Palm Springs Perfect

Good Living in the Coachella Valley

Choosing a winter home isn’t much different than choosing your permanent residence. There are key things that you look for, all of which fall into three categories; mental and physical stimulation, weather, and amenities. They sound so bland and yet, when you experience these in the perfect combination – it’s grand!

For us, the Coachella Valley provides a combination that creates a near perfect winter destination. Before I delve into lifestyle, let’s discover some of the bland, but life-easing, conveniences. Palm Springs has an international airport. Since we get family and friends flying in to visit (kids love warm, sunny, free vacations) we find that the airport is small enough to pick-up and drop off visitors easily, yet large enough to service destinations from across the country.

That’s enough bland, let’s talk grand! Part of the attraction of warm weather is getting outside – from picking lemons off the tree in the morning, to walking past enticing shops, to hiking outdoors and discovering spectacular views around every bend in the trail.

We love exploring the diverse landscapes that surround this small city, and the urban amenities it has, which are more typical of a larger centre.

Palm Canyon Drive is the main street for Palm Springs. A plethora of shops and restaurants frame roughly seven blocks, and amongst the trendy, funky (and iconic souvenir shops), is the Palm Springs Art Museum (PSM), in Palm Springs (not to be confused with the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert). Founded in 1938, this is not a small town museum but one that rivals the largest urban centres. Generous and affluent residents have loaned or donated works throughout the 14,000 sq m (150,000 sq ft) including those of Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore and Robert Rauschenberg. You don’t have to be an art aficionado to wonder at the modern collections of glass, photography, art and architecture, and of course western and Native American art. Two outdoor sculpture gardens, and the obligatory café and gift shop complete the physical presence. But it’s the dynamic calendar of events and performances that make it an attractive draw for snowbirds.

Part of the PSM is the intimate, 430-seat

CalBRE # 00863474

DOWNTOWN PALM CANYON DRIVE.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BE PATIENT GETTING TO INDIAN CANYONS, DESERT HILLS PREMIUM OUTLET, RESTING AT LOST HORSE LOOP TRAIL, JOSHUA TREE; HIKING THE MUSEUM TRAIL AND PALMS SPRINGS ART MUSEUM.