Little Getaways--Palm Springs/Palm Desert

by Teri E. Popp, Tastemaker in Residence

Sometimes my husband and I take off on quick weekend trips just the two of us.  Whether it's a couple of days to see a show in another city or to visit friends staying in a beach house on the ocean, it always leads to adventure, relaxation, and renewal!

Early last summer, we headed out to Palm Springs to see a friend of ours, Tony Sandler-formerly one of the lead singers of Sandler and Young-perform at the lovely McCallum Theatre in downtown Palm Desert.  We stayed at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa located between Palm Springs and Palm Desert as it was central to sites in the Springs and near to the theater.  Besides its location for purposes of our trip, it's a great spot for golfers.

Paying tribute to vaudeville variety shows, Tony Sandler MC'd a follies style evening featuring the Olate Dogs, Raspyni Brothers, Pete Barbutti, Dorothy Kloss, Ken Prescott, the Lindy Sisters, the Follies Dancers and Orchestra.  We loved the show so much, we went two nights in a row!

In between Tony's shows, though, we decided to explore the area.  First, we took the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to Mountain Station at the top of Mt. San Jacinto State Park--a 2 1/2 mile trip up through the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon.  Once at the top, it offers picturesque and spectacular vistas of the valley below (elevation 8,516 feet).  There are miles of hiking trails and camping spots with gorgeous views aplenty!!

We even found Popp Park while wandering on the trails!  We weren't able, though, to find who the park was named after or its origins, unfortunately.

Later, in the afternoon, we hiked through Indian Canyons, located a short ride from Palm Springs.  Lucky for us, the cactus were in full bloom!  And, due to recent rainfall, we spent time wading in waterfalls amongst the splendor of the canyon.  Our only regret is that we didn't schedule more time to wander through this wonderland of flora!

While this was just a trip for my husband and I, we definitely plan to return with the family in tow.  Plus, we will include a day trip over to Joshua Tree National Park.  It's truly a lovely area with so much to offer!