I went on a photographer's trip with Visit Greater Palm Springs in early November. Greater Palm Springs is home to some of Southern California's best shopping and dining opportunities. But did you know there are also hidden gems for a photographic adventure?
Here are 15 places I've visited, and you need to check out if you are visiting Greater Palm Springs.
Rare opportunity to shoot sunrise:
You might have noticed that I don't post many sunrise shots because I am a night owl! But I couldn't pass up the rare opportunity to shoot the sunrise at these locations!
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel:
Our group arrived at the hotel around 5:30 am. Inspired by the decor, lingered in the lobby a little, took a few shots, then headed straight to the rooftop, which offers unparalleled sunrise views over downtown Palm Springs.
Note: You won't have access to the rooftop pool deck of the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel if you are not a hotel guest. So make sure to stay there for at least one night when you are in the Greater Palm Springs area if sunrises are essential to you!
Sunnylands:
Sunnylands is a historic 15-acre estate frequented by national & international leaders. It was just opened to the public in March 2012.
I stood in front of the main building and waited for sunrise.
I really wish I was a little taller (haha!) or I brought the drone out for this shot to get a bit more of the mountain, but it was still a beautiful moment.
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings inspired the grounds and garden design, so you can say it's a living artwork. I walked around after the sunrise to capture some of its daytime beauty.
Notes: Their regular hours of operation are Wednesday - Sunday from 8:30 am - 4 pm. The mountain you see in the backdrop of this shot is Mount San Jacinto, for those who want it in your shot!
Palm Tree Shots:
There are literally palm trees everywhere!! But here are some locations where you can see a cluster of palm trees.
Indian Canyon:
The Indian Canyons is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians and is the only federally recognized Indian Country from Sonoma to the coast of Santa Barbara in California. It is now open for everyone to explore and appreciate its natural beauty. It even offers a Junior Ranger Program where school groups can visit the Cayons for free to learn about the history, culture, and beautiful desert landscape.
Indian Canyons in Palm Springs consist of Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, and Murray Canyon. I visited Andreas Canyon, which offers exciting rock formations and a flowing creek.
And Palm Canyon, with endless views of Palm Trees into the mountain.
I would definitely head back here with Sen to hike a couple of trails and see deeper into the lands the next time we are in the area!
Shields Date Garden:
Shields Date Garden was founded in 1924 by Floyd and Bess Shields. Mr. Shields even brand his hybrids; the most notable are the "Blond" and "Brunette" varieties, which no one knows how to do until this day. I did not know dates grew on (date) palm trees before my visit and that they were exotic and difficult-to-grow fruit where it required hand pollination. The growers used to climb the tree 7 times during a single season, from cultivation to harvesting. Mr. Sheilds created a 15-minute presentation called "Romance and Sex Life of the Date" to show its process and help promote the fruit. You can view the video here or in the theatre in the Sheilds shop.
There are photographic opportunities from the moment we walk in the doors, from their 1960s original shake counter to the 17-acre date grove and botanical garden.
I also tried some of the date varieties they have and had lunch at their award-winning Cafe.
Midcentury Modern architecture
Another thing I've learned on this trip is that Palm Springs has the largest concentration of mid-century modern architecture in the world! They celebrate this with an annual Modernism Week to showcase mid-century modern architecture, art, interior, landscape design, and vintage culture. It usually takes place in February. Here is the link to the self-guided tour if you cannot make the main event.
Palm Springs City Hall
The Palm Springs City Hall was designed by Albert Frey and was completed in 1956. I loved how the palm trees were incorporated into the front entrance of the city hall. Leading our eyes up to see the iconic palm trees against the year-round sunny weather as its backdrop. Creating a slightly different yet consistent experience every time you look.
Palm Springs Visitor Center
Palm Springs Visitor Center used to be the Tramway Gas Station and was designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers and was completed in 1965. It's not an easy building to photograph. This vast wing-shaped roof extends to the sidewalk, creating some safety concerns for photographers. I could not get a full shot of the building, but I enjoyed seeing it in person nonetheless.
Houses on the Modernism week path
Sunburst Palms was the house we saw and photographed during this trip. It is one of the houses that was featured in Modernism Week. The vintage home kept most of the original design, from the eye-catching goldenrod yellow St. Charles kitchen to the kidney-shaped terrazzo coffee table with a small fire feature.
The Saguaro Palm Springs
The Saguaro Palm Springs was transformed from a Holiday Inn in 2012. The Sydell Group did the redesign, and I am a big fan of their work, such as The Line and NoMad in Los Angeles. All 14 colors you see on the exterior of the building can be found in the Mojave Desert. Something even the city council was not aware of when the plan was first submitted to them.
El Jefe at The Saguaro Palm Springs is known for its tacos, so make sure you stop by and give that a try. Their shrimp tacos were my favorite!
Unique activities:
Chase sunset at the Metate Ranch Preserve on the San Andreas Fault with Red Jeep Tours
The San Andreas Fault Zone extends roughly 1,200 kilometers through California and the private Metate Ranch preserve. Our group went into the preserve to chase sunsets and experience the twisted and tortured landscape of the active earthquake fault system with Red Jeep Tours. The preserve's landscape was out of this world, and I would love to come back and hike the area as well.
The Metate Ranch is also an events space. We settled at the Indian Village, a recreated Cahuilla Indian Village, for dinner at the end of the night while enjoying the lingering sunset hues.
See the sights with Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world's largest rotating tramcar. The ride takes about 10 minutes and travels more than 8,500 feet between the base of Chino Canyon to the top of Mount San Jacinto. The top has two restaurants, observation decks, natural history museum, a gift shop, and over 50 miles of hiking trails (in Mt. San Jacinto State Park) to explore.
NOTE: Photography in the tram is not usually allowed. Here are some shots of the view on top:
See and feed animals at the Living Desert Zoo and Garden.
The Living Desert Zoo and Garden specialize in deserts of the world with a mission of desert conservation through preservation, education, and appreciation. It is also rated the 10 best zoos in the US by Conde Nast Traveler! They have several exhibits I've not seen at other zoos, like their new Australian Adventures and Rhino Savanna exhibit. The Living Desert also has Hands-on activities like feeding some animals and a series of wilderness loops and hiking trails!
Watch Horse competitions at the Desert International Horse Park
The Desert International Horse Park is one of the largest equestrian facilities in North America. During our visit, a few competitions occurred, and I captured some competitors in action.
Get inspired by the Coachella Wall Mural Project
The Coachella Walls Mural Project aims to act in an advisory capacity to promote the public's general welfare, enrich the community, and advocate for cultural activities and programs within the city. We were super lucky to see muralist Autumn Martino in action, painting the veteran's tribute.
Get up close to the windmills:
I've seen windmills while driving past Greater Palm Springs before, and this is the first time I got so close! I also learned that some windmills don't spin from time to time because they generate more energy than what’s needed!
Where to Stay:
Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs
Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs is one of the first Margaritaville resorts on the West Coast. The lobby and pool area gave me a beach resort vibe the moment I walked in. The outdoor patio of their JWB Grill and Come Monday Cafe at night are some of my favorite locations of this resort.
There is so much more than what’s on this list to explore and photograph in Greater Palm Springs. Check out some of my posts on Instagram for more photos.
