King Elvis in Palm Springs

Did you know that the King of Rock and Roll had strong ties to Palm Springs, California? In May of 1967, Elvis and Priscilla Presley were married in Las Vegas, but honeymooned in a spectacular mid-century modern home here in Palm Springs, located at 1350 Ladera Circle in our Vista Las Palmas neighborhood. Exactly nine months later little Lisa Marie was born.

Elvis never owned the home, but leased it from 1967-1970, spending several months a year at this get-away with Priscilla and his new daughter. Palm Springs visitors can drive by and see the well maintained exterior, or arrange for an Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway private tour of the interior as well as the backyard pool area.

For a look at this historic pop-culture treasure, and to get a better sense of that history, see Behind Closed Doors: A glimpse into a Palm Springs mid-century modern home fit for a king – and his bride, from the Summer, 2011 issue of Broughton Quarterly.

Although the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway may be the most well known Presley residence in Palm Springs, more noteworthy perhaps is what is now known as the Presley Estate. In 1970, Elvis purchased a home located at 845 W. Chino Canyon. At the time of his death in 1977, Elvis owned only two homes, this property and Graceland in Memphis.

From 1970 until he and Priscilla divorced in 1973, they spent about 3 months each year at this home. Elvis even turned the living room into a makeshift recording studio, and it’s rumored that in 1973, songs including "Are You Sincere", "Blue Spanish Eyes", "I Miss You", and "Sweet Angeline" were recorded here.

After his divorce from Priscilla, Elvis turned the home into a ”bachelor pad,” fitted out more for entertaining than family life, and spent many weekends with guests in the evening by the swimming pool. Like more recent Palm Springs residents, he commuted between Las Vegas and Palm Springs by airplane. For more information, check out the Presley Estate.

No matter what your age, if songs like “Hound Dog,” and “Suspicious Minds” let you know that Elvis really was the King of Rock and Roll, then you might be interested in exploring the Elvis legacy when you next visit Palm Springs.

Palm Springs: It All Depends On Where You Hang Your Hat

When I think of desert, what comes to mind is hot, sand, little vegetation, solitude and quiet, and blowing tumbleweeds. Mountains make me think of the aroma of tall stately pine trees, shady mountain paths and vistas for miles. And a tropical paradise is all about lush greenery, palm trees, gentle breezes and the ocean.

Nature, with the aid of man, has created a curious combination of all this in Palm Springs, California. There’s no question that Palm Springs is in the desert. We’re surrounded by sand. It can be very hot (triple digit high temperatures 3 months a year); constant sun (an average of over 350 days of sunshine every year); dry (we hardly see any rain). And yes, when the wind blows you actually can see tumbleweeds blowing across the road in front of you.

But this is not just flat sand for miles and miles with the mirage of an oasis in the distance. The Palm Springs area is surrounded by mountain ranges (including the two highest peaks in Southern California, both above 10,500 feet,) so there are very few places where you don’t have a view of the mountains. Now it’s true you can’t step out your door into a forest wilderness, but with a 10 minute ride up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway you are transported from desert to Alpine forest. It’s great for a cool walk in the summer or a snowball fight in the winter. Or, you can make the quick one hour’s drive to Idyllwild and experience a charming mountain community in the midst of Ponderosa Pines.

Now, as for tropics, that is where man has stepped in. If you look down on the Palm Springs area from an airplane, the first thing you notice is a sea of green surrounded by beige. Man has transformed (sort of) this desert by planting grass, Mexican Fan Palms (not originally indigenous to the Palm Springs area), fruit trees bearing lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit, lots of other lush vegetation, and of course, building over 140 golf course green spaces. Due to the irrigation required for all this greenery, as well as the occasional monsoon breeze coming up from the Gulf of Mexico, we even have a bit of humidity once in a while. And as for ocean, well man couldn’t create that, but we do have the greatest number of swimming pools per capita in the U.S.

While Captain Kirk has been on hiatus (that’s fancy Hollywood talk for vacation) this past month, I moved from the Palm Springs home I lived in for the past 10 years to a new home. During the process I came to appreciate the differing combinations of desert, mountain and tropical environments that exist within this small City of Palm Springs. Although my former and current home are only three miles distant one from another, I now live in a totally different environment.

My former home was located in North Palm Springs, surrounded by untouched protected desert areas (located on Aqua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indian tribal reservation land) and close to the San Gorgonio Pass (one of the windiest places on earth and home to over 4,000 wind turbine generators).  So I saw the desert sand, and felt the desert wind every day. The hacienda style home had thick walls with Mexican pavers and tile floors to keep it cool; my outside landscaping was composed of crushed stone and rocks planted with Cactus and other drought tolerant vegetation. Every night from my back patio I watched the sun set behind Mt. San Jacinto (10,800 ft.).

I moved to Central Palm Springs, a bit of the tropics, and into what was once a Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern suite hotel. I no longer see the sunset, but enjoy sunrise behind the palms every morning. I still see the mountains, but now am surrounded by stately palms swaying with gentle breezes rather than desert winds creating swirls in the sand. My yard is lush green grass always somewhat damp from the irrigation (what a joy under the feet), and I look down from my balcony onto fruit trees and other, almost tropical, vegetation.

What hits me is the environmental alternatives available in Palm Springs – desert, tropics, mountains – and in what combination? As either a full time resident, or as a vacation visitor looking for accommodations in this remarkable area, it’s all a matter of choice in Palm Springs, California.

Palm Springs Attracts a Wide Variety of Visitors

I’m always amazed at the incredible diversity of Palm Springs visitors – you are straight and you are gay – retired couples, 30 something singles, and families with their kids or relatives. And you come from all over the US and Canada, as well as Europe, Central and South America as well as Asia and India, to enjoy our great sunny weather, our unique natural environment, and combination of cosmopolitan yet laid back small town feel.

One of the things I like to do is search websites and blogs for visitor reactions to Palm Springs, including the writer’s personal recommendations. Learning what others like helps me to make appropriate suggestions for my own guests and clients.

So here are a few links to posts I recently ran across. I thought you might enjoy some outsider viewpoints.

From My Daily, a blog targeted primarily to residents of the UK, it highlights a couple of my favorite boutique resorts, showing the variety of our accommodations here in Palm Springs.

In the Real Travel Adventures Magazine, Nancy and Dean Hoch (from their pictures I would guess perhaps a couple enjoying their retirement) share their impressions of our Desert Playground – Then and Now, based on a recent visit.

And finally, from TravellingMom.com, a military mom travelling alone with her 4 year old, talks about her experience in Palm Springs.

It’s one thing to get recommendations from someone who lives in Palm Springs and loves it, but another thing to read what our wonderful visitors have to say.

Naked in Palm Springs

On any day in Palm Springs, it would be hard to guess how many people are out in their back yards or sitting around a sparkling swimming pool au natural. Call it nudist, naturist, or just clothing optional, Palm Springs is the perfect place to work on that all-over tan.

My guests and clients often remark on the fact that almost every private home and most boutique resorts are surrounded by tall “privacy walls.” This, and our cityscape characterized by low-rise properties, provides an ideal environment in which to enjoy being naked. Palm Springs is one of the most popular nudist destinations in the world, with over 30 resorts that allow nudity on their grounds.

The American Association for Nude Recreation notes that naturist/nudist travel is now a $440 million industry, up from $200 million in 1992, so if you haven’t stayed at a nudist or clothing optional resort before, it might be time to find out just what it’s all about.

The best-known nudist resort in Palm Springs is, undoubtedly, the six-acre Desert Sun Resort, probably because of its famous “naked bridge” that crosses above Indian Canyon Drive, one of our main downtown streets. This bridge allows guests to walk from one part of the complex to the other without having to put on clothes. The upscale and family-friendly resort has it all; tennis courts, three swimming pools, two hot tubs, a full service restaurant, spa, and offers both villas and condo accommodations (some condos are even available for purchase).

Another favorite nudist resort is the 17-room Terra Cotta Inn which has a heavy repeat visitor clientele due to its friendly atmosphere, outdoor pool, huge Jacuzzi with mountain views, complimentary daily poolside breakfasts, romantic fire pit, and spa services.

Palm Springs also has one of the largest concentrations of gay and lesbian resorts in the world, with nearly all of these being clothing optional.

However, if you’re not quite ready to share your nakedness with strangers, but still want that all over tan, or just to explore what it’s like to wander naked outdoors any time you want, consider renting one of our many Palm Springs vacation rental homes. Vacation Palm Springs offers a variety of private homes you can rent by the day, week, or longer. Many of these have secluded walled yards and pool areas where your privacy is guaranteed.

Unique Palm Springs History and Celebrity Home Tour

Palm Springs is an international resort destination drawing visiting vacationers from all over the world. In addition to wonderful weather, natural beauty, and opportunity for outdoor adventure, many visitors are captivated with Palm Springs as the former “Playground of the Stars,” eager to learn a bit about our fascinating Palm Springs history, and see where Hollywood celebrities actually lived in Palm Springs.

If this interests you, there are several options. Narrated bus or van tours drive around neighborhoods where celebrities lived. These tours are easy; you sit in air conditioned comfort and are driven around with 8 (van) or 50 (bus) others. You get to see a lot of homes. Narration is usually good but pretty much a generalized overview. The downside is that you’re in a bus or van. There’s no chance to stop and take a closer look. You’re part of a group so the tour is not very personalized.

If you don’t want an organized tour you can pick up a map of celebrity homes from the Palm Springs Visitor’s Center and strike out on your own with a self-guided tour. The big advantage is that you can do this at your own pace, whether by bike, on foot or by car, stopping whenever you want for an up-close look. I think this approach gives a better feel for the neighborhoods than from inside a bus or van. However, you don’t have a guide to provide any history or back-story on the homes you are viewing – so it’s pretty much just a look at houses attached to a celebrity name.

Then there’s my alternative. Since this past April I’ve been providing guided, narrated walking tours of Old Las Palmas (the oldest and most notable Palm Springs celebrity neighborhood). My tours are small (no more than 4-6 guests per tour), casual, and personalized to the interests and desires of my guests. Not only do you have a chance to peek over walls and look through gates, if there’s an open house or estate sale you want to explore, we can do that as well. My tour covers about 1½ miles on flat city streets, and is a leisurely stroll taking 2-2½ hours, winding our way around homes built from 1925-2005.

  

When I begin each tour I ask guests what in particular they want to get from the tour. Often the response is, “How did Palm Springs become the city it is today?”

My tour uses the variety of homes in Old Las Palmas to show how various important events and decisions (from 1884 to present) have impacted the growth of Palm Springs. Our walk is much more than just a look at celebrity homes – it’s part area history, part celebrity background and back-story, and part architectural record, all geared towards explaining just how Palm Springs actually has become the diverse and vibrant city it is today. I tell you:

·         What it was like in early Palm Springs when “hotels” were just canvas tents built on wooden platforms

·         Why Palm Springs has always been a magnet for health and wellness seekers

·         The real reasons Palm Springs became “Hollywood’s Playground” for over 40 years

·         The lasting impact World War 2 had on Palm Springs

·         How two movies changed Palm Springs as a vacation destination

·         Why Palm Springs has such a large gay and lesbian visitor and resident presence

·         What it’s like living full-time in Palm Springs today

Over the years I’ve had opportunities to be invited inside Old Las Palmas homes, so I share my first-hand experiences. Along the way I also show photographs of historic hotels and attractions which no longer exist, as well as current pictures of some home’s interiors and back yards.

Rather than just hear about estates that were residences for over 30 celebrities I tell a story of Palm Springs, exemplified by the homes and people who have lived here, including: Liberace; Barbara Streisand; Mary Pickford; Lena Horne; Sir Lawrence Olivier, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor; Dinah Shore; Kirk Douglass; and Sidney Sheldon.

I enjoy sharing my passion for Palm Springs and Old Las Palmas, and am pleased that my guests like my approach. Some of their comments have been:

“We both loved the Old Las Palmas tour and have been talking about it ever since. Before we left Palm Springs we mentioned to the owner of our resort how impressed we were, and that we strongly recommend the tour to other guests. Best of luck, and we'll certainly recommend your tour to others heading to Palm Springs.”

“Scandal, rumors, fact and fiction are mixed with a thorough historic perspective to make your tour a must do while visiting Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. Your passion for the past, present and future make the tour unique, highly entertaining and enjoyable."

“You have no idea how much I enjoyed the tour of Old Las Palmas. I learned so much and got a great sense of history of the Old Hollywood and other Palm Springs eras! It was fantastic.”

I invite both Palm Springs visitors and residents alike to join me for a unique look into the incredibly diverse and exciting past and present of this amazing desert resort city. Send me an email at kirk@ps-research.com or give me a call at 760-668-2176 – I’ll tell you more and we can set up a convenient time to walk through Old Las Palmas.  

Planning a Palm Springs Weekend Getaway

Palm Springs is a great destination for Californians looking for a weekend of rest and relaxation in almost guaranteed sunshine, a change of pace from hectic work or family schedules and a short distraction from everyday stress – in short, a hassle-free break from everyday routine and responsibilities.

Palm Springs is an easy (or at least as easy as it gets in SoCal) 2-3 hour drive from most of southern California and only about a 1½ hour flight from either San Francisco or Sacramento on American or Alaska airlines.

As a Palm Springs Vacation Visitor Concierge I have helped plan stress free weekend “break-ations” not only for first time visitors to this desert paradise, but also for those who escape to Palm Springs on a regular basis. Based on my experience here are some hints and tips for making your getaway most enjoyable.  

Consider what will make your Palm Springs weekend “special.” For example, do you want:

o      To simply sit by the pool soaking up the sun and maybe catching up on some reading

o      To explore a Palm Springs you’ve never known before

o      A singular romantic adventure or perhaps more inclusive family/friends fun

o      Solitude, or a chance meet and socialize with others you may encounter

What do you want?

Think about “vacation time” as a valuable resource. Take into account the total time involved with your getaway weekend:

Time planning your weekend getaway – To avoid disappointment keep in mind:

o      Choose your hotel/resort carefully – There are over 120 different accommodations in Palm Springs, ranging from large hotels to very small boutique resorts. Each is distinct in terms of size, clientele, price, ambiance, amenities and overall style. How much time will you be spending lounging around the pool at your hotel/resort? Chances are for a weekend getaway it‘s a pretty fair amount. If you make the wrong choice, that will impact the overall success of your entire weekend.

o    For first time visitors – Recommendations from friends can be helpful, but those recommendations are often based on the friend’s personal preferences and experiences, not yours. I’ve had several occasions where clients booked hotels and activities based on a friend’s recommendations only to arrive and find out it was exactly what they did not want.

o       For repeat visitors – Although you may have had a great experience in the past at a certain hotel/resort or restaurant, it may be different this time. We all like certain familiarity and routine, but keep your Palm Springs getaways fresh and enjoyable by considering something new and different for a change. Don’t fall into the “same old, same old” trap where this weekend visit was not as great as the last visit.

o       Vacation research, hotel/resort availability checking, making reservations, etc. can all take a lot of time.

How much time do you have or want to invest in pre-arrival vacation planning?

Travel time to and from Palm Springs – It’s all part of your vacation; the goal is to reduce travel time and eliminate hassle so you can enjoy Palm Springs.

o       If you’re driving from southern California – Remember that the freeways to and from Palm Springs get really clogged on Friday and Sunday afternoons. Is it possible for you travel earlier on Friday afternoon (or even Thursday evening) and return late Sunday evening?

o       If you’re flying – book as soon as possible for best times and seat selection. Flights fill up quickly, and are usually full. Check on arriving Thursday and/or departing Monday. You may get a better deal.

o       Many smaller hotels/resorts will waive fees for late check-out on Sunday since they don’t have reservations booked on Monday.

Do you have any flexibility in your getaway arrival and departure so that you can minimize travel hassle?

Actual time in Palm Springs – It’s been my experience that most weekend visitors want as much R & R as possible during their limited time in Palm Springs, so consider:

o       Having your room fridge and pantry stocked from your shopping list prior to arrival – a trip to a Palm Springs grocery store is not R & R time

o       Do you want some lunches or dinners delivered to your hotel/resort – make those plans ahead of time and the meals will magically arrive on schedule

o       You will have limited opportunity to explore the restaurant scene in Palm Springs. There’s everything from budget bistros to break-the-bank fine dining. Avoid disappointment with last minute choices that really don’t match your budget or preferences – get local advice early on what’s currently great and what’s not so hot

o       Even if your goal is to spend your weekend lounging by the pool, consider leaving the resort, if only for several hours, to do something new and different. Advance planning can ensure the you experience something that will be personally memorable.

If you’re a first time visitor, how about choosing one of the unique Palm Springs attractions: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram, rising 8500 feet above the desert floor up Mt. San Jacinto; Tahquitz Canyon is a 2 mile loop hike to Tahquitz Falls, exploring local Native American history; The Living Desert is a one-of-a-kind desert oriented zoo and botanical garden.

If you’re a returning visitor and have previously explored some of the major attractions consider something new: visit Cabot’s Old Indian Pueblo, a unique Hopi inspired Pueblo hand crafted by an eccentric over a period of 24 years using only found materials; learn how Palm Springs become the city it is today on a casual walking tour through the former neighborhood of Hollywood Stars; take the waters in the hot mineral springs that was the original winter home of the Aqua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

How can you spend quality vacation time and reduce time spent on routine tasks?

Get local assistance in creating your “perfect” Palm Springs weekend getaway. You deserve the best Palm Springs has to offer.

o       Don’t depend solely on Palm Springs portal websites – remember that some are based just on paid advertising, and most only provide information provided by the hotel/resort, restaurant, activity or attraction. It’s usually targeted to a general visitor and not to you specifically. You’ll spend a lot of time clicking.

o      Don’t rely just on the recommendations of friends, even if they live in the Palm Springs area. Their suggestions, though well meaning, are based on their own experience, and are usually limited to what they have personally explored and enjoyed.

o       DO seek assistance from a local professional who takes time to get to know your specific preferences, provides unbiased and independent recommendations and will follow through both before and during your Palm Springs getaway with an ongoing goal of making sure you have a wonderful weekend. In the end, it will save you time, hassle and money.

5 Palm Springs Mother’s Day Ideas

I'm reposting this article by travel writer Matt Link which originally appeared on the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism official website. Great ideas for ways to treat mom on Mother's Day, May 8, 2011.

5 Palm Springs Mother’s Day Ideas - Official Palm Springs, CA Tourism Website Official Guide to Palm Springs Hotels, Attractions, Dining shopping and Conventions/Meetings