Palm Springs, California

The Coachella Valley of California is in a incredible place to plan a relaxing, warm getaway to a reliably sunny area of the west coast. It rains here only a handful of days of the year!

While it may not be directly on the beach, Palm Springs and all of Coachella Valley make up for that in hiking, sightseeing, relaxation, restaurants and pooltime. This arid region of California lies about 100 miles east of Los Angeles, and 150 miles west of Arizona. Here you'll find tips on what to see and do in this incredible desert community of Southern California.

Warm, sunny, dry desert paradise in Southern California

The Palm Springs area lies in the middle of the Mojave Desert of Southern California. The temperature in the winter months usually still stays in the 70s during the day, while night temperatures will be comfortable 50s. Summertime temperatures increase dramatically, peaking above 100 regularly in May, June, July, August, and September. Despite this seemingly hostile summer weather, the air is very dry and managable if you stay hydrated and use sunblock.

Palm Springs night shot by boscco.

Many different cacti line the desert floor, along with dry, colorful brush. The towns in the valley are completely surrounded by the San Jacinto Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains. No matter where you are in the valley, you'll always have a great view of mountains all around you. Natural running water is scarce, but can be seen in the wetter winter months from snow melt and rainfall. Wildlife varies from jack rabbits to coyotes, desert snakes to roadrunners.

Ascending the surrounding mountains around the valley will bring about very different landscapes and wildlife. The temperatures cool greatly in towns like Idyllwild, and offer a wide array of hiking, plant life, and wildlife.

Summertime temperatures in the months of June, July, August and September regularly reach over 100. Is this your type of thing?

Just around the corner from Palm Springs is the San Andreas Fault...

Not only is California the third largest state in the country, but it offers a huge variety of scenery and activities. In San Diego, you'll find pristine beaches, cool clubs and fun amusements. Los Angeles has some of the most famous sites in the world, like Hollywood and Santa Monica Pier. To the west, you'll find Coachella Valley and the Inland Empire. To the north lies coastal communities like Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, and Monterey, followed by San Francisco and the Bay Area. To the northeast lies Napa and Sonoma, the famed wine country region. Back on the coastline, Redwoods shoot to the sky. On the Nevada border, you can find Lake Tahoe, which isn't too far from Yosemite National Park. Further south is Death Valley, the hottest place in North America. Each of these sites offer days and days of sightseeing that you'll definitely need a good amount of information for...

There are many beautiful towns within California. This book is an excellent photographic example of some of these cool towns, some which are more well known, while some are hidden California gems.