Palm Springs, a desert resort city of 40,000 plus people, is located 100 miles east of Los Angeles and 130 miles northeast of San Diego. It is one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley with mountains surrounding it on all sides. The city enjoys a hot dry climate with sunshine occurring 350 days of the year. Rainfall is infrequent with annual amounts totaling less than six inches.

Palm Springs became a destination in the 1950′s and 1960′s. American movie stars help put the city on the map. Now the city is a haunt of the tennis and golf crowd in the winter, looking to escape the cold. However, and what many people don’t realize, is that it is a first class hiking destination. There are over 140 hikes possible between the mountains surrounding the Coachella Valley, the Valley itself and Joshua Tree National Park. They run the spectrum from short, city ones to one with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain. You could in theory do a different hike everyday of the winter.

Don’t forget cycling too. In nearby Anza Borrego State Park there are 500 miles of roads and trails to explore. Joshua Tree National Park will eventually have 29 miles of shared use trails and the city of Palm Springs has several bike friendly loops to discover.You’ll have to get past the miles and miles of shopping malls to appreciate some of the great things the Palm Springs area has to offer the wintertime visitor.

Not only can you enjoy hiking and biking tours, but there is plenty of culture by way of art galleries and a film festival. Shopping and dining are world class and most of the hotels have onsite swimming pools. Of course the main raison d’etre for many is the golf and tennis, with over 100 golf courses existing in the Valley. 

Inside the Palm Springs and Coachella Guide you will find:

• How to get to and from Palm Springs
• Palm Springs area accommodation options
• Restaurant options
• Activities outside of golf and tennis
• Hiking suggestions
• Useful websites and hiking guidebooks
• Packing list for day hikes in the desert

Related Blog Posts

• Palm Springs Money Saving Trip
• ‘Must Do’ Palm Springs Area Activities
• Palm Springs – There is Life Here Without Golf

Download: Full Guide