Ready to enjoy uncrowded open spaces and fresh air? Palm Desert delivers on both counts. Here are a few outdoor desert adventures that will be the highlight of your next vacation:
- The Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden at the Artists Center at the Galen is always open and always free. The collection includes major works by renowned artists including Donald Judd and Betty Gold. Meander along the footpaths and enjoy the native desert landscaping around the Henderson Community Building, as well.
- Just down the street from the Artists Center, you’ll find even more Public Art gracing the median of El Paseo, Palm Desert’s downtown shopping district. Download a map and create your own self-guided walking tour of the El Paseo Exhibition.
- There’s always something new at the zoo! The Living Desert unveiled its sprawling Rhino Savanna, home to two endangered black rhinos, Nia and Jaali, back in November. The Australian Adventures exhibit is another new feature offering an immersive experience where Bennett’s wallabies bounce alongside as you walk through their habitat.
- Get a load of that view! Take a short trip south on Highway 74 for a visit to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Vista Point, about a 15-minute drive up the hill from Palm Desert, offers a panoramic vista of the valley and the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north.
- Take a hike! Palm Desert’s trails offer everything from broad vistas to close-up encounters with desert wildlife. Print a map and head off to one of the city’s trailheads for an authentic desert adventure.
- As long as we’re talking about parks and preserves, let’s not forget about Palm Desert’s local parks, too. The city is home to a great variety of parks and public spaces, including Civic Center Park, where you’ll find plenty of ways to chill out in our green space.
Surrounded by open space, Palm Desert offers plenty of wilderness right at our doorstep. Step outside and enjoy all that nature offers and you may just forget the headlines for a while.