further afield

Out of the Frying Pan
and Right Back In

Story by Dale Irvin
If you can't stand the heat in Palm
Springs, get out (at least for the afternoon). And you can do it in mere minutes
thanks to a tram that takes you
8,000 feet up a mountain.
A couple of summers ago, I decided to spend some June vacation time in the only place in the country where it's hotter than here. And I was glad I did.

The daytime highs in Palms Springs in June can easily push a hundred degrees. And that's hotter than most June days here. BUT as soon as the sun starts to go down, temperatures plummet, unusually into the sixties by nightfall. And of course it's a DRY HEAT. Which means it feels like an oven during the day instead of a steam bath. What makes that entirely bearable though, are the wonderful micro-misting systems that seem to be everywhere. Every pool deck and sidewalk café has one. So that even in the heat of the day you can enjoy one of Palm Springs' many shaded alfresco dining spots in perfect comfort. (My favorite is the Blue Coyote Grill.) Afternoons are spent lounging by the pool, followed by a nap. And then at sunset you put on a snappy outfit and head out for some nightlife. June 15th-20th by the way, is Palm Springs Restaurant Week, when many of the city's finest restaurants offer three-course dinners starting at $26.

Flying into Palm Springs itself is expensive, but there are fares to San Diego just over the San Jacinto Mountains that currently start at under $200. And the drive over the mountains was one of the highlights of my trip, with a stop in beautiful pine-forested Idyllwild halfway. It's amazing to watch the entire eco-system dramatically change as you drop down the mountain from Idyllwild into the desert.

And because, like here, summer is off-season in the desert there are great deals. The Shadow Mountain Resort in Palm Desert (just down the road from Palm Springs) is offering summer rates starting at $69. There are four pools around which to lounge, and five hot tubs for when it cools off in the evening. Details HERE.

As always my recommendation for finding the best fare into San Diego is to use Travelocity's flexible fare search feature.

Lots more stuff to do (including another personal favorite, the 8,000 foot aerial tram ride up to the top of a mountain) at www.palm-springs.org.

More travel musings on my blog HERE.