La Quinta Resort & Club's Camp'd Out Joshua Tree Experience.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB
1. Go glamping.
If you can’t handle roughing it in the desert, La Quinta Resort & Club has just the package for you: a three-night stay bookended at the iconic property with one evening in Joshua Tree at a luxurious camp setup equipped with Waldorf Astoria bedding, butler service, and a ride back to the resort to the next morning. laquintaresort.com
2. Celebrate Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day.
On April 12, update your basic grilled cheese for an elevated rendition. Cork & Fork Wine Bar in La Quinta serves a version with braised short rib, aged cheddar, smoky tomato jam, and peppery truffled arugula. Vegan? Try the sriracha “cheesy” panini from Chef Tanya’s Kitchen in Palm Springs. corkandforkwinebar.com; cheftanyaskitchen.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY NATE ABBOTT
3. Ride the CannaBus.
Go from “root to toot” with CannaBus Express Tours, which leads visitors on an educational and entertaining three-hour excursion across the super-blooming industry. The tour includes stops at a grow house, a lab that extracts THC and CBD oils, and a manufacturing bakery where topicals are made and edibles are baked. cannabusexpresstours.com
4. “I’m a Cowboy”
Wanted, a Bon Jovi tribute band, recreates that infamous song, “Wanted Dead or Alive”, among other faves from the band during an appearance April 3 at The Rock Yard at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio. fantasyspringsresort.com/rock-yard
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY WANTED: THE BONJOVI TRIBITE BAND
5. Explore art installations.
The third edition of the valleywide art exhibition Desert X runs through May 16. The event features artists who’ve created site-specific installations that respond to and communicate with area landscapes and cultures. desertx.org
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SERGE CLOTTEY AND DESERT X
The Wishing Well by Serge Attukwei Clottey at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center in Palm Springs.
7. Become a master of modernism.
Palm Springs Modernism Week — 11 days of tours and talks celebrating midcentury design — is slated for April 8–18. Highlights from the lineup include a stroll through colorful 1956 home Sunburst Palms, a look at John Lautner’s Desert Hot Springs oasis, and a mid-mod-inspired cocktail clinic. modernismweek.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE LAUTNER COMPOUND
8. Jam with Los Lobos.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Los Lobos play socially distanced outdoor sets April 20 and 21 at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown. The East L.A.–based band shot to stardom in 1987 following international acclaim of their cover of “La Bamba” for the Richie Valens biopic. pappyandharriets.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES
9. Try a new beverage.
Bubble tea — also known as boba — is a Taiwanese treat starring chewy, marble-sized tapioca balls in sweet, milky iced tea. Celebrate National Bubble Tea Day on April 30 with fan-favorite flavors like honeydew, lychee, and taro at Ding Tea in La Quinta or Island Boba & Tea in Indio. ordering.app/dingtealaquinta; fb.com/islandbobantea
10. Upcycle a secondhand find.
Unleash your inner DIY diva with a crafty décor project that gives preloved objects a new life. Whether you’re transforming button-downs into cushion covers, reupholstering an armchair, or pouring candles into teacups, you can find your raw materials at desert thrift shops such as Angel View and Revivals. angelview.org; revivalsstores.com
PHOTOGRAPH @PLANTROY
11. Pose with a dragon.
In Borrego Springs, located a little over an hour from Palm Springs, Galleta Meadows Estate is home to a host of spectacular metal sculptures. Crafted by artist Ricardo Breceda, the massive elephants, scorpions, mythical serpents, and more make for a killer photo op. underthesunfoundation.org
12. Hear doo-wop hits.
The red-jacketed quartet The Clergy Boys capture the Four Seasons’ energy with groovy takes on cantorial songs, 1960s and ’70s faves, and Broadway classics. See them live during a socially distanced event April 5–7 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, hosted by Jewish Family Services of the Desert. jfsdesert.org
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE CLERGY BOYS
13. Bid on art.
Palm Springs Art Museum teams up with Sotheby’s on April 9–16 to present Art Auction ’21, a fundraising event offering more than 40 works by artists from near and far. Before bidding, check out the participating artists’ digital studio visits to find your dream piece. psmusuem.org
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
Gonkar Gyatso
Jim Isermann
Alison Saar
Blake Baxter
14. Plant a garden.
Staff at local nurseries like Moller’s Garden Center in Palm Desert and Bob Williams Nursery in Indio can help you choose the best desert-friendly flora for your yard. Portly barrel cacti, bright hummingbird trumpet, and showstopping bird of paradise are among the many options for landscaping that’s easy on the eyes and the environment. mollersgardencenter.com; bobwilliamsnursery.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIELA STALLINGER
15. Learn to live more sustainably.
On their YouTube page, Cathedral City’s environmentally oriented S.C.R.A.P. Gallery features digital exhibits that pair superb student art with facts about the decline of coral reefs and the detrimental impact of fast fashion, plus tips for how to help. Check them out on Earth Day on April 22. scrapgallery.org
16. See man’s best friend on the big screen.
Watch short films featuring cuddly cats and dogs from the comfort of your car at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter Film Festival on April 24. Your ticket to the drive-in event also includes a tasty vegan meal, a snack-filled swag bag, and the chance to bid on sweet auction items. event.gives/psasfilmfest
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY LA QUINTA BREWING CO.
17. Head to a hoedown.
Don your 10-gallon hat and gallop on over to La Quinta Brewing Co. in Palm Desert for their annual CountryFest Parking Lot Party. Country crooners Redneck Rodeo and Tim Styles serenade attendees enjoying BBQ and craft brews on May 1. lqbccountryfest2020.bpt.me
18. Hit the green.
Compete against a pal in the two-person, best-ball amateur tournament Battle in the Desert, at PGA West, La Quinta Resort & Club, and Indian Wells Country Club on April 24–May 1. fungolfvacations.com/battle-in-the-desert
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PGA WEST
19. Show off your performing arts prowess.
Are you a musical maven? A Sondheim savant? Flex your expertise at Coachella Valley Repertory’s digital Theatre Trivia Night on April 20, open to members of its donation-based Drama Club. cvrep.org
20. Take a cross-valley art tour.
During the Desert Open Studio Tours on April 10 and 11, local artists give the public a peek into their workspaces. From Indio to Desert Hot Springs, watch more than 60 visionaries create, then purchase their paintings, prints, sculptures, and more. desertopenstudios.com
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY DESERT OPEN STUDIOS
Anne Bedrick
Adriana Lopez
Tolley Marney
Samuel Flemming Lewis
Kim Manfredi
Steve Hill
William Schinsky