Travels With Bob
Palm Springs: Sun, Sweat, Fun and Heritage
By Bob Nesoff
Palm Springs, California, can rightly lay claim to having more golf courses than any other resort. And with so many golf courses come the inevitable parade of celebrities. In fact, one was mayor.
Sonny Bono served as mayor of this desert oasis, Bob Hope was a regular, and more celebrities than you could count on your fingers and toes combined live and visit. But while they do venture out to the courses, fabulous eateries, and whatever such notables do, sightings are not necessarily frequent.
Picture Catherine Zeta Jones or Taylor Swift with no makeup, wearing tattered jeans and a slouch hat. It could be one of them or just another vacationer seeking comfort and cover from the sun. The sun … the blazing hot sun … the sun that could fry an egg on the hood of a car. We don’t know if they actually spend time here, but you get the idea of the type of A-Listers who do come.
Many may come because of the thriving art and culture activities. The Palm Springs International Film Festival and Modernism Week draw people from around the globe.
Like to eat outdoors? That can be done in comfort. Surprised? Don’t be. The denizens of Palm Springs long ago learned how to live with a blazing sun and do it in comfort. The owners of most of the local eateries are just as interested in making the outdoor dining experience as comfortable as possible as they are in drawing guests to their establishments.
Most outdoor dining areas are surrounded by surgical tubing with small openings that spray a fine mist, lowering the temperatures to a more than tolerable level. And, just in case you ask, no, it does not create a humid atmosphere. Why not? The weather gods are probably on the pad. Or, perhaps, the Shamen of the Agua Caliente tribe have something to do with it.
But there is much to see and do. While valley temperatures approach or pass the century mark, there is one place that is always cool. In fact, it’s been known to be snow-covered, making wearing a jacket a necessity.
Where? More than 8,000 feet above the valley, atop Mt. San Jacinto. This is a must-see. Not always, but frequently, the top has a deep layer of snow that thumbs its frozen nose at the valley below.
There is an interesting gondola ride to the summit. On the way up, looking at the jagged and sharp, sheer side of the mountain, the interior of the gondola actually spins. It does so in a slow and comfortable 360-degree turn, offering a majestic view of both valley and mountain.
While the inevitable souvenir shop is front and center, the offerings are quaint, and most are made by local tribes. Prices may be a bit high, but not unreasonable.
For those who like to explore on foot, there are more than 54 miles of hiking trails. And who can resist a street fair? The Indian Canyons, the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, and others gather in the center of town on Thursday evenings. Food? Plenty of it. Music? Absolutely. Make sure you wander through the many arts and crafts vendors.
One must see is the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. The name is interesting in that a literal translation from the Spanish, agua caliente, means “hot water.” Maybe it was meant to say the tribe was hot stuff.
The 48,000 square feet of permanent exhibit space sits on a 5.8-acre complex dedicated to the Agua Caliente tribe’s collection of art and artifacts, featuring a 360-degree animation theater. While oh so many museums have static displays, those here, showing much of the life as well as the flora and fauna of the area, seem to actually come to life. A spring of fresh, clear water flows through the property and surrounds the modern exterior of the museum.
For the tribe, the flowing water provides a cooling oasis in the valley’s torrid summers. Random thoughts go through the mind. If the Inuit could adapt to Arctic winters, the Agua Caliente tribe has found its climate to be to their liking. And the liking of the scores of visitors who come back time after time.
Photos By Annette Stark.
