October 9, 2014

Palm Springs Guide – What to Do

Palm Springs has many attractions and unique things to do and see. Each time we visit, we always find a new place to visit or see. Most are located centrally, but a few include a nice drive for a bit to reach them. I’ve listed my favourite spots below.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
I admit, we have not done this due to my fear of heights, but have promised Curtis we will on our next visit. It might entail having my eyes shut the whole time, breathing into a paper bag though.

It is the World’s Largest Rotating Tramcar that takes you up the steep Chino Canyon in 10 minutes. You climb up to 2,643 ft. before even getting onboard and arrive at 8,516 ft. The views are amazing and you can even hike if it is the right season.

The Living Desert
The Living Desert’s main mission is conservation of the desert with preservation and education of environments in North America and Africa. I enjoy walking around, visiting the animals and botanical gardens. With over 1,200 protected acres, 450 wild animals, live animal shows, a kids’ park, gardens, a model train exhibit, hiking trails, tram rides and more for people to enjoy.

Palm Springs Art Museum
There are two locations, one in Downtown Palm Springs and the other is located on Hwy 111. They are opening a third that will showcase architecture and design in the historical Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loans in Downtown Palm Springs. The Downtown location is in 150,000 square feet with the Hwy 111 location in 8,400 square feet. Both offer exhibitions and a permanent international modern and contemporary collection. The Downtown location is open to the public with free admission every Thursday evening from 4-8 pm and the second Sunday of each month. The Palm Desert location is open to the public with free admission every Friday evening from 4-8 pm.

Joshua Tree National ParkAbout a 45 minute drive from Palm Springs towards Twenty-Nine Palms, this is a must do. You can take a quick tour of it or stay overnight and see the stars. There are rock formations, desert vistas, trails and Joshua trees.

Pioneertown
If you are going to Joshua Tree, you need to stop here on the way back. It is like stepping in a time machine and going back to the era of Western films in the 1940s. The town still has a small population, complete with a small post-office and the OK Corral. There are reenactment groups that hold shows every Saturday and Sundays for free.

The Salton Sea
Located about 40 minutes away from Palm Springs, this is a nice drive. The sea is a shallow, saline lake that lies along the San Andreas Fault in the lowest elevations of the Salton Basin in California’s Colorado Desert, at an elevation of 228 feet below sea level, just 5 feet higher than Death Valley. The lake contains approximately 7.3 million acre feet of water that is 30% saltier than the Pacific Ocean.

It was created by accident between the years of 1905 and 1907, when poorly built irrigation canals allowed the Colorado River to burst forth into the desert. In the 1960s it was turned into a resort, with residents from Los Angeles and San Diego coming on the weekends. By the 1970s, with the salinity levels causing fish to die and resulting in horrible smells, the visitors stopped going. As a result it is a slightly abandoned place with small communities lining the water still.

Salvation Mountain
Along the drive around the Salton Sea in Niland, there is a slightly weird tribute to God by Leonard Knight. Leonard passed away recently this year but his work is still frequently visited each day. Even if you do not hold the beliefs he did, it is a thing to see. The message is love, portrayed in colourful displays made by adobe mud, straw and donated paint. The Folk Art Society of America declared it a worthy folk art site to visit. You may have seen it in the film Into the Wild in 2007.

Cabazon Dinosaurs
These may look familiar to people who watched Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. The two monuments began construction in 1964 by Claude Bell. The first one took 11 years to construct part-time and $250,000 and the second the T-Rex was almost complete when he passed away in 1988. One dinosaur has a gift shop in his belly, how cool is that! Great for kids and your Instagram account.

Palm Springs Air Museum
This is a non-profit organization with the world’s largest collections of flyable WWII Airplanes. It is run by former veterans who will tour you around the grounds. They take the planes out frequently to fly and generally enjoy their jobs. The theater shows documentaries about aviation in the military. In museum also contains a library with over 6,200 volumes related to aviation and military history. I highly recommend it; it’s really interesting, even complete with a Bob Hope display. The veterans are really sweet, who enjoy telling you stories about their time in the military that are worth the admission alone.

Sunnylands Centre and Gardens
Formerly known as the Annenberg Estate, a 200-acre estate, was the winter home of Ambassador Walter and Leonore Annenberg. They hosted U.S. presidents, other national and international political leaders, including Queen Elizabeth II and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well as legendary figures from the worlds of entertainment, business, philanthropy, and education. The public is now able to tour the gardens and visitor centre Thursday-Sunday.