Tres Leches, or the tempting House Made-to-Order Churros.
Morgan’s In The Desert is the signature dining venue at the La Quinta Resort and Club, so you know you’ll be in for a special experience. Don’t miss the Farmer’s Market Soup inspired by the bounty of the Coachella Valley and be sure to check out the Seafood Ice Bar for some Oysters on the Half Shell or the Seafood Tower Platinum stacked with Smoked Hamachi, Oysters, Baja Shrimp and Snow Crab Claws.
It’s hard to imagine a trip to Greater Palm Springs without taking in some of its classic, vintage desert vibes. DSRT Club in Old Town La Quinta began life as The Desert Club in the late 1930s and enjoyed the height of its popularity in the 1940s and 1950s. Now the new owners, inspired by this era, have created a fine dining establishment that brings back the nostalgic, “swanky” vibe of the original club.
If you’re looking for a place to escape to where you can rest, relax and rejuvenate, I highly recommend Greater Palm Springs. After spending a few days here, I can see why local tourism officials use the mantra “Find Your Oasis.” I certainly did. Learn more at greaterpalmsprings.com
