Rediscover Southern California's Palm Desert for Your Next Winter Getaway

If Southern California's Palm Desert was a drink, the recipe might read something like this: Gently mix two parts sunshine, two parts golf and a dash each of stunning landscapes, indulgent spas and fine dining. To say it another way, Palm Desert is a refreshing, relaxing choice for a quick winter getaway.

You might be thinking that the Palm Desert resort communities watched their 15 minutes of fame come and go sometime back in the 40s. Or that the only people who visit the desert of the Coachella Valley are compulsive golfers with too much time on their hands. While these are easy assumptions to make, neither is accurate. In reality, the Palm Desert area is visited for many reasons: The natural, unspoiled surroundings appeal to the ecologically conscious, while the holistic health spas draw in visitors looking for a truly spiritual retreat. There are also food and wine festivals, classy shopping areas, world-class sporting events and even discrete clothing-optional and alternative lifestyle resorts.

To provide some bearings, the Palm Desert Resort area is located in Riverside County's Coachella Valley. The valley is tucked in between three mountain ranges: the San Jacintos, Santa Rosas and Little San Bernardinos. Eight communities lie within these boundaries: Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage. Combined, these eight communities are home to 115 golf courses, 600 tennis courts and some 30,000 swimming pools.

A little pampering

Luxury resorts include the Viceroy Palm Springs, Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn, The Parker Palm Springs and Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa. The Viceroy is a boutique resort featuring private villas designed in the "Hollywood Regency" style. The Willows enjoys some significant distinctions: It is a AAA 4-diamond property and was included in USA Today's list of the Top 10 Romantic Inns in 2003. Guests may choose from one of eight distinctively appointed rooms. The Parker Palm Springs, aka Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs, offers visitors access to 13 acres of gardens, European clay tennis courts and a 16,500-square-foot spa facility. The property was named to the 2005 Condé Nast Traveler Hot List. Two Bunch Palms, built above a subterranean mineral spring, provides a host of spa treatments designed to relax and rejuvenate.

Finding a new you

Those who desire a more specialized experience might consider Palm Desert's holistic health spas, some of which are celebrity favorites. We Care Holistic Health Center is a fasting and spiritual retreat offering yoga, breathing instruction, meditation, cleansing body treatments and more. Bonne Santé Holistic Health Spa provides medical treatments targeting skin aging and weight loss, while La Quinta Healing Arts practices Chinese medical acupuncture.

Touring faults, mountain peaks and sacred sites

Between treatments, Palm Desert visitors can explore their surroundings by way of hiking, biking, horseback riding or Jeep/Hummer tours. Points of interest include the Palm Canyon Fault (part of the San Andreas Fault system) and the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. A portion of the mountain ranges is designated as The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument; this area covers more than 272,000 acres of land and contains more than 500 species of plants and animals. The Santa Rosa Mountains, the long-time home of the Cahuilla tribe, contain two sites considered sacred by the Cahuilla: the peak of Santa Rosa Mountain and Tahquitz Peak.

Gambling, the arts and more

Slot machines and table games are readily available at the Spa Resort in Palm Springs, Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage and Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio. These Native American casinos aren't as extravagant as their Vegas counterparts, but otherwise the differences are minimal.

The region's entertainment offerings run the gamut from casual to elegant. CopyKatz performs celebrity impersonations in Palm Springs and comedians work the audience for laughs at Fantasy Springs Resort's Improv Comedy Club. The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies puts on lively musical revues and classical musicians perform throughout the year at the Palm Springs Museum.

Annual events cater to arts enthusiasts as well. In January, the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Indio's Southwest Arts Festival come to town. The International Film Festival celebrates more than 200 films over the course of 12 days, while the Southwest Arts Festival features the work of more than 250 artists. The cities of La Quinta and Indian Wells also host their own arts festivals in March and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes over Indio in April.

When to go

The Palm Desert resort communities are popular as winter getaway destinations because the weather is mild and warm. Year-round, the climate is sunny and dry; winter and spring temperatures range from lows in the 40s to highs in the 90s. The summer months are less crowded in the resorts, but the heat (in excess of 105 degrees) can be stifling.

The Palm Desert resort area is a two-hour drive from Los Angeles or San Diego.