New York Post Travel
January 17, 2006
Desert Bloom
Warm up now in sexy (and affordable) Palm Springs
Excerpt by Kevin Raub
Palm Springs has been many things in recent years – a retirement community for deep-pocketed fogeys, visual porn for fans of midcentury modern architecture – but what it hasn’t been is hip. In fact, the area hasn’t been “hot” since its streets and private luxury compounds were filled with the likes of old-time Hollywood stars such as Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra.
Well, what’s old is new again. Just two hours east of Los Angeles, this desert oasis of palm trees and springs backed by gorgeous Mount San Jacinto is experiencing a renaissance, with a swath of new restaurants and urban design hotels – like Le Parker Meridien and the renovated Horizon Hotel – attracting a new crop of celebs and luxury-loving plebeians.
What hasn’t changed are the prices. While you can cram your credit card with outrageous bar tabs, there are plenty of bargains to be had. (Go in the summer, when temps hit 110 degrees, and you’ll find that hotel prices are a steal. Don’t fret; you’re never far from an icy martini and crystal-clear pool.) And these days, you likely won’t mind seeing your poolside neighbor in his or her bathing suit.
Before You Go
Visit palm-springs.org and palmspringsusa.com.
How To Go
Midweek flights in March were as little as $303/RT from JFK to Palm Springs International Airport on Delta (with connections in Salt Lake City or Atlanta). For more options, fly to Los Angeles and rent a car.
Getting Around
From the airport, the cheapest way into downtown is via taxi (average $10), but you’ll likely want to rent a car to explore sights farther afield.
What To Do
Downtown Palm Springs is all about one thing: lollygagging. The main drag, Palm Canyon Drive, has a stretch that’s basically an eating-drinking-shopping-people-watching full-on freak show.
Spend a day exploring the galleries filled with native American art galleries, craft shops and other boutiques geared toward tourists. And go back Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m., when it closes to cars for VillageFest, an arts fair with food and drink vendors.
Outside the village, you’ll find the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to San Jacinto State Park, sure to test your nerves. The rotating tram cars – the largest in the entire world and the only one of their kind in the Western Hemisphere – make the near vertical ascent from Valley Station to Mountain Station at what feel like harrowing speeds (actually just 21 mph, but still). You’ll travel through five unique life zones, from Mexican Sonoran desert to alpine wilderness. Once at the park, you can hike its 54 miles of trails (tram is $21.50/adults, $14.50/kids 12 and under; One Tramway Road).
The undeniably best side trip, though, is Joshua Tree National Park, less than an hour away. Everything from its craggy rock formations to its Joshua Tree forests will keep your digicam batteries burning (bring extra). Don’t skip the lookout at Key’s View, the highest point in the park, with its jaw-dropping views of the valley ($10/car, good for a week).
Eats
Mornings, have breakfast at Rick’s Restaurant on the north end of Palm Canyon, which serves heaping breakfast specials in a diner atmosphere. Rick’s Special – two eggs, home fries, toast and coffee – runs just $4.99 (1973 N. Palm Canyon Drive).
To the south, El Mirasol’s regional Mexican is mucho mas aut‚ntico than the more crowded spots downtown. Combination platters here start at $7.25 (140 E. Palm Canyon Drive).
In the village, the new Crazy Bones does respectable Southern-style barbecue in a cool atmosphere. The pulled pork sandwich with two hefty sides fills you up for $9 (262 S. Palm Canyon Drive).
Another new spot, the “vintage pizza bistro” that is the newly opened matchbox, has excellent pizza. Palm Spring’s nouveau hip dine on artisanal brick-oven pies amid a flame-lit balcony overlooking La Plaza, the main square. A large prosciutto white (with kalamata olives, garlic, ricotta and mozzarella) is $19 – but easily feeds two. Not bad at all (155 S. Palm Canyon Drive).
The best burgers in town are at Tyler’s Burgers, a former bus depot on La Plaza. Locals and tourists alike swarm this glorified stand for $5.50 burgers (149 S. Indian Canyon Drive).
Drinks
The local watering hole of choice is the Village Pub (266 S. Palm Canyon Drive), which does a solid Happy Hour daily from 3:30 to 7 p.m. (9 p.m. on Mondays). Domestic bottles cost $2, drafts $2.25. Grill-A-Burger has $3 margaritas Tuesdays and Wednesdays (166 N. Palm Canyon Drive).
Where To Sleep
A cluster of smartly designed hotels can be found around the village. The Orbit In, just off the main drag, loads down the “Jetsons”-meets-“Pleasantville” rooms with authentic midcentury furnishings by such designers as Eames and Saarinen (from $149 low season, $279 high season; [877] 996-7248, orbitin.com).