Category: Attractions

  • Old Town Artisan Studios

    Old Town Artisan Studios

    78046 CALLE BARCELONA
    LA QUINTA

    The mission of this 16,000-square-foot facility is to make art accessible to all Coachella Valley denizens, including students, senior citizens, veterans, Alzheimer’s sufferers and those with disabilities. Founded in 2009 by Victory Grund, the studio has certainly made good on that endeavor, with countless classes, workshops and exhibits offered regularly at the gorgeous property, eager patrons trying their hands at everything from needle felting to glass-blowing to paint-your-own pottery (my personal favorite) at both indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Come December, the complex is transformed into an adorable holiday-themed Gingerbread Lane, with special events like Santa visits, cookie decorating, ornament painting, and more taking place each Saturday.

    Website

  • Old Town Farmers Market

    Old Town Farmers Market

    78100 MAIN STREET
    LA QUINTA

    This bustling certified farmers market is held on Sundays from October through May, with local vendors hawking all manner of goods, including organic fruits and vegetables, juices, artisanal bread and fresh fish, plus jewelry, artwork and more! Numerous food trucks and kiosks are also on hand, such as the insanely popular Chaupain Bakery and, my personal favorite, The Tamale Fiesta. Old Town’s once-a-month Art on Main Street events, which run from November through March, are also not to be missed.

    Website

  • Canyon Creek Mushrooms

    Canyon Creek Mushrooms

    77917 WILDCAT DRIVE
    PALM DESERT

    A bonafide mushroom farm in the heart of the Valley? Canyon Creek Mushrooms is certainly the first of its kind! Offering the finest fungal varieties (from lion’s mane to king trumpet to pink oyster), all hand-harvested right on the premises, the zero-waste facility is a one-stop shop when it comes to mushrooms. Best of all? The site offers daily tours of the premises, granting patrons behind-the-scenes glimpses of the entire cultivation process. No reservations required!

    Website

  • Palms To Pines Scenic Byway

    Palms To Pines Scenic Byway

    MONTEREY AVENUE & CA-111
    PALM DESERT

    Looking for showstopping views of the region? Head straight to the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway in Palm Desert, a zigzagging thoroughfare that spectacularly winds its way through the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains, offering striking panoramas along the way. A stop at the Coachella Valley Vista Point, a stunning elevated lookout with sweeping views of the surrounding skyline (pictured), is a must. Ascending further along the Byway brings even more dramatic views and eventually leads to Idyllwild, a sweet little enclave with a charming collection of shops, restaurants and cafés to explore.

    Website

  • The Body Deli’s Barbie Display

    The Body Deli’s Barbie Display

    73560 EL PASEO
    PALM DESERT

    In the heart of the Valley’s most prestigious shopping district is a skincare store that has become a destination for doll lovers. That is all thanks to owner Margaret Skarin Clark, who creates imaginatively elaborate displays featuring her extensive Barbie collection, which she has been accumulating for over 60 years. The fantastical exhibits showcase both vintage and new figurines and are changed regularly with the seasons. Pictured is the March 2023 display modeled in honor of Fashion Week El Paseo, complete with clothing inspired by Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

    Website

  • The Living Desert Zoo And Gardens

    The Living Desert Zoo And Gardens

    47900 PORTOLA AVENUE
    PALM DESERT

    “Condé Nast Traveler” rated this spot one of the top 10 zoos in the United States, and it is not very hard to see why. But calling it simply a “zoo” is somewhat of a disservice because The Living Desert is so much more! With expansive vistas showcasing animals in their natural habitats, journeying through the 1,200-acre site feels like being on a safari. There are also gardens, ponds, a massive model train exhibit, walking trails, camel rides, giraffe feedings, a butterfly sanctuary, and an animal hospital to explore! The Living Desert is truly one-of-a-kind, offering a new experience each and every visit. The site’s annual Glow in the Park event, one of my favorite desert happenings, is also not to be missed!

    Website

  • Sunnylands Center & Gardens

    Sunnylands Center & Gardens

    37977 BOB HOPE DRIVE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    The longtime winter home of philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg now serves as a public space where guests can wonder at the stunning desert landscape. Open Wednesday through Sunday, admission to the 15-acre visitors center is free, with plenty to peruse, including changing exhibitions, an informational film, a fabulous gift shop, a café (one of my favorite spots to grab lunch) and myriad garden paths. Guided tours are also offered of the Annenbergs’ former home, the Sunnylands Estate, a 25,000-square-foot midcentury marvel designed by A. Quincy Jones in 1960. Tours do book up far in advance, though, so plan accordingly.

    Website

  • Rancho Super Car Wash

    Rancho Super Car Wash

    71490 CA-111
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    Anyone who has driven along CA-111 in Rancho Mirage is familiar with Rancho Super Car Wash’s famous retro signage. The neon pink display, which showcases an elephant showering itself with its trunk, initially stood at the Portland outpost of Dean, Archie and Eldon Anderson’s Elephant Super Car Wash chain, based in the Pacific Northwest. When Eldon’s daughter, Marilyn, and her husband, Richard Fromme, expanded the enterprise to the Palm Springs area in 1966, they carted the sign with them. The piece has been an icon ever since. Recently restored (and designated a historic landmark), it shines brighter and pinker than ever before and is one of the desert’s definitive must-photograph spots. Bonus – Rancho Super Car Wash offers some of the best auto clean-ups in the entire Valley.

    Website

  • Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory

    Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory

    71-100 CA-111
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    Completed in 2018, this state-of-the-art facility was built for the public in every sense, with locals and tourists alike welcomed regularly forin-depth tours (offered each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 3 p.m.) and Observatory Public Exploration Nights(O.P.E.N.), during which visitors catch glimpses of our night skies via a research-grade PlaneWave Instruments CDK700 telescope. There’s even a lending program available to library card holders, enabling stargazers to bring an Orion StarBlast 4.5″ Astro Reflector tabletop telescope home for a week to explore the solar system on their own!

    Website

  • Cabot’s Pueblo Museum

    Cabot’s Pueblo Museum

    67616 DESERT VIEW AVENUE
    DESERT HOT SPRINGS

    World traveler Cabot Yerxa built this spot as a private residence/public museum beginning in 1941. Fashioned entirely by Cabot’s own hand from reclaimed materials, the Hopi-inspired pueblo is one of the most unique destinations in the area, complete with 150 windows, 65 doors, 30 rooflines and views for days. The surrounding property is even more intriguing, dotted with whimsical installations like a 43-foot Native American bust, towering wood letters spelling out “CABOT,” and street signs half covered by brush. Though not abandoned, the museum boasts a fabulous dystopian feel, affording endless photo opportunities.

    Website