TRAVEL TRENDS
> C L I C K H E R E T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T W H AT M A K E S PA L M S P R I N G S A N I D E A L T O U R I S T D E S T I N AT I O N
T
here's a lot to love about
Palm Springs this time
of year. The California
destination is renowned for its
beautiful weather, world-class
golf, shopping, and endless
array of events and activities.
And with peak season right
around the corner, travelers
will be flocking to the region
more than ever before – with
good reason.
In the last four years, Palm
Springs has experienced a
renaissance of sorts.
Larger resorts share the
spotlight with trendy
boutique hotels, each
one as unique as the next.
Take the former mid-range
Holiday Inn in downtown, for
instance. The motel was pur-
chased, renovated and re-
branded. Today it's The
Saguaro, host of pool parties
and a revolving art gallery.
There also are two upscale
restaurants on site.
The hotel is modern chic in-
side and out. And it's one of
more than a hundred such de-
sign gems in the area.
"Motels have been rebranded
and made cool," says Hillary
Angel, Palm Springs Bureau of
Tourism Public Relations Man-
ager. "They attract sophisti-
cated, hip travelers looking to
enjoy the desert lifestyle."
Decades ago, when the city
started marketing the area
through Certified Folder Dis-
play Service, brochures were
limited to a few attractions.
Today, the region's Bureau of
Tourism circulates brochures
and visitor guides in hundreds
of locations. And there's no
shortage of activities and desti-
nations to promote.
The aerial tramway has been
a favorite for 50 years. Visitors
also enjoy golf, museums, film
festivals and fine dining. In
November, the Architecture
and Design Center will open
with museum exhibits and
community programs.
"Palm Springs has always
been the place to go," Angel
says. "The last five years the
transient occupancy tax is up
over 70 percent. Palm Springs
has reinvented itself."
what's old is new again
With an endless array of activities and modernized amenities, Palm Springs comes alive this time of year
HOME TO THE STARS
A HOLLY WOOD
CONNECTION
W
hile Palm Springs
is definitely at-
tracting a younger
crowd these days, local
retirees and visitors
from all over the world
mingle. Even Holly-
wood is back.
In the 1940s and
'50s, celebrities flocked
to Palm Springs, a two-
hour drive from Los
Angeles. Today, Holly-
wood hipsters are re-
claiming the area.
Leonardo DiCaprio re-
cently purchased
Dinah Shore's
place in the up-
scale Old Las
Palmas neigh-
borhood, once a
getaway for Liber-
ace and Liz Taylor,
among others. There's
even a celebrity homes
tour featuring notable
residents past and
present. CliCK here
for more details.
The Saguaro: modern chic inside and out.
CLICK
HERE FOR AN
IN&DEPTH LOOK
BACK AT PALM
SPRINGS
