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Palm Springs is the original desert paradise city. Built below the peak of Mt. San Jacinto among the dry canyons that spill into this Southern California stretch of the Mojave, Palm Springs is the gleaming soul of the Coachella Valley. It is a thriving, modern city with a special retro charisma, a living reflection of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It is a mix of two worlds: the tans and golds of the Mojave desert blend with the city's emerald lawns and sapphire pools (over 10,000 at last count). The indulgent, 1950s charm of the city's earlier heyday is enhanced by its stunning architecture, sculpted fairways and precision greens. It is America's Desert Playground.

A great place for a round or two of golf, it is one of the premier golf centers in the world, boasting one hundred courses and host to the Annual Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. It is also the perfect place to experience the wonder of the desert. In Joshua Tree National Park, located 45 miles northwest of Palm Springs, the bent-armed Joshua tree forests of the high Mojave Desert meet the odd patches of Cholla Closer to Palm Springs lie the Indian Canyons, the collective name given to Andreas, Murray, and Palm Canyons. A network of hiking and riding trails winds among stunning vistas and between lush palm oases, offering the desert within easy reach of the city. A two and one half mile ascent via the Palm Springs Aerial Tram, lifts you to this pristine wilderness and offers hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, snow boarding, and family snow fun.

Palm Springs is also home to many excellent museums that offer visitors an extensive look at local culture, art, and history. The Palm Springs Desert Museum, features several galleries, the Annenberg Theater, sculpture gardens, fine permanent collections and changing exhibitions of art and the natural sciences. This museum is home to many artifacts of Native American culture, especially that of the local Cahuilla, the people who first inhabited the Coachella Valley. Also of interest is The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, located in nearby Palm Desert. The Living Desert is a 12,000-acre interpretive center with exhibits that feature local desert flora and fauna, including mountain lions, wolves, javelina, bobcats, golden eagles and more.

From its luxurious resorts to its romantic, out-of-the-way lodges Palm Springs offers every visitor a welcome escape from the hectic world. A day of ritzy shopping, a relaxed supper at one of the best restaurants the Southwest has to offer, and the ever-present chance to bump into a famous celebrity will work wonders on even the most strained nerves. Palm Springs is truly one of the nation's premier resort destinations.