ATTRACTIONS
Things to Do Near El Paseo
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Meet Some Critters
The nonprofit Living Desert Zoo and Gardens houses more than 500 animals and a magnificent variety of plant species that are native to the world’s desert regions. Creature encounters include feeding the giraffes and walking with wallabies.
Enjoy a Live Performance
PHOTO COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Get a Bird’s Eye View
Highway 74 is known as the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway because it rises from the palm-studded desert floor to the forested mountaintops. The full route will take you 67 miles through the preserved wilderness, but you need drive only 9 miles from El Paseo to reach Vista Point, a popular lookout spot that surveys the Coachella Valley.
Hit the Greens
Palm Desert and the surrounding cities are packed with picturesque courses that have been favored among golf pros for decades. Get your swing on at Desert Willow, Shadow Ridge, Desert Springs, or Classic Club, all within a few miles of El Paseo.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
PHOTO BY DANIELA STALLINGER
Stroll a Sculpture Garden
At the Faye Sarkowski Sculpture Garden, paved pathways wind through a 4-acre oasis of native flora and modern sculptures from artists including Betty Gold, Yehiel Shemi, and Felipe Castañeda. The garden is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Learn Local History
See where it all began! The collection of archival photographs and documents on display at the Palm Desert Historical Society Museum showcases the city’s settlers and development, dating back to the early 1900s.
PHOTO COURTESY PALM DESERT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Take a Hike
Trails abound in Palm Desert. A healthy range of distance and difficulty ratings will satisfy hikers of all levels. Popular routes include the Bump and Grind (4 miles), the Palm Desert Cross (2.3 miles), and the Hopalong Cassidy Trail (7.4 miles).
Picnic at the Park
Grab some takeout at one of the fabulous restaurants on El Paseo and head to Civic Center Park to eat alfresco by the lake. This recreational haven is the city’s largest park and host to regular events including outdoor concerts and movie screenings.
PHOTO BY DANIELA STALLINGER
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Visit the National Monument
The Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument climbs from the low desert to an elevation of 10,834 feet. Stop by the visitor center on Highway 74 to learn about the land and pick up a map. Then explore the short Ed Hastey Garden Trail, which circles the building, using the augmented-reality app Agents of Discovery, available on Google Play and the App Store.
Make a Splash
With three sparkling pools, multiple waterslides and diving boards, and a fun fountain playground, it’s easy to spend the whole afternoon swimming at Palm Desert Aquatic Center. Exercise classes, swim lessons, and cabana rentals are available. Palm Desert residents get a discount.
PHOTO BY JUAN SALAMANCA