Once you’ve settled into your resort and found your favorite spot by the pool, you may be content to stay there.  If you do decide to explore beyond the boundaries of your resort, here are some suggestions.

One of the first places you’ll want to visit is El Paseo, a high-end shopping district in Palm Desert. You’ll find over 150 shops, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants as you stroll down the scenic avenue. Tommy Bahamas has one of their restaurants at El Paseo, and it’s a great place to have Caribbean food in an island setting.

You may want to check out Shields Date Gardens located just east of Palm Desert on Hwy 111. This family business has been growing dates since the 1920’s when the first Medjool date palms were sent to this area from Morocco, to save the palms from extinction. Stop by to learn about dates, take a tour in their gardens and have a date shake.

To get a birds-eye view of the area, ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 6,000 feet above the desert to the top of San Jacinto Mountain. Once you’re at the top, take a guided nature walk (keep in mind its 40 degrees cooler) or go to the cocktail lounge and enjoy the expansive view over cocktails.