I started visiting Palm Springs, California a few years ago as I was fascinated with the desert and the road runners. Oh, those elusive road runners that hide in bushes and parks in residential neighborhoods of Palm Springs. I always felt like I was Wile. E. Coyote on the hunt for this common bird in Palm Springs , yet, alas, I have yet to stumble upon one. There is always a next trip though…..
You can easily do PS on a budget if you know how and when to book your flight. I usually go with West Jet direct from Victoria or Vancouver for $200-$300 return if you book a few months in advance. For me, leaving from Vancouver, the flight is under two hours. This is less in travel time than riding BC Ferries to get to Vancouver Island!
The city has a lot to offer for those on a budget. First off, PS is a walking city and if your feet get tired, simply hop on The Buzz Bus, operated by SunLine which offers free travel to the downtown core every 20 minutes from 12 pm to 10 pm Thursday through Saturday. This is a great opportunity to see this small city by bus at no cost. You simply ring the bell and hop on and off at your desire.
If you are looking for daily excursions, I would highly recommend visiting The Moorten Botanical Gardens off South Palm Canyon Drive. If you love flowers, succulents and cacti, like I do, you will love this garden. Admission is $5.00 American for adults and only $2.00 for children under 15. Here is my succulent growing on my patio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Another great trip is visiting the old Hollywood homes to relish in the mid-century architecture of PS. To do this, I would suggest renting a car through Enterprise and do a self-guided drive through the Hollywood Hills leaving from Old Las Palmas and driving North to Vista Chino Drive. You will see the likes of all the movie glitter that Hollywood stars had to offer when living here including Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Sonny and Cher, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and more. If you get a map of these old homes, it is far cheaper than going on a guided bus tour that would set you back $50 American. Why not rent a car and go off the beaten track away from the tourists and explore Palm Springs architecture at its best?
Next, a visit to Palm Springs would not be complete without a visit to Joshua Tree National Park. Easy with a car rental from Enterprise (ask for the free $30.00 parking pass and admission rate, often dropped off by previous car renters and given out to new car renters for free and is good for 7 days to enter the park). Driving from PS to the park takes roughly an hour and a half past all the wind turbines on the interstate , but be careful, make sure you turn right at the turn off or you will be heading West to Los Angeles. As you approach the park, you will drive past Yucca town and then on to Joshua Town where you might want to stop at Crossroads Cafe before you enter the park at https://crossroadscafejtree.com. It is well-known by locals and tourists alike and serves up delicious breakfast and lunch dishes.
When you enter the park, there are various hiking trails for all mobility and you MUST being a bottle of water when walking as there is no reprieve from the shade and temperatures can reach as high as 100 Fahrenheit-37 degrees Celsius. Despite this arid heat, if you are lucky, you will stumble upon an oasis of water where herders used to take their cattle for a drink. Also, there is an abundance of wildlife in the park. Hopefully, you are not afraid of these animals and reptiles and get lucky seeing the following: snakes, big horn sheep, kangaroo rats, coyotes, bats, lynx and black tailed rabbits. We came across this spotted lizard in the heat of the day.
This National Park is truly wondrous, especially, when you visit between April and August when all the flowers and cacti are in bloom, like this:
I love the warmth and heat of Palm Springs as it makes me feel so alive.
My next blog will talk about food and accommodation in Palm Springs and doing it on a budget, so stay tuned for more on California.
Travel On A Dime 