Palm Springs, Desert Cities

The Desert Cities of the Coachella Valley are considered an international oasis. Stretching from the San Gorgonio Pass on the west to the Salton Sea on the East, from the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountain ranges on the south to the Little San Bernardino Mountains on the north, the Coachella Valley encompasses Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Desert Hot Springs and a variety of unincorporated communities in Eastern Riverside County.

The area has a permanent population of 285,000 with an additional 100,000 seasonal residents. Housing is a mix of condos, single-family homes, gated communities and golf and tennis country clubs.

The Desert Cities started as a refuge for snowbirds and celebrities who wanted a tranquil place to rest. The advances of modern technology, the boom in real estate and the diverse choices of entertainment have transformed this area from a seasonal destination to a year round experience. Today many baby boomers retire in the Coachella Valley and young families also call it home. They are attracted by the warmth of the desert, the beautiful and colorful landscapes, and the star studded night skies.

The desert residents enjoy a variety of leisure activities including fine dining, unique shopping, outdoor sports and casual casinos. In addition, the finest hot minerals water aquifers have created some of the best full-service spas, like the exclusive Two Bunch Palms or the Palm Springs Yacht Club Spa. People love to be pampered and the local spas offer a full menu of massages and treatments to soothe and rejuvenate.

Eating out is a favorite pastime. For the steak and martini atmosphere there is the famous Melvyn´s restaurant, a onetime Sinatra´s hangout. On the more exotic side Roy´s serves the most delicious fusion meals by blending European techniques with ingredients from Asia and the Pacific. For bistro fare and delectable desserts, the French Corner Cafe and Bakery is filled with habitués.

Cabazon about 20 minutes west of Palm Spring has high-end, well-known brand outlets offering bargain prices from a variety of designers.  In Palm Desert, the famous El Paseo is lined with chic boutiques, art galleries and restaurants that rival Rodeo Drive. Nearby big bulk stores like Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot and others have come to serve the everyday needs of this growing community.

Indians tribes once inhabited the entire Coachella Valley and their presence has impacted both the culture and growth of the desert cities. Tribal canyons provide challenging hiking adventures, while a wave of new and remodeled casinos thrill gamblers day and night. In the heart of Palm Springs, the Spa Resort Casino had a complete makeover, and the newer Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage presents big-name musical entertainment and championship heavyweight boxing matches.

With over 90 courses the Coachella Valley is considered a golfers´ paradise.  PGA West, TPC Stadium Course, designed by Pete Dye is well known for being one of the most challenging ones.

Rancho Mirage is an exclusive wealthy community with luxury residential developments and country clubs that provides its residents and visitors a wide array of exceptional services. High powered personalities relax away from the public eye behind guard-gated estates. The city is proud to offer the lifestyle of a resort with the benefits of a small town environment. It is a manicured and clean community with parks, sculptured sidewalks and beautiful trails. The streets even have rubberized asphalt to ensure a smooth ride. Rancho Mirage also offers state-of-the-art facilities to its residents including the Rancho Mirage Public Library situated on land donated by Walter and Lenore Annenberg, the Eisenhower Medical Center (EMC), the Barbara Sinatra Children´s Center, the Betty Ford Center and The Children´s Discovery Museum of Rancho Mirage.

Sunnylands is Rancho Mirage´s most lavish and impressive estate. The 650 acres with its own golf course was built by the late ambassador, business man and philanthropist Walter Annenberg who loved to entertain presidents, kings and members of the Hollywood A-list. His contributions to the area are evident in many of the city´s finest developments.

Palm Springs is probably the best known city of the Coachella Valley. It was the playground for stars such as Janet Leigh, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley and is still a magnet for today´s luminaries. Many of these stars and public figures played a key role in the prosperity of the city and surrounding communities.  In their honor several streets bear their names. In Rancho Mirage the most well known are: Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Gerald Ford and Ginger Rogers Drives and Dinah Shore Trail.  

Palm Springs has a classic mid-century modern architecture that adds an air of contemporary sophistication to the desert landscape. Palm Canyon Drive, lined with majestic palm trees, is the city´s cultural artery. It is filled with shops, restaurants, art galleries, pubs and every kind of boutique. There are several attractions in Palm Springs including the Palm Springs Ariel Tramway, the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Palm Springs International Film Festival held every year in January.