Advice for an Ex-President: Some Things to Do While You’re in Palm Springs

Since I recently visited Palm Springs, California, it was funny to see that ex-President Obama and his family are spending an extended period of time there. Regardless of one’s political views, being president for the last eight years must have been fairly stressful. I’m sure Obama and his family are unwinding and enjoying some secluded time to themselves. For him, that probably includes playing golf, which is what he has done on previous visits to the Coachella Valley.

However, there are many other fun things to do (besides play golf) in the Palm Springs area. Since I recently visited there and spent a few days seeing the sights, I consider myself a full-scale expert on the place. Clearly, he should look no further for a qualified travel advisor.

Here are my suggestions for some great family-friendly activities in the Palm Springs area (for everyone, not just ex-presidents).

(1) Get a Date

Date palms grow very well in the Coachella Valley. There are thousands of acres of palm trees growing. These aren’t the ones you’ll find on golf courses or around chlorine-scented hotel pools. Drive down the highways and roads south of Palm Springs/Palm Desert/Indian Wells and you’ll see lots of big trees around Indio, Thermal, and Coachella town.

You can see the palm fruits hanging from the trees. Often, these are protected with cones of waxed paper. The cone condoms prevent birds, insects, and rain showers (rare in the desert) from harming the dates.

Creative Commons via Flickr by Randy Heinitz

Driving through the date orchards, you’ll pass a few fruit stands where you can buy a variety of different dates. Dates mature on the tree with very little moisture, and some are dried further, so as “dried fruits” they are available year-round. Also, if you pass a diner or cafe in this area, you will see their signs for date shakes and smoothies. Dates have one of the highest antioxidant scores of any fruit, though they do pack some calories with all of their sugar.

The Coachella Valley farms grows several kinds of dates that were imported from Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East. The first and most widely grown date is the Deglet Noor, which is light brown or red in color with a slightly translucent appearance. It is lightly sweet and has a nice nutty taste. You can eat several of these without being overpowered.

The second most popular date is the dark brown Medjool, which is like eating a fragrant lump of sugar. The Medjool is considered the queen of dates. All Medjool trees can trace their ancestry back to one date tree in Morocco. Medjool dates are sweet enough that most people cannot eat more than one or two of them at a time.

Aside from those varieties, there are many others as well. Here are some different kinds of dates that are grown in the Coachella Valley. As you can see, they tend to have Arabic names, since most originated in North Africa or the Arabian Peninsula.

(2) Check Out Some Crafts and Street Fun at VillageFest

Creative Commons via Flickr by Orin Zebrest

The Farmers Market at VillageFest. Photo credit: The Desert Sun.

Another place you can score some dates (the dried fruit kind) is at VillageFest. Every Thursday night, downtown Palm Springs is transformed from a sleepy SoCal desert town to a hustling bustle of activity. The main drag is lined with artists and craft vendors, who are joined on a side street by local farms selling their produce.

If you’re looking for a hot club scene, this isn’t it. But people who come to Palm Springs have golf clubs on their minds more often than nightclubs. I didn’t stay out late, but I’m pretty sure they roll up the sidewalks once all the wheelchairs, walkers, and golf carts are parked for the night.

Enough bad jokes. VillageFest is great for all ages and it’s wonderful to see different generations out for a stroll. A few people bring their dogs and some of the shops on the main street hand out water bowls or dog treats. There is a small stage set up for entertainment and there are other musicians and entertainers on the street also.

Both images in this set: Creative Commons via Flickr by Joe Bielawa.

(3) Joshua Tree National Park

Since you gave a speech last year mentioning Joshua Trees, I can only assume you have visited this magnificent park already. If you haven’t been there yet, it is quite lovely in a stark, desert sense. Those scraggly trees are all over the hills.

If you head out there, make sure to play a few tunes from the famous U2 album of the same name.

Joshua Tree by U2.

(4) The Living Desert

Author photo

The Living Desert is a great educational experience for adults and kids of all ages. It is a desert botanical garden and a zoo, all in one. And it’s in Palm Desert, which is close to most other locations in the valley, so visiting this place will not take too long.

On my recent visit there, highlights included the Mexican Wolves, Golden Eagles, and Desert Tortoise. These are animals which are native to the desert regions of North America, yet are rarely seen. In addition, there are African animals such as giraffes and ostriches, even though these are not native to the American deserts.

Here is a blurry photo I took of a Mexican Wolf. They are the southernmost sub-species of the North American Gray Wolf. These wolves are highly endangered; all remaining Mexican Wolves live in captivity with the hope that breeding programs can restore them to the wild.

The Living Desert’s new veterinary center is incredible. A docent gave me a tour of it when I visited. If they are caring for any animals while you are there, you can watch the action right through the glass windows. The facility is newer and cleaner in appearance than most people hospitals.

But the Living Desert’s main attractions for me are the different desert plant environments they have created. For example, they have a Mojave desert area with cacti and other plants that are typical for that ecosystem, while the plants in their Sonoran Desert area look somewhat different. I never knew there were so many different cactus plants, shrubs, and other native plants.

Throughout the park, there are educational signs to help you understand the desert plants and animals. Many of the perennial plants are labelled with plaques so that you can identify them easily. Or you can ignore the educational aspect and just take a walk through the park.

You might meet a tourist or a tortoise who wants to take a selfie with you.

(5) Look at the Stars

Creative Commons via Flickr by Wendy Hsieh.

Palm Springs has its own Hollywood-style stars on the sidewalk. Don’t forget that this has long been a place where movie stars and other celebrities come to play. Spend enough time in the area and you might get your own star someday.

(6) The Aerial Tramway

Creative Commons via Flickr by Greg Lilly.

Creative Commons via Flickr by Brian Indrelunas.

Mount San Jacinto is a huge hunk of rock which serves as a backdrop for everything in Palm Springs. Since it is tall and blocks the moist air from the west, the top of the mountain often has snow in the wintertime. I have not been there during the winter myself, but I hear it is quite amazing to go from the relatively warm desert floor all the way up to the snow in a matter of minutes.

Since even Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley were hit by this last set of California storms, there should be snow on the peak now.

Even when there isn’t any snow, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a great family experience. The tram takes you 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) up the side of the mountain and it features the world’s largest rotating tram car. Mr. (Ex-) President, if the family would prefer to stay by the pool, then wear some sunglasses and a hoodie, tell those Secret Service guys to wear something less conspicuous than they usually do, and go for a ride up the tram yourself.

From the top of Mount San Jacinto, you can see for many miles. If the weather is clear, you can see the valley floor below. If there are clouds, you may be above them.

A view like this puts the world’s problems into perspective.

References:

Thumbnail photo: Marilyn Monroe statue in Palm Springs. Creative Commons via Flickr by Fred Miller.
California Dates: http://www.seecalifornia.com/farms/california-dates.html
Antioxidants: http://www.livestrong.com/article/366670-why-are-date-fruits-a-superfood/
VillageFest: http://villagefest.org/
Joshua Tree National Park: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm
Living Desert: http://www.livingdesert.org/
Aerial Tramway: https://www.pstramway.com/