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Palm Springs
One of the best escapes
from the hectic pace of Los Angeles is only
about a two-hour drive east. Nestled at the base
of the majestic San Jacinto Mountains, the
desert resort town of Palm Springs is as famous
for it’s casual lifestyle as it is for its hot,
dry climate.
The city proudly boasts that it gets 360 days of
sunshine annually, making it a great place for a
retreat, year-round. Peak tourist season is
January through March, when snowbirds from other
parts of the U.S. and Canada flock to Palm
Springs (and the other the desert cities of the
Coachella Valley) to enjoy the mild weather. The
average high temperature in January is a very
pleasant 70ºF (21ºC). In the summer, Palm
Springs’ climate is blistering hot—with
temperatures pushing 108ºF (42ºC). This is
actually my favorite time to visit. I love
relaxing at a sparkling pool and catching some
intense rays, piña colada in hand. Plus,
off-season prices for premium lodging are
steeply discounted.
Palm Springs is a place of contrasts. Although
it’s extremely arid, getting less than five inches (122 mm) of rain every
year, it seems that everywhere you look is a sprawling, emerald green golf
course with sprinklers running throughout the day. Barren desert landscape
surrounds the town and the rocky San Jacinto Mountains seem almost devoid of
vegetation. It’s an almost prehistoric-looking backdrop.
Downtown Palm Springs is centered along
parallel one-way streets, Palm Canyon Drive and Indian Canyon Drive. Lined
with numerous hotels, resorts, boutiques, art galleries, cafés and
restaurants, the area is very pedestrian-friendly. Even in the heat of
summer, businesses to their best to make the area welcoming. Many outdoor
restaurants even have “misters” that spray a fine mist of water to help cool
their customers down.
The city became famous during the 1950s when
old-school Hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra, Gene Autry, Bob Hope and
Dinah Shore helped put it on the map. It was a place of glitz and glamour
where celebrities would go to escape the big city. Today, Palm Springs
retains much of its original charm, but in a much more casual way. Most
people come for a little R & R at one of the countless posh vacation
resorts. With so many fine amenities, guests often have no reason to ever
leave the premises. Offering activities like golf, tennis, hiking or just
relaxing at a day spa, there’s always plenty to keep visitors busy.
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