things to do in Palm Springs
There are ten parks in the city for serious exercise, including a 1.6-acre dog park located behind City Hall
at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. It’s fenced, open 24
hours, and has picnic tables and benches, solar lighting, fire hydrants, dual purpose canine/human drinking
fountains and some shade. Sunrise Park, 2000 E. Ramon
Rd., is the main attraction for humans, offering a jogging
course, basketball courts, recreation center, picnic area,
and the Palm Springs Public Library. The Palm Springs
Swim Center has an Olympic pool in the Sunrise Plaza
complex and offers swim lessons, private pool parties,
overnight camping, and it has a comfortable and safe
chair lift to aid people who need assistance getting in
and out of the water. Nearby is the city’s Skate Park,
comprised of 30,000 square feet of concrete skating surface. It’s smooth and fast, and helmets, knee pads, and
elbow pads are required.
Among other parks, Ruth Hardy Park at 700 Tamarisk
Road offers public tennis and basketball courts and a
children’s play area with plenty of room to run. Demuth
Park at 4375 Mesquite Ave sports tennis courts (night
lighted), baseball diamonds, batting cages, picnic areas,
and a youth center. Baristo Park at 296 N. Calle encompasses two acres with picnic tables, a basketball court, tot
lot, play structures, grills, and drinking fountains. Frances Stevens Park at 555. N. Palm Canyon features picnic
tables and drinking fountains on 4 acres and is next to the
Palm Springs Playhouse and Art Center. The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation (760.323.8272) oversees a
variety of activities all year long.
And while you’re wandering up and down Palm Canyon, take a look at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
at the Village Green Heritage Center at (219 South Palm
Cyn). The Cahuilla people span nine reservations across
southern California, linked by a shared language. The
Agua Calientes’ identity is rooted in Palm, Murray, Andreas, Tahquitz, and Chino Canyons and is linked to the
hot mineral springs considered sacred by their ancestors.
These springs, called Se-khi (boiling water) in Cahuilla,
are called Agua Caliente in Spanish – hence the evolution.
Admission to the museum is free. The museum is planning build a new 110,000 sq.ft. home for the Museum in
the heart of Palm Springs. (accmuseum.org)
The 2013-2014 season (its
23rd) will be the last for the
Fabulous Palm Springs Follies at the historic Plaza Theatre (128 S. Palm Canyon
Drive), so try to get tickets
early because it’s an entertainment you’ll never forget. It’s a
world-famous, Broadway-caliber celebration of the music,
dance, and comedy of Midphoto: Ned Redway Century America with a cast
old enough to have lived it! The performers are between
55 and 84 and can out-dance, out-sing, and out-perform
the average 30 year old. The final performance forever
will be May 18, 2014. Although final plans for new tennants have not been announced in time for this publication, there is great anticipation about the next reincarnation of this wonderful entertainment venue in the heart of
downtown. (psfollies.com)
And speaking of transitions, the iconic 26 foot
tall sculpture of legendary actress Marilyn Monroe will be moving at the
end of March, 2014 to
make room for an excit“Forever Marilyn”
ing new development.
“Forever Marilyn”, by American artist Seward Johnson has
been on display in downtown Palm Springs since May,
2012. The original plan foresaw her at this temporary
location for only twelve months, during the demolition
of the downtown Fashion Plaza. However, the sculpture,
recreating her famous “subway grate” pose from the movie, The Seven Year Itch has become such an attraction,
that special arrangements were made to extend her visit.
“It’s mind boggling what she has done for Palm Springs
over the last 16 months,” says Aftab Dada, Chairman of
the P.S. Resorts organization. “She may be the most photographed person in the entire state of California.” Don’t
miss your chance to be photographed with all 34,000 lbs
of her - before she’s gone. She’s standing at the corner of
Palm Canyon Drive & Tahquitz Canyon Way. Visit Facebook.com/PalmSpringsForeverMarilyn to learn more and
get the latest on upcoming special events.
Of course, golf is the
allure for a lot of visitors and locals, and
Palm Springs has excellent public courses.
Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort (tahquitzgolfresort.
com) has two 18-hole
Indian Canyons Golf Resort golf courses, and both
offer breathtaking views.
The Legend Course is a traditional layout and 6,600 yards
of tree-lined fairways have been renovated recently with
the addition of 40+ new bunkers. The Resort Course,
designed by Ted Robinson, is a desert links style course
with rolling terrain, well-placed bunkers, and wonderful waterscapes. Indian Canyons Golf Resort (indiancanyonsgolf.com) has been a jewel of Palm Springs and the
Coachella Valley since 1961. Once a private club, this
36-hole facility is on 550 acres of native American tribal
property. The par-72 North Course plays 6,943 yards,
while t