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Palm Springs is one of America's most remarkable desert resort cities. It stands in stark contrast to Nevada's major desert resort city of Las Vegas. Whereas Sin City is large, glitzy, and over-the-top with its mega-casinos, Palm Springs is laid back, relaxing, and full of golf courses and swimming pools.
Palm Springs is located in California's Riverside County in the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley and is an easy drive from Los Angeles. If one would like to just relax and enjoy the desert environment away from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, then consider visiting Palm Springs.
Palm Springs - The Stunning Snowbird Oasis
Palm Springs is a retirement and winter snowbird destination. It has a population of around 44,500 but that triples between November and March. It is also a popular weekend getaway for folks from Los Angeles and San Diego.
- Located: Riverside County in California (Two Hours Drive From Los Angeles)
- Know As: The World's Golfing Capital
- Destination Type: Retirement and Winter Snowbird Destination
- Population: 44,500 (Depending On the Season)
Palm Springs is surrounded by four stunning mountain ranges and is warm year-round with endless clear blue skies.
- Peak Season: November through March
- Sunshine: Over 300 Days A Year
Experiencing Palm Springs is about exploring its plethora of championship golf courses, soaking beer-in-hand in the many swimming pools, enjoying the laid-back desert vibe, and staying warm in the winter.
While one would expect Palm Springs to have a dry desert heat, this is not always the case. Due to the extensive irrigation of the many golf courses, lawns, and trees in the city, the air can often be quite hot and humid.
Palm Springs - The Real Golf Capital Of The World
Palm Spring's Coachella Valley has more golf courses than any other region in California and is the most popular destination for golf in the state. Counting Palm Springs and its nearby cities (like La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert) it has over 100 championship-level golf courses (up from only around 40 in the 1970s).
- Golf Courses: Over 100 Championship-Level Golf Courses In The Area
That means Palm Springs has more golf courses than South Carolina's Myrtle Beach - the so-called Golf Capital of The World. Myrtle Beach is home to over 80 award-winning golf courses set out along more than 60 miles of the coastline.
- Golf Capital Of The World: Said To Be Myrtle Beach
The good news is that many of Palm Spring's best golf courses are open for anyone (although there are waiting lists during the peak season).
The best season is during the winter when the weather is not so scorching. It is also possible to go for golf in the summer - but one should go in the morning before the heat of the day.
The many golf courses also come with a stunning backdrop. Gaze out at the mountains and the deserts that contrast with the lush greens of the golf courses.
Some of the most popular golf courses open to the public in the area are:
- PGA West: Home to the American Express Desert Classic
- Indian Wells Golf Resort: Home to the Renaissance Indian Wells
- Hyatt Regency Indian Wells
- Indian Wells Resort Hotel
- Marriott's Shadow Ridge
- Indian Canyons Golf Resort
Palm Springs - A Great Base To Explore The Desert
Palm Springs is an easy day trip from Las Angles and is a great place to spend the weekend. Not only that, but it is also well-placed to explore many of the amazing attractions around the oasis hidden away in the desert.
Explore Joshua Tree National Park on a day trip from Palm Springs and see the incredible transitional environment and eye-watering landscapes.
Suggested Day Trips:
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Slab City
- Salton City
Hidden off into the desert is Slab City. Visit this bizarre squatter camp dubbed the "last free place on earth" and see how a very different type of desert snowbird lives completely off the grid (there are no government services there).
Another day trip from Palm Springs is to see Salton City and the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea has an incredible story. It was formed in a catastrophic accident but became one of the region's greatest wildlife sanctuaries but then became one of California's greatest natural disasters. Salton City is an eerie abandoned half-built resort city on the Salton Sea.