Staying
cool in Palm Springs just got easier
By Laurisa Franklin
On-line Forty-Niner
When
most people think of Palm Springs, they
imagine evenings that end just after sundown
and a little old retired couple walking
down the street.
Happily, that is all rapidly changing. Palm
Springs is becoming a hot spot for young
people - full of nightlife and a good time.
Palm Springs can still be that quick, quite
escape from the noisy Los Angeles traffic.
The desert city is a golfer’s paradise,
with 10 new golf courses being built and
some of the classics are still going strong.
This is the place to spend winter in the
sand.
Palm Springs also has some of the most famous
day spas in the world.
Although it costs to spend a day being pampered
like a celebrity, a spa visit is a great
Christmas present after those head-aching
finals.
The car trip to the desert should take approximately
two hours along Interstate 10, unless stops
are made at some great tourist attractions
along the way. A glimpse of Claude Bell’s
towering dinosaurs in Cabazon is worth the
stop.
In addition to the crowds they attract,
the dinosaurs have been used as a filming
location for music videos and movies, including
1986s’ “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.” Dinny,
a 150-ton, 150-foot-long Apatosaurus complete
with a souvenir shop and museum in its belly,
has come to be known as one of the largest
replicas in the world, which still remains
open to the public.
Another stop worth making along the way
is the Desert Hills Premium Outlets, located
west of Palm Springs. This shopping paradise
is the West Coast’s largest collection of
designer outlets. This attractive outdoor
village offers 120 stores with exciting
labels straight out of the pages of the
top fashion magazines. Some of the stores
include Gucci, Versace, Space (Prada, Miu
Miu), Off 5th-Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet,
Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Donna Karan,
The Gap Outlet, Giorgio Armani, TSE, Tommy
Hilfiger, Nike Factory Store.
This is definitely worth the stop.
In Palm Springs, dining out is one of the
best attractions. Located in the River
at Rancho Mirage, at the intersection of
Bob Hope and Highway 111, the Yard House
is just one of many restaurants in the River’s
center including PF Chang’s, Fleming’s Steakhouse
and Babes BBQ, to name a few. In addition,
The River also offers the best movie screens
in the desert with stadium seating.
Founder and CEO of The Yard House Steele
Platt said that the people in
Rancho Mirage come from all over the world
and bring a representation of personalities
from different countries. The Rancho Mirage
Yard House has been open for almost a year
and is currently the highest grossing restaurant
in the desert. It caters to the local crowd
as well as the international crowd
from around the world. Ages of the customers
are broad, where both young and old “belly
up” to the bar and enjoy the many beers
the Yard House has to offer.
“The Yard House offers a great place to
meet in the desert, either to have drinks,
experience the food menu, or just hang out
and meet different people from different
parts of the world,” Platt said.
Just off of Palm Canyon Drive at Cedar Creek
is the Derby Lounge, which offers music
and dancing.
This club looks like a scene out of a Gap
commercial. Decked out elegantly with chandeliers,
a fireplace and wooden arches, this is one
of the prettiest places in the desert. The
Derby Lounge caters to a swing crowd looking
to jump and jive to their big band sounds.
For more of a contemporary club atmosphere,
visitors might want to check out Bananaz.
This sports bar and grill offers everything
for a great night out. The tropical hand-painted
murals along the walls are a backdrop for
the sporting events playing on the televisions
throughout the bar.
The club has themed nights such as Country
Sunday, Tuesday Swing and Karaoke Wednesdays
and Thursdays. A great DJ spins songs every
night with two huge dance floors that are
never empty.
The warm climate Palm Springs offers is
a great way to spend your Winter Break.
It is a quick escape from Los Angeles, which
offers fun for everyone. Although it is
still popular among the retired couples,
it is easy to find young people in a town
full of nighttime entertainment.
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