Like many of you, I was disappointed when in 2014/2015, the Agua Caliente Indian Tribe demolished the historical Spa Hotel in downtown Palm Springs.  The Hotel, which opened in 1963 and had 229 rooms, was a classic mid-century modern building.  Its hot mineral spas tapped into the hot springs that Palm Springs got its name from.  I really considered this a huge loss to the area.  I'm now reconsidering...

On October 7, Agua Caliente Chairman, Jeff Grubbe, announced a new cultural center, spa and bathhouse will be built on the former Spa Hotel site at the intersection of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon Drive.  After the demolition of the venerable old hotel, I remember thinking that I hope they include access to the hot mineral springs with whatever they build there.  I'm very interested in what they mean by bathhouse.  Could they possibly have a public bathhouse right in the middle of downtown Palm Springs?  I'm afraid the article I read didn't go into much detail about it.  Here is what it did detail:

The cultural center will include outdoor activity spaces for people to learn about the tribe and the role the hot springs played in shaping Palm Springs. A path called the Oasis Trail will offer a taste of "the distinctive character, geography, flora and beauty of the nearby Indian Canyons. 

The new museum building will hold approximately 48,000 square feet of gallery space, including areas for art and cultural artifacts, changing exhibits, an education center and garden.

The new spa and bathhouse will include about 40,000 square feet of spa treatment rooms, men's and women's bathhouses, a salon, fitness center, outdoor mineral pools and tranquility garden.  To read the full article, please click here.

I just learned about a local activity that you can do while vacationing in the Palm Springs area. I never knew this existed. It is so different and exciting sounding that I had to write about it.
Imagine gliding over the Coachella Valley in a glider.  On this glider tour, you can see everything from the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains in the west to the Salton Sea in the east and from Joshua Tree National Monument in the north to rugged Toro Peak and the Santa Rosa Mountains in the south.

Palms to Pines Gliding operates a unique airplane that takes off under its own power, then transforms to a glider at altitude. The advantages of a powered glider: It doesn’t require a tow to take off and can land safely at will at any airport. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

“Once you’ve caught the thermal updrafts you soar with the eagles,” says Chris Dabolt, the owner of Palms to Pines Gliding.  He has been a glider pilot for nearly 35 years with commercial and flight-instructor ratings.

Palms to Pines Gliding operates from the privately owned Bermuda Dunes Airport. Dabolt selected the airport because of its large runway, friendly and helpful staff, and proximity to the local mountains and deserts, which provide both spectacular views and the ideal conditions for gliding. Click the following link to learn more about this great Palm Springs activity: https://www.palmstopinesgliding.com/

In the year since golf legend Arnold Palmer’s death, Sept. 25, 2016, there’s been a subtle change in the atmosphere and a healthy uptick in business at the La Quinta restaurant that bears his name.

“There seemed to be a lot of people coming to pay respects,” says Dustin Nichols, general manager of Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, an estate-like establishment in Old Town La Quinta known for its sprawling outdoor patio and Palmer mementos lining every wall. Palmer himself was a frequent guest during season, often lingering to speak with his fans. “There was definitely a lot of nostalgia. And the patrons seem even more interested than usual in all the memorabilia we have, telling the story of Mr. Palmer’s life and career.” Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant re-opens Sept. 21 after its summer hiatus.

The restaurant will wait to mark the first anniversary of its namesake’s passing with a potential charity event later this year, Nichols says. In the meantime, we’ve rounded up eight suggestions for Arnie’s Army to pay homage by visiting some of his landmarks in the desert.

1. Learn the King’s desert history.

“I just like it here,” Palmer once said about the Greater Palm Springs area in a 2014 Desert Sun article marking the restaurant’s 10th anniversary. “It’s the most wonderful place in the world. I came here in 1955 and I never left.” While there was no substitute for his native Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the desert was for many years the King’s true second home.
The story of how the young Pennsylvanian professional touring golfer discovered the desert in 1955, hauling a trailer with his wife Winnie riding shotgun, is one of the highlights of Palm Springs Golf: A History of Coachella Valley Legends & Fairways, a must-read for Palmer fans by veteran Desert Sun columnist Larry Bohannon. The story details how Palmer made this place his own and shaped its golf development for decades. 

To Read More, click on this link:

My last article was about how event tourism, starting with the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival, put the Palm Springs area back on the map.  It really caused the Palm Springs tourism renaissance.

Coincidentally, a new event/festival was just announced that sounds rather interesting.  Like Coachella and Stagecoach, there is a large music element to the event.  Like Palm Springs, its all about the retro and pool parties.  The event is called "Vintage Vibe", and it takes place October 20 - 22 2017.    Here is how the event promoters describe it:

Set in glamorous Palm Springs, California, famed getaway destination of the icons of Old Hollywood, VintageVibe FESTIVAL is a celebration of the evolution of American style and pop culture, which we consider anything pre-1999. The 60k square foot indoor (air-conditioned) marketplace will include vendors who not only represent eras gone by, but also new and innovative vendors who nod to the stylings of yesteryear in their products and design. The show will also feature several renowned headliners that have the "VintageVibe" such as Shannon and The Clams, Generationals, Nick Waterhouse, Best Coast, and others each night of the 3-day festival.

 

Event tourism has been one of the things that caused the renaissance of tourism to the Palm Springs area. The first huge, and world-famous, event was the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The promoters of "Coachella" followed it up a few years later with a Country Music Festival, using the same venue, called Stagecoach. I've attended Stagecoach for the last three years in a row and now will have to attend next year's event due to the following announcement:

Garth Brooks will headline the 2018 edition of Stagecoach, according to sources. It marks the first time the country music superstar has played a dedicated music festival.

Stagecoach, the premier country music festival, will be held April 27-29, 2018 at Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California. Last year’s headliners were Dierks Bentley, Shania Twain and Kenny Chesney. It is unknown which night Brooks will play.

Stagecoach usually announces its line-up in early September.

Brooks, the reigning CMA Awards Entertainer of the Year, is wrapping up a three-year tour at the end of this year. The arena outing has sold more than 5.1 million tickets.

While Stagecoach will be Brooks’ first traditional festival appearance, he delivered the keynote at this year’s SXSW Music Festival and played a free concert, presented by Amazon Music, on the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

Don't forget, the best place to stay while attending the festival is a Dry Heat Resorts luxury vacation rental.  To learn about other Coachella Valley Events, click here.

Palm Springs Mini Mid-Century Modern Homes

One of the more popular franchises on HGTV is the “Tiny House” programming block, which has grown to include four different shows all devoted to the notion that living small doesn’t mean you have to make design sacrifices.

Locally, the 1960s-era Palm Canyon Mobile Club has taken this mantra to heart and given it a distinctly Palm Springs spin. Ravinia Communities, which owns multiple mobile home parks across the country, has acquired the community and is planning to add approximately 100 new “micro homes.” These "micro" mobile homes will reflect the famous Mid-Century Modern style Palm Springs is famous for. 

The expression “micro homes” is the result of discussions Ravinia had with Paul Kaplan, CEO and founder of the Paul Kaplan Group. “They came to me to ask if I wanted to represent the sales of new manufactured homes at the Palm Canyon Mobile Club,” says Kaplan. “Because of the desirable location and unique buyer profile we have in Palm Springs, and considering the popularity of tiny homes across the nation, I suggested trying to do something a little different then the traditional mobile home. Although they’ve never done anything like this previously, they were open to thinking outside the box and thought it would be beneficial to provide this unique housing product not currently available in Palm Springs.”

To Learn More, Click on The following Link: http://www.palmspringslife.com/design-dynamos/

New Service: Dry Heat Resorts is excited to offer our guests five-star concierge service provided by KEY. When you stay in our properties you have the convenience of KEY Concierge- the one-stop-shop for all of your itinerary needs before and during your stay in Palm Springs. KEY Concierge offers essentials such as pre-arrival grocery delivery + stock the bar, private chef, in-home massage, babysitting, etc. In addition to these, KEY helps facilitate local curated experiences such as ATV excursion, San Andreas fault tours, hot air balloon trips, personalized yoga session, golf t times, pool toys & refreshments or a sunset hike + picnic and more. To kick-start your Palm Springs visit, take advantage of the convenience KEY Concierge provides with pre-arrival grocery delivery. It’s what “home away from home” should feel like. 

Click on the following link to view a sampling of essentials and curated local experiences; http://www.dryheatresorts.com/concierge.htm