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Story goes that movie producers and studios required actors to be within 2 hours distance at all times if needed on the set. Another rumor suggests that tabloid writers looking for a hot scoop back in the day were paid modestly but reimbursed for travel expenses including mileage up to 100 miles, and being 107 miles from Los Angeles made Palm Springs a safe haven for celebrities. Regardless, this arid, desert oasis in the Coachella Valley, first inhabited by the Cahuilla people 2000 years ago and used as a staging and training ground for Patton's troops during WWII, became a resort destination for the Hollywood elite in the early 20th century. Today, it's a great place to take your family as a respite from busy LA, and with only 15 days of precipitation each year, the idyllic, picturesque vacation.
Getting There
Palm Springs is a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles and 2 hours 15 minutes from San Diego. You can also fly into Palm Springs Airport (PSP) which is serviced by most major airlines.
Where to Stay on Points
All four major hotel brands have properties in the Palm Springs area, here is a sampling of the best choices.
Hilton
LaQuinta, 30 minutes south of Palm Springs, boasts an enormous property with 5 golf courses, 41 pools, 21 tennis courts, and a fitness and spa center.
Rooms in May started at $330 or 80,000 points per night. A $35 daily resort fee is added also (waived on points stays). Hilton is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards.
Hyatt
This resort located in Palm Desert is right on the Indian Wells golf course and boasts tennis courts, a spa and fitness center, as well as a huge pool complex with 2 water slides, a lazy river, and a kids splash pad.
This is a cartegory 5 property, and in May, rooms started at $536 or 20,000 WOH points per night. There is a $46 resort fee (waived for Globalists and points stays). Hyatt is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.
IHG
Located in Palm Springs, this hotel boasts modern architecture and mountain views. It has a fitness center and chic rooftop pool.
In May, rates started at $478 or 58,000 points per night. There is a $46 daily amenity fee on all rates. IHG is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Marriott
Located in Palm Desert, this 884 room resort features 2 golf courses, a spa and fitness center, multiple surface tennis courts, and four pools.
In May, rooms started at $642 or 60,000 points. Since Marriott has dropped their award chart, rates are dynamic. In May, they ranged between 42,000 and 60,000 points per night. There is a $43 daily resort fee on all rooms. Marriott is a transfer partner of Chase and Amex.
Located next to the Hyatt Regency in Palm Desert, this resort has many of the same amenities as the others as well as a large pool with sandy entrance.
Rates in May started at $515 and ranged from 35,000-60,000 points per night. There is a $42 daily resort fee on all stays.
What to Do
Hiking
The terrain is great for hiking in the Palm Springs area and beyond. A few great hiking locations to check out for all ages are:
Take the 10 minute, 2.5 mile, rotating aerial tram up to Mt. San Jacinto for stunning views of the surrounding landscape. There are 54 miles of boulder and tree-lined trails at the top.
Joshua Tree National Park is 40 miles away, and it's rugged terrain and unique vegetation should not be missed. I will tackle Joshua Tree in a separate post.
There are several hikes you can do in Indian Canyons (Palm, Murray, and Andreas Canyons to name a few) and Tahquitz Canyon. Once home to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the rock formation and vegetation are unique.
Golf a plenty
There are 119 golf courses within 20 miles of Palm Springs. In a boom to add courses throughout the years, architects such as Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Fazio had all built courses, nestled through the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains. The backdrops are stunning , a golfers paradise, although maybe not in June-August when temperatures average over 100 degrees. The American Express PGA tournament is played here in January at PGA WEST’s Stadium Course and the Nicklaus Tournament Course. Just a sample of courses to try out are:
Indian wells golf resort has 2 highly rated courses.
PGA West has 9 courses by architects Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tom Weiskopf and Pete Dye, including the aforementioned courses used for the PGA Tour event. Among them is the the Mountain Course, with stunning backdrops.
Marriott's Shadow Ridge Golf Club is a Faldo design consistently ranked as one of the best public courses in the country.
Escena Golf Club in Palm Springs
Family Activities
Besides the activities mentioned above, there are many other options to check out in the Palm Springs and Palm Desert area.
Palm Springs Village Fest - every Thursday evening from 6-10 the city blocks off Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. You can walk the street, filled with local food, vendors, artists, and musicians. It's offers a great insight into local flavor.
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens - There are several live animal exhibits as well as kids activities and a calendar of special events.
Palm Springs Air Museum- escape the heat at this museum with aircraft from WWII as well as Korea and Vietnam and several interactive exhibits.
Mid Century Modern Architecture- Beginning in the 1920's and through the end of WWII, many well known architects flocked to the Palm Desert, outdoing one another with modern building styles. You can still see many examples in the area, particularly on N Rose Ave and N High Rd in Palm Springs. There are many self guided tours you can take to check out the architecture and the houses once owned by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Hope.
Conclusion
Although Palm Springs is the perfect weekend getaway for those living in Southern California, it has all the makings of a family vacation for anyone checking out the LA area, especially when avoiding the hot months of June-Sept. The combination of sunny days, a bevy of activities for kids and adults alike, and plenty of fun resorts that can be reserved with points, make Palm Springs a place you'll have trouble leaving and soon figuring out how you can return.
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