Background

We’ve been to “the desert” several times as it is a convenient 2 hour or so drive from our home in Southern California.  On this occasion, we stayed in Palm Desert having stayed in Rancho Mirage previously.  For this type of trip we aim for relaxation with some minor adventures thrown in.  Being somewhat “foodies”, finding exceptional restaurants and a good bar scene are, as always, high on the list.  We do not golf, (although I did partake in the sport for almost 20 years).  That said, one golf course is more spectacular than the next – the desert is home to some of the most gorgeous and breathtaking golf courses I have ever seen, and a golf outing for those that play would likely add appreciably to the vacation.  As far as expenses, as mentioned in my previous blog, on vacation we are in the very fortunate position that we can splurge if warranted, though we try not to be careless with our finances, and can even be frugal at times

Overall Impressions and General Summary

These trips tend to be more about the accommodation or resort rather than the city itself.  Traveling East along the I-10 corridor – the towns of Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta – all blend into one another (at least from an outsiders perspective).  The possible exception being Palm Springs which sports a crowded downtown district, and thus a slightly more urban feel.  I don’t want to be misleading though, one has to exit off the I-10 and travel the streets (named after famous Hollywood stars) to actually drive through these towns.  Enough on that, the resort itself can make or break this trip.  The property, service, pools, rooms, on-site restaurants and lounges, spa (if offered), staff, concierge, and the list goes on, all become important to the overall satisfaction of a “desert” vacation.  On this occasion, we stayed at the JW Marriott Desert Springs, and overall we have an extremely favorable impression of this resort.  The property is gorgeous, the staff is friendly, the room and view was superb, and the food, where we did partake, was outstanding.  The only drawback being, at times, the hotel just seemed too big, and a bit too last century.  Outside the property our adventures were hiking, sightseeing, restaurants, and shopping.  The biggest upside surprise being the hiking, where we discovered an amazing area to explore in the heart of the desert.  More on this later.  It’s important to note that on our two previous trips to the area, we stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage.  This hotel was a disappointment, as the service level and general feel of the property were not at a Ritz Carlton level and fell well below expectations.

View from room at JW Marriott Desert Spring

The Details

Overall, our latest desert trip checked almost all the boxes – this vacation is extremely convenient for us, just a few hours away, yet provides a real getaway feel.  We can relax poolside with views of stunning desert mountains – all the while eating lunch early in the afternoon or sipping cocktails later in the day.  There’s excellent dining to be had either onsite or out in the desert cities within a fifteen minute drive.  A shopping district, El Paseo, is conveniently close for a few hour diversion, which my wife and daughter enjoy.  Finally, we discovered some wonderful hiking/walking trails with amazing vistas enabling us to register a fair amount of exercise and help burn off a portion of the food and drinks consumed while reclining.

As alluded to previously, this is our third trip to the Palm Springs area in as many years, and rather than talk about one specific experience, I’ll combine these trips into bullet highlights below.

•   On our last excursion, we were in town mid-week of mid-March, which seems to be outside of the main tourist season. We were pleasantly surprised to find The JW Marriott Desert springs pool not crowded, though the hotel was the host of a major international tennis tournament in the desert that week which likely siphoned off hundreds of guests during the day.  That said between the main pool, a huge yet gorgeous secondary pool which we stumbled upon exploring the property and the smaller spa pool, there looked to be more than ample seating.  Pool service was extremely friendly and responsive.  Contrast this with the adult pool at the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage where service in the morning was non-existent, and I became the de-facto “pool boy” scrounging around the family pool for towels and such to bring to the guests at the adult pool.

•  As far as dining, there’s a plethora of restaurants in the desert towns mentioned above with a heavy concentration in downtown palm springs. This will be by no means an exhaustive or even close to complete list of the fare in the desert, but here are some of our main experiences.   During our two stays in the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, we splurged at the upscale steak restaurant in-house, The Edge.  Our first occasion there was stupendous – food and service.  The second time around was also very good, but a step below the first.  We would frequent there again as a “special occasion” dinner, but would ensure we reserved a table along the windows of the restaurant.  (For those that dine on the earlier side this shouldn’t be a problem, if one gets there later, its worth waiting at the bar for one of these tables).  The Pacifica Restaurant on el Paseo ( the outdoor “mall”) was quite good, though nothing spectacular.  In downtown Palm Springs we frequented, Lulu, again the fare was good but doesn’t standout – the atmosphere was hip and frenetic.  An old school restaurant, Lord Fletchers, in Rancho Mirage was a trip.  The decor was 1950’s and the food was excellent.  To get a sense of the desert when it was an old-time Hollywood stomping ground, grab dinner and cocktails here, it will not disappoint.  Back at the Marriott Desert Springs, our last night in town we chose the Japanese restaurant, Mikado, one of 3-4 restaurant options at the hotel, and sat at the sushi bar as is our custom to do.  While wary of sushi in the desert, we were delightfully surprised by the super high quality fish, the chefs preparation and the exceptional service.  If going here, the sushi bar is where you want to be, though it is small and likely difficult to find a seat.  Finally, for classic New York style deli – Shermans is THE place, complete with the in-your-face New York attitude (though we understand there is another similar establishment, which we have not tried).

•  On our way back home during our first desert outing, we stopped at the aerial tramway which is just west of Palm Springs along I-10. This tram takes you to the top of Mount San Jacinto, 8,500 feet up, where the weather goes from desert hot at the base to snow and pine trees on the summit.  Learning at the drive-up check point that there was over an hour and a half wait for the tram, we were already fully committed to this attraction and soldiered on.  As we sat in the waiting area, we wondered just how “touristy” we’ve become.  Well, we were in for a treat.  Hokey as this attraction may seem at first, the tram, which spins while climbing the mountain was a truly thrilling ride.  The 360 degree revolutions allows everyone to see from all spots and adds measurably to the excitement – and the views are spectacular.   Once we disembarked at the top, there were several small trails to take through the cold forest (temperature here obviously depends upon time of year, but it will always be a drastic change from the bottom).  The lookouts from 8,500 feet up at different spots along the trails were breathtaking.  One negative besides the crowds was the weird restaurant at the top – we simply couldn’t figure this place out.  While at first this attraction may seem too kidsy and a tourist trap to adults, we now believe it is an almost must do on one trip to the desert.

•  Mentioned previously is shopping on el Paseo in Palm Desert. This is an outdoor upscale shopping experience that was fine, but nothing special.  That said, it’s a great half-day diversion for those that enjoy retail therapy.  One could imagine this being quite an uncomfortable experience during the 100 degree summer months.  In the Spring when we were there, it was delightful.

•  Thursdays in downtown Palm Springs brings a street fair called village fest. We ventured here during our first visit and found it to be very crowded, difficult to park, and not our speed.  To be perfectly honest though, our time here is only minimally etched in my mind, so I don’t want to condemn what I only faintly remember.  We didn’t go back in the next two visits, maybe that says something as well.

•  During one afternoon, we took the opportunity to walk around the Parker hotel and a grab a cocktail in the lounge – this is a funky, different kind of place. The decor reminds one of 60’s psychedelic, and the rooms are in different cottages spread throughout the grounds.  This is a cool property, and while likely on the higher end of the price scale, we would absolutely consider this a top hotel contender on our next trip.

•  My wife and I began walking/moderate hiking about a year ago and we’ve incorporated this into our vacations as a source of physical activity, sightseeing, and adventure. On our latest desert trip, we hiked the Coachella valley preserve in Thousand Palms, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountain national monument, and walked from the Marriott desert springs through a trail alongside a stunning golf course.  Let me take a moment here to expand upon the Coachella valley preserve.  Just north of I-10, one drives to what seems to be the middle of nowhere on one lane roads (in the desert, no less).  On the final gravel road there is the entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped at the visitor center just before it closed and received some instruction and education about the trails and preserve and were handed a map.  Arriving in the late afternoon, we only gave ourselves two or so hours to explore and it wasn’t nearly enough.  Among the many sites, this area is an oasis of lakes, palm trees and other fauna in the middle of the desert.  We were blown away.  The diversity of what we walked among and viewed both near and far – words will not do it justice.  Suffice to say this is a high priority to further explore on a return trip.  On a side note, the map provided was almost useless (and I pride myself on map reading), so trail signs are the only real way to navigate.  On another jaunt, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains had amazing views and were fun to climb (not too steep, at least the shorter trail we went on), but again we could only devote a short amount of time as we hit this the morning before departure.  Would love to return here on our next trip as well as there are numerous trails of all different skill levels to be treaded upon.

 

•  Some final comments – The entire Palm Springs region can be a dichotomy. A sprawling retirement community which also can be a hip party town, and of course host to the giant Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals in late spring (just a bit further east into the desert on I-10), where tens of thousands of 20 year olds congregate and party hard.  We have not hit the nightlife scene in our visits and looking back that’s somewhat of a surprise, so we cannot comment on that aspect yet.  Maybe the retirement atmosphere that abounds puts us out of that frame of mind.  Anyways, as they say, always leave a stone unturned.  To come full circle, this trip is mostly about finding a great resort to chill in, and A+ golfing (if that’s your game), in our humble opinion.  If one adds spice through some great meals, adventure walks/hikes, late night partying, or riding the tram, its a bonus.  That said, a vacation should be more than one dimensional, so one or two of these bonuses can become a necessity.