A trip to Palm Springs in late November left me thinking this is a place I will return time and time again. Sheltered by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains on the south and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west with its towering 10,837 feet Mt. San Jacinto, the climate is dry. This is also where you will find the famed Palm Springs Tramway, The area boasts 354 days of sun annually. With a village like setting, without too much traffic, and all the amenities of resort living at your beck and call---what’s not to like.

January, February, March and April are prime time in this desert oasis. The temperature is mild, the days sunny, the golf and tennis great, the restaurants outstanding, the shopping unparalleled and the entertainment hard to beat. In fact, it’s difficult to find time to lounge by the pool. Just come here and veg. And people have been doing it for years.

In the 20s and 30s in was Hollywood’s playground, close enough for the stars to work, but great for a weekend get-away. The International set soon discovered it, and today it remains a prime winter destination, not only for jet setters, but for thousands of regular folk trying to escape winter’s hardships. Accommodations can qualify at any level, from bungalow to private villas. The Palm Springs Visitor’s Center will make reservations for you free of charge. www.palm-springs.org or for surrounding desert communities www.giveintothedesert.com



One of my picks 20 minutes outside Palm Springs in Cabazon, California, is the Morongo Casino-Resort-Spa, less expensive that in the village but with major amenities and constant shuttle service to the nearby Outlet Shopping Center. This isn’t just any Outlet Mall, the shops here are designer quality. You can pick up an original at an exceptional savings and who would ever know you didn’t pay full retail!

Mrs. Flo Ziegfeld (aka Billie Burke and a star in her own right) once made the comment, “Age doesn’t matter unless you are a cheese.” The Palm Springs Follies cast proves this is true. Going into its second decade of entertaining, these former movie stars, show girls, Rockettes, and vaudevillian performers, now in their 60s to 80s put on a show 9 times a week during the Winter Season that equals anything on Broadway. Feathers, furs, sequins, showgirls wearing 3 inch heels coming down the staircase without a misstep, music and sets with the romance and glamour of the 30s, 40s, 50s. The Follies hark back to the Golden Age of true American entertainment. When an 84 year old lovely with a figure of someone in her 20s can do the splits, and even more amazing, get up afterwards, the show is inspirational as well. Makes you want to go right home and take up tap dancing! . The performers are ageless Upcoming headliners include The Four Aces- January 9-February 9, Melba Moore- February 12-March 22, and Anna Maria Alberghetti- March 26-May 17. . www.psfollies.com Be sure to include the Follies during your stay in Palm SpringsDining in the area offers a myriad of choices....from piano bars , jazz and supper clubs, to hundreds of restaurants with a wide range in variety and price. Plus The Follies, the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts and the Annenberg Theater in the Palm Springs Desert Museum offer top talent in the evenings.

Choices for activities are wide. The great weather in the area makes you want to get out and hike the trails, or bike, if you’re not otherwise occupied in a golf or tennis game.

Be sure The Indian Canyons are on your list. These undisturbed natural wonders are a ‘must see.’ The Palm Springs Art Museum is nationally acclaimed and along with its permanent collection often hosts top touring exhibitions. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens are open all year long and feature 1,200 acres of wildlife and a botanical park with rare and endangered desert animals and African wildlife , hiking trails and picnic areas. And did I mention the Palm Springs tram that takes you to the top of Mt. San Jacinto for a breathtaking view of the valley below. The revolving car in which you take the ride gives you a 360 degree view up and down for the approximately 15 minute ride one-way. You can’t say you’ve really seen Palm Springs until you’ve taken the tram!

There’s much more to see and do---too many choices to mention here. Best you check it out for yourself. www.palm-springs.org As the rain is falling here in western Oregon, and the grey days seem endless, and as I write this, I’m so inspired, I’m seriously considering packing my bag and heading back to the desert for a Winter break. Palm Springs is so accessible with its own International Airport, and Orange County and L.A. airports not far away it makes getting there easy.

by Ann Terry Hill
www.annterryhill.com

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