Snowbird Winter Destinations: Coachella Valley

The geography of Palm Springs is what creates this near-perfect climate. At 487 feet above sea level, Palm Springs is sheltered by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains on the south, and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west.

Throughout the region, winter temperature highs range from extremely comfortable to pleasantly warm, with an average of 22 degrees Celsius in January warming to 30 degrees in April. Evenings can be cool, particularly in January and February, with lows dipping to an average of 7 degrees Celsius (so bring a jacket!). The upside is that frost, fog and wind are virtually unknown here.

The Classic Club Course in Palm Desert is one such standout, and has won several international awards. Designed by Arnold Palmer in 2006, the course features rolling terrain, 30 acres of water features, sweeping pine trees and 14 charming bridges. It’s no wonder it’s called the Jewel of the Desert. The Quarry at La Quinta and PGA West’s Stadium Course each hold their own set of accolades – but you need to know someone who knows someone to play on these exceptional courses.

If you’re more in the mood for some real-world golf on a weekday morning, check out some of the great public courses dotted throughout the desert.

The Cimarron Golf Resort in Cathedral City, for instance, features two courses designed by John Fought. Cimarron’s Boulder Course is a 6,782-yard course that is as challenging as it is friendly, while the Pebble Course is a 3,020-yard 18-hole course popular with those with less ambitious intentions.

Desert Dunes, meanwhile, is one of the more challenging 18-hole courses in the Greater Palm Springs area (located in Desert Hot Springs) and offers a great test for advanced players. Indian Wells Golf Resort has two courses named in Golfweek Magazine’s Top 25 “Best Municipal Golf Courses in the United States” and is sure to be a great time for golfers of all abilities.

With the high profile nature of the Coachella Valley golf scene, tennis can get a little overshadowed. But with perfect tennis weather year-round, the playing options in the region are extremely robust. The area offers a huge variety of public, private and semi-private clubs to choose from – along with several local leagues to join, regardless of age or ability.

If you’re looking for a private tennis club, the Palm Desert Tennis Club is a gem. Tucked within a gated community and spread over 20 acres, the club sits high off the desert floor in South Palm Desert, offering extraordinary mountain and valley views – as well as tennis programs for all playing abilities.

To find a nearby public or semi-private court, check out the Palm Springs Tennis site for public, private and semi-private clubs around the city. The Global Tennis Network site is also a great resource, listing tennis courts in the Coachella area.

If you’re looking for a league to join, Coachella Valley League Tennis offers playing opportunities for everyone, and the Coachella Valley Grant Prix runs the Desert Tennis League for adults 50+.

With the high profile nature of the Coachella Valley golf scene, tennis can get a little overshadowed. But with perfect tennis weather year-round, the playing options in the region are extremely robust. The area offers a huge variety of public, private and semi-private clubs to choose from – along with several local leagues to join, regardless of age or ability.

If you’re looking for a private tennis club, the Palm Desert Tennis Club is a gem. Tucked within a gated community and spread over 20 acres, the club sits high off the desert floor in South Palm Desert, offering extraordinary mountain and valley views – as well as tennis programs for all playing abilities.

To find a nearby public or semi-private court, check out the Palm Springs Tennis site for public, private and semi-private clubs around the city. The Global Tennis Network site is also a great resource, listing tennis courts in the Coachella area.

If you’re looking for a league to join, Coachella Valley League Tennis offers playing opportunities for everyone, and the Coachella Valley Grant Prix runs the Desert Tennis League for adults 50+.

Cycling is a very popular activity in Coachella Valley, given the abundance of trails, temperate weather and spectacular scenery. Whether you want to head out for a big climb or a leisurely ride, there’s lots to choose from in the region.

If you want to make it a regular activity, the Desert Bicycle Club (which serves Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, Indio, Cathedral City and Palm Springs) offers memberships that include weekly road rides, club events, bike store discounts, and a variety of riding levels.

Check out family-friendly bike trails in Palm Springs or mountain bike trails in Palm Desert – whatever suits your fancy.

To best experience the therapeutic benefits of the Palm Desert minerals, choose from a variety of spas in the area. If you want to go high end, there are plenty of sophisticated resorts, hip motels or ultra-exclusive celebrity retreats. You can also get a day pass to boost your circulation and general health over the course of an afternoon.

Some of the best in the area include the pleasant and sophisticated Miracle Hot Springs, which overlooks Palm Springs and Coachella Valley and features eight natural hot mineral pools. Hacienda Hot Springs, meanwhile, is a private boutique hotel that also offers massage therapies, scrubs, wraps and facials and the Moroccan-inspired El Morocco Inn & Spa offers an ultimate romantic retreat.

Take a look at this full listing of mineral spas hotels to help you choose your perfect spa experience!

For an alternative path to wellness, yoga studios abound throughout the Coachella Valley. A few options for zen and relaxation include Power Yoga Palm Springs, Urban Yoga, Go With the Flow Yoga and Bikram Yoga Palm Desert. Many resorts and boutique hotels offer complimentary or low-cost yoga classes for guests, too.

If your winter escape extends through April, you have a couple of great options if you want to catch some baseball. The L.A. Dodgers play in iconic Dodger Stadium, nestled in the picturesque Chavez Ravine. Featuring no bad seats, the (alleged) best hot dogs in baseball and one of the most exciting pitchers in the game, a trip to Dodgers Stadium can be a thrill no matter the score.

The L.A. Angels play in Angel Stadium in Anaheim, just 36 miles away from the Dodgers. The biggest highlight here is the opportunity to see the Jays roll in to town – they typically play a series in California each season.

Basketball fans couldn’t ask for a better winter destination, with a choice of two NBA teams to cheer on. Both the Lakers and the Clippers play in the Staples Center and each host the Raptors once a season.

If you want to take in a hockey game, there are two exciting NHL teams to catch – the L.A. Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings play in the Staples Center and host Western Canadian teams throughout the season (Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver), and one or two Eastern teams will swing by once a year (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal).

Your other option is the Anaheim Ducks, who play out of the Honda Center in Anaheim. Again, Western Conference teams visit the Ducks a couple of times a season, and Eastern Conference teams tend to take turns visiting this California team.

For fans of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, The Simpsons, The Fast and the Furious and more – or for those simply curious about how backstage Hollywood works – Universal Studios Hollywood is a can’t-miss experience. With thrilling theme park rides and shows, a real working movie studio, world-class shops, restaurants and cinemas, Universal Studios Hollywood offers fun for your whole crew.

At Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, there are two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Disneyland is Walt Disney’s original theme park, where you can meet princesses and pirates, enjoy thrill rides and take in fireworks, parades and live shows. The Adventure Park, meanwhile, is a theme park that celebrates the fun and adventure of the state of California, with Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters coming to life.

The art museum has a branch in Palm Desert as well, which presents regular and temporary exhibitions in a variety of media, including sculpture, painting and photography. Also in Palm Desert, the innovative Art in Public Places Program showcases 150+ pieces of artwork throughout the city. Combined with the collection of over 30 galleries here, there is a broad variety of unique opportunities to view and experience art.

For those looking for live music and theatre, the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert presents a variety of touring Broadway shows, exciting concerts and dance and music festivals throughout the year. There are a number of other small local theatres featuring a variety of productions, which you can check out here.

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