Palm Springs is 90 miles or so from Los Angeles, and a Photowalking dream, especially in the winter, when the mountains are snow capped, the warm temps are more welcome than ever, and the desert flowers are full of life and blooms.
We recently took a Palm Springs Photowalk to the desert playground to learn all about the photo highlights of PS.
A collection of Palm Springs photo highlights, by Jefferson Graham for the Photowalks series
What to photograph in Palm Springs?
Swimming pools
Every hotel, it seems specializes in big, comfy pools, inviting you to hang around and never leave–at least while the sun is still out. Many have bartenders on call and can be the scene of massive pool parties, or just quiet affairs. Creating memorable pools in Palm Springs was an artform in the 1950s, where some 900 pools were said to have been built by then. (Just ask the New York Times.) Today, it’s up to 40,000, and that’s within the entire desert area. The Riviera, a classic mid-century hotel favored by Frank Sinatra and his pals back in the 1950s is said to have one of the largest pools, but I’m not buying it. It’s big, but so are the pools at other vintage themed properties. I was more impressed with the Saguaro than the old Riviera (now Magaritaville) but that could be just me.
The Saguaro swimming pool in Palm Springs
The pool at the old Riviera (now Margaritaville) in Palm Springs
The pool at another classic mid-century property, the Del Marco Hotel, in the Tennis Club district of Palm Springs.
Windmills
Pull off Route 10 and head down highway 111 down the 10 mile road into Palm Springs, and you’re greeted by a large bank of windmills generating energy for the Coachella Valley. Look for the Amtrak station pull off. Park and get a great shot. I love this capture of a deserted railroad track, with the windmills in the background.
The windmills of Palm Springs, off Highway #111
Historic buildings
Palm Springs is in love with its mid-century history, when Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and other entertainers had elaborate desert homes. Many are intact, and a joy to look at. Unfortunately on this trip, we didn’t get to do the Movie Star home tour, but we did stay in the historic Tennis Club district downtown, which is ripe with small old motor inns–one of which (Amin Casa) used to be the home for movie siren Gloria Swanson back in the 1930s. Our hotel (no movie star connection, just a woman named Joanie, the original owner) is a find, if you like hanging by the pool, and being able to walk into town. (Yes!) It’s called Desert Hills, and we can’t recommend it highly enough.
The Desert Hills in Palm Springs is a mid-century, comfy motor inn where all the action revolves around the swimming pool.
Palm trees
You can’t go too far without seeing the biggest, baddest palm trees you’ve ever had the pleasure of being around.
Joshua trees
The Joshua Tree National Park is 49 miles from downtown Palm Springs and definitely worth a visit. Why? See below.
No P.S. visit is complete without a selfie in front of the “Palm Springs,” sign. This is en route to downtown, at the entrance to the Aerial Tramway, which, for $25 or so, will take you to the top of the mountain for lunch and some snow sighting.
The other really popular stop, for no really good reason, is the roadside Dinosaur exhibit in nearby Cabazon, right on highway #10, where an area Burger King is flanked by two giant size Jurassic Park style replicas. One lets you walk right in and buy souvenirs.
The weather turned on us during the trip, preventing us from getting many of the shots we wanted. We really wanted to capture some of the mid-century movie star mansions, the windmills against a blue sky and the famous “Bob Hope home” hike, otherwise known as the Araby Trail. (We did get to the Palm Springs Art Museum hike, a great 3.5 mile trek through the back of town, with great overhead views.)
But that’s okay–just a perfect excuse to go back soon, and complete the Palm Springs Photowalk.
Riding down Palm Canyon drive, the main thoroughfare in Palm Springs.
Our final image, how we’d like to always remember Palm Springs, from our favorite pool in town, the Desert Hills:
Here are more ideas for you:
Greater Palm Springs Tourism: https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/blog/post/best-instagram-spots-in-greater-palm-springs/