Located not far from the busy city of Los Angeles is Palm Springs. This famous Southern California city is known for the incredible amounts of windmills and energy the area produces. Over 4,000 windmills provide power for the entire Coachella Valley. You can't miss them as you drive through the desert mountains into the city.
Palm Springs as well as its famous windmills been featured in hundreds of TV shows and movies including Mission Impossible III, Ocean's Eleven, Rain Man, Alpha Dog, Constantine, Serenity, and so many more. This area is also well known for its star-studded events like the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals to name a few. Many celebrities also have homes in this beautiful city. Even Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Lucille Ball all built houses in the Palm Springs area.
As you drive around the Palm Springs area, there is no shortage of golf courses, restaurants or shops. This desert city is even known as the Golf Capital of the World. If golfing isn't your speed, head to the skate park or go downtown to stroll down Palm Springs' very own Walk of Fame, a smaller scale version of the one in Hollywood. Palm Springs is just a few hours away from Los Angeles and San Diego, making it a popular celebrity getaway and film location.
Take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to get a bird's-eye view of the scenic area below. You can also drive up to the Coachella Valley Vista Point for a great view of the desert cities from the mountaintop. Once you get a good vantage point, you can see all the vegetation in the cities from the landscaping and golf courses, surrounded by nothing but desert and mountains. Palm Springs really is an oasis in the desert.
If you want to learn more about the surrounding environment and the creatures that inhabit it, spend a day at The Living Desert and see animals native to the local desert, as well as giraffes, leopards, lions, camels, zebras, mountain lions, all kinds of reptiles and birds, and so many more creatures. Plus you can learn about the different kinds of cacti and cool plants that grow in the nearby desert.
Outside the city you can find Joshua Tree National Park. This unique park is located where the Colorado Desert meets the Mohave, offering tons of unique landscapes and vegetation. Walk through the Cholla Cactus Garden or head up to the Coachella Valley overlook to see the city below.
If you're looking for more outdoorsy things to do in the area, go Jeeping or head for a nice hike in the San Bernardino Forest. The Palm Springs area offers great weather year round, so it is always a great place to hang out whether you want to have some city fun or escape into nature. No matter where you end up in Palm Springs, you're bound to have a great time. Enjoy the beautiful weather :)
