There’s always something going on in the desert— that would be Palm Springs and the other cities in the Coachella Valley. Just 100 miles east of Los Angeles, there is so much to do. This trip was no exception.
I love how the city is nestled in the desert with palm trees framed by stunning views of the nearby snow capped mountains. There is nowhere else like it. Like Wilton Manors in south Florida, it is a LGBTQ+ oasis—and both have a Hunter’s bar with great happy hours.
DO
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Explore the great outdoors of Palm Springs. We took a walk with the Oswit Land Trust (https://oswitlandtrust.org) at the new Desert Dunes Preserve. The former golf course is a delight for bird watchers and plant lovers. Beware of (unmarked) golf signs, though.
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Visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens (Annenberg Estate) in nearby Rancho Mirage. The winter home of the Annenbergs offers beautiful gardens and optional house tours. Details at sunnylands.org.
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Walk with the Frontrunners through the Prescott Preserve (another Oswit site). They meet at 8am in the parking lot of the Mizell Center.
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Enjoy the Queer+Art exhibit of the works of David Hockney (David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed) at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The Museum is free Thursday nights during the Village Festival downtown. Another exhibit not to miss is To Move Towards the Limits of Living, which examines how LGBTQ+ artists have used diverse strategies to respond to experiences of exclusion and discover new possibilities.
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Swim at the Palm Springs Swim Center although nonresidents pay a $16 fee.
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