I have an opportunity to go to Palm Springs CA for a conference (paid for by work) March 17th – 20th.
This would be my third trip to CA. I’ve been to two conferences in San Diego.
I’m a married guy of 47 that would be traveling alone. No co-workers with me.
I will be busy during the day. And I don’t golf. But I’m sure I can take an afternoon off to see something interesting. Nightlife is really of no interest. Don’t know If I will have a car or not.
I will probably be staying at the Wyndham Hotel, or the Hilton Palm Springs.
Anything I should try to see?
I’ve been looking at the Bureau of Tourism site……
Air museum maybe?
Indian canyons?
If nothing else, getting out of the snow in the mountains of Colorado in March is a nice break (It’s sometimes our snowiest month)
Any comments about Palm Springs in general are welcome.
Take the tram up the mountain!!! My fave!! Tho it’ll be pretty cold up top in March, the view is amazing!!
We enjoy hiking up top there, and also in Joshua tree, and at Thousand Palms. Eventually we’ll do the Indian Canyons, but haven’t yet. The Living Desert is pretty nifty.
I second the Joshua Tree idea…if you want to hike, though, be prepared for the heat. Bring lots of water!
I’ve been to PS a bunch of times (my parents live there) but have never taken the tram…I hear it’s really cool…everyone raves about it!
On Thursday nights they have a big street fair in downtown PS…there are lots of booths, street performers/musicians, and all the shops stay open. It’s fun and not too “nightlife-y.”
Not having a car will definitely put a crimp on your activities. So you may consider renting a car even if your company isn’t paying for it.
With a car, then Joshua Tree would get my vote. I don’t think Sarahfeena was considering the dates you’ll be there: it shouldn’t be that hot, and in fact, it would be an ideal time to visit the park. If anything, be prepared for cool (wind). If there’s no wind, it will be awesome, if it is windy, it can get downright cold. (Joshua Tree is significantly higher in elevation than PS, so even if it is nice in PS, it may be much cooler in JT). If you’re a rock climber, then definitely bring your shoes and some chalk. It is some of the best rock to climb out there.
As Palm Springs itself - be prepared to see a LOT of older, retired people. Lots of white hair and walkers. The main drag has lots of shops and restaurants and is fun to walk in the evenings.
On the other hand, I am not sure if the week you will be there will coincide with Spring Break. In which case, the city will be overrun with college kids. Kind of the California equivalent to Florida’s beaches. So it could be really crazy on the main drag at night.
I’ve not been up the tram, but have hiked to where the tram takes you from the other side. Very nice views, but again, be prepared for cold (may even be snow on the ground - so bring appropriate shoes).
We went there 2 years ago for a conference and meetings. We stayed at a hotel in town for the meetings, and a resort for the conference. The resort was a big ripoff, but in town was nice. We went to Joshua Tree, which I agree is great, and we hiked an Indian canyon, where you walked under a waterfall to get on the path back. Also fun. We drove, and having a car really helps. My wife enjoyed some thrift shops with some really nice stuff for very little money.
I was on my Blackberry, so I wasn’t as clear as I should have been. I once was out in PS for my dad’s birthday, which is actually on March 17. That year it was unusually hot, so I guess my perspective of what the weather is like in March is skewed! So, I should say to be careful if it is hot…and it won’t hurt to bring water, because it’s pretty much always dry, and there’s not much water available up there.
The Mrs. and I hiked to the top of Mt. Ryan in Joshua tree earlier this week in shorts and light shirts. An 1100 foot elevation gain over 1.5 miles!
On the way up we met folks coming down dressed in full winter gear complete with ski caps, scarves, heavy jackets, gloves, and long pants. They said we’d never survive the cold at the peak!
Well, it was a mite breezy, but it was well above freezing and sunshiny, so we two Wisconsinites had no trouble.
I wish I hadn’t frozen our water bottles the night before, though. Force of habit, from usually visiting that area in August. :smack:
Still, we had a nice picnic lunch in a sunshiny sheltered spot on the way down.
I expect JT will be a bit warmer in March, but not super hot. It is about 4000 feet higher than Palm Springs. But do take water!!
If you do rent a car, you can drive to the Salton Sea! We did that one time! A fascinating study in ghost towns and dead fish!
On your way to the Salton Sea, stop at the date farm in Indio, see the video about the sex life of date palms, try 12 varieties of dried dates and enjoy a date shake!
I’m guessing enipla isn’t going to have a problem with the cold or altitude. I’m 6000 feet below him and I saw three people in shorts and t-shirts at the grocery store this afternoon. It was in the high 20’s, but the sun was out!
I’m thinking about visiting the Salton Sea the next time we go…about how long of a drive is, it Qadgop? I also want to get back to Joshua Tree…the one time we went, it was August, hotter than hell, and I was about 2 months pregnant, so I really couldn’t hike that much. We basically drove through and got out and walked a few times and that was it. Very beautiful, though…want to spend some more time there next time.
It was at least an hour to get to the Salton sea, IIRC. But worth it for us. Make sure you are gassed up when you pass Mecca, because there ain’t no open facilities for a looooong way beyond that!
And just in case you don’t know: Dead fish smell bad!
Joshua tree is great when it’s cooler. We hiked Mt. Ryan, & also to 49 Palms Oasis, and also a trail complex just outside the park, in Morongo Valley. The first two hikes were pretty moderately grueling, but the train complex in Morongo valley was a delightful walk in the park.
When we return in summer, we’ll do more of the Jacinto trails. Maybe one day we’ll reach the summit! But at present I tend to run out of gas above 9700 feet altitude!
You’re right Lamar. I doubt altitude or mountain breezes will daunt our OP!
You pretty much need a car to get around Palm Springs…even then, it seems to take forever to get from one side of town to the other. A trip out to JT would top my list of recommendations, but you’ll need a good 4-5 hours if you want to do anything more than a drive thru.
Closer at hand is the Coachella Valley Preserve. The Indian Palm Canyons are pretty cool…try Andreas or Murray Canyon to escape most of the tourists. The Air Museum is worth a visit, too. If you’re a fan of giant iconic Dinosaurs, Cabazon is just a ways down the road. Stop in at Hadley’s for a date shake.
I live on the beach, south of Door county. And our fish population is nothing like back in the 60’s when you couldn’t see the water for the dead alewives.
So seeing Salton Sea was a real stroll down memory lane!
