PALM SPRINGS’ SCENE
From golf courses and swimming to shopping and hiking, the desert proves alluring
It’s a tale that seems plucked from a Hollywood script: back in the golden days of cinema, film studios weary of the headline-grabbing, scandalous antics of some of their lead actors inserted “morals” clauses into their contracts.
Among other stipulations, they forbade stars from engaging in any so-called nefarious acts, like drinking and gambling, within 100 miles of their studios.
So, for the likes of Jack Benny, Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin, a little town just two miles farther out from the 100-mile range became their version of “Sin City.”
It was a landlocked place far from the prying eyes of fans and paparazzi, one that also boasted 300 days of annual sunshine and pool bars on every corner.
It’s a story many hear within hours of leaving Palm Springs International Airport and heading down the palm tree-lined Gene Autry Trail: the story of how Palm Springs, Calif., came to be a playground of the rich and famous and tourists from around the world.
The only problem is it’s more urban legend than fact, at least according to Palm Springs Life, a hardcover magazine that greets guests at some of the finer hotels in the Greater Palm Springs, a region that includes nine cities spread along the Coachella Valley ’s 72-kilometre stretch of desert. The real story, according to the publication, is that back in the early part of the 20th century, those same studios began utilizing the area’s diverse landscape for filming locations.
Stars like Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Dinah Shore and piano legend Liberace spent enough time here to fall in love with the place — and make Palm Springs, in some notable cases, their home base.
For the past few decades, many Canadians have followed suit, buying vacation homes in communities like nearby Palm Desert and farther out, Indio and Coachella.
The 2008 economic crash, combined with a Canadian dollar on par during that period, prompted more to buy up real estate in the region; these days, there are enough Canadians in the region that a recent article in the Sacramento Bee newspaper coined it, “The Canadianization of the California Desert.”
This past October, it became even easier for southern Albertans to join the growing throng to an area that boasts 110 golf courses and, in the small city of Palm Springs alone, 40,000 swimming pools. Air Canada introduced a seasonal direct-flight service to Palm Springs International, a belated but welcome addition to the direct flight option WestJet has been offering Calgarians for the past 14 years.
So, with a flight taking a few minutes longer than a drive up the QE II to West Edmonton Mall ( just under three hours), it’s hardly surprising that a good chunk of the 1.6 million Canadians flying to California each year head to the world-renowned golf courses in Desert Willow and Indian Wells, or events like the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival (for the annual schedule of events, go to visitgreaterpalmsprings.com).
For this late-to-the party Palm Springs fan, it didn’t take long to realize that not being a golfer and pining for the ocean are small impediments to having a blast in this hip, LGBTQ-friendly, laid-back oasis in the Sonoran Desert.
If you’re a fitness lover who finds walking or carting around the links doesn’t fill the cardio bill, alternatives abound. Lap swimmers can get in a good workout at local community pools in places like Palm Springs and Palm Desert (the latter’s $4 adult admission giving one access to a country club-style aquatic centre). Cyclists can get a sweat on along an extensive bike trail system in cities like Palm Springs, while enjoying an up-close tour of the beautiful mid-century modern architecture on nearly every street.
Palm Desert’s six-kilometre Bump and Grind Trail offers enough steep grades to test the mettle of even experienced mountain bikers. Then there are the nearby trails of Indian Canyons or, just an hour’s drive east, the fabulous sights of Joshua Tree National Park, where hikers of all ages can choose a wide variety of trails to match their physical abilities.
Between a good round of heartpounding exercise and lazy afternoons spent poolside at chic hangouts like Palm Springs’ Ace Hotel & Swim Club (non-guests can purchase a day pass) or Palm Desert’s Sands Hotel & Spa, the area offers up a spectacular array of dining options.
Casual diners can enjoy top-notch margaritas and enchiladas at Rio Azul Mexican Bar & Grill, which also offers up a Drag Brunch; spectacular city views are available rooftop, at Kimpton Rowan’s High Bar, just one of the shiny new properties adorning Palm Springs’ recently revitalized downtown.
No recitation of Greater Palm Springs’ charms is complete without mention of the boundless opportunities for shoppers, whether you’re an antiques or vintage fan (found just about everywhere); looking to pick up some mid-century modern souvenir (Palm Springs Uptown Design District); or a no-holds-barred luxury goods lover (Palm Desert’s El Paseo shopping district).
On my most recent foray into downtown Palm Desert, though, I was gobsmacked by the array of consignment and thrift stores easily found just off the beaten path of El Paseo.
Thanks to its well-heeled population, at consignment shops like Out of Your Closet and Clothes Mentor, it’s not unusual to find such lofty labels as Trina Turk, St. John and Escada on the racks, the gently worn items being offered at a fraction of their original retail prices.
For the sightseeing types among us, a must-do is a Jeep ride into Indian Canyons courtesy of Desert Adventures (red-p.com), where knowledgeable guides share the fascinating lore of the ancestral home of the Aqua Caliente Band.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (pstramway.com), the world’s largest rotating tramcar, offers up 360-degree views of the valley and no less than four mountain ranges.
For culture buffs, Michael Stern’s Mid-Century Modern Tour (moderntour.com) provides a rich, indepth education into the hows and whys of the area’s eye-popping architecture. So, who cares if the story about those early day Palm Springs celebrities is nothing more than urban legend?
There’s no shortage of reasons these days for us non-celebrity types to hightail it there, for an invigorating, entertaining immersion in all the region has to offer.