Palm Springs sits in the Coachella Valley, about 170 km (107 miles) east of Los Angeles, at the foot of Mount San Jacinto. Hollywood stars made it their winter retreat from the 1930s, and the houses and hotels built for them left the town with one of the world’s great collections of mid-century modern architecture. Today it is a relaxed resort of pools, palms, golf and good restaurants.
Joshua Tree National Park begins about 60 km (40 miles) to the north-east, where the higher Mojave Desert meets the lower Colorado Desert. Its piles of rounded granite, forests of Joshua trees and very dark night skies make it one of the most distinctive landscapes in California. Both are winter-sun destinations: from June to September the heat is extreme.
Highlights
- Boulder scrambling and short trails around Hidden Valley
- Sunset over the Coachella Valley from Keys View
- The Cholla Cactus Garden in low light
- Riding the rotating tram up Mount San Jacinto
- Palm oases and streams in the Indian Canyons
- Mid-century modern houses and poolside afternoons
Plan your time in Palm Springs & Joshua Tree
Allow one day for Palm Springs — the tramway in the morning, the Indian Canyons or an architecture tour, and a pool in the afternoon — and one full day for Joshua Tree, entering by the west entrance and leaving by the south to make a loop. Stay a night near the park if you want to see sunrise or the stars.
