Palm Springs Travel Information
Palm Springs (pop. 41,000) is southern California’s most famous resort
destination. Cluttered with all sorts of vacation hideaways, palm
trees, and more golf courses
and swimming pools than one can easily count, Palm Springs attracts a
clientele that ranges from retirees to spring breakers, all seeking
the perfect climate and luxurious accommodations the town has become
famous for. But unlike places like Vegas, Palm Springs has managed to
hold on to its identity in the process, and still feels like a little
resort town in the middle of the Southern California desert. Located
in the Coachella Valley with the snow-capped peaks of the San Jacinto
Mountains on the horizon, Palm Springs has long been a destination for
area visitors and residents. Movie stars and mob bosses escaped L.A.
to vacation here during the town’s first boom in the 1920s, and the
Spanish-Mediterranean architecture popular then is still on display.
The town received another tourist boost during the ‘50s, and much of
the style and décor here is fondly nostalgic for that vanished
era. The main drag through Palm Springs is North Palm Canyon Drive.
Shopping the antique and specialty shops along this route is a popular
pastime. Every Thursday the road is closed to vehicles, and local
merchants fill the streets with goods and fresh produce, such as the
plump dates that grow especially well in the valley. Sunbathing on one
of the 355 days of annual sunshine is another popular pastime, and at
night, the streets come to life with dance clubs, stage shows, and
concerts. Palm Springs is located in south central California along
I-10, about two hours from Los Angeles or San Diego.
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