You Move Me
photo by christian horan photography, property of the greater palm springs cvb
Horse, Hold the Buggy
Whether it’s your first time in the saddle or you’re an old ranch hand, a trail ride is a way to feel the wild beauty of the Coachella Valley. Share the love in a group saunter, or reserve a private adventure at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains or deep into the Indian Canyons. You can customize the ride to include a tête-à-tête cookout lunch.
Smoke Tree Stables, 2500 S. Toledo Ave., Palm Springs. 760-327-1372; www.smoketreestables.com
Horse, Add the Buggy
Tuck yourself under a blanket and settle into a horse-drawn carriage for a journey through downtown Palm Springs or its historic backstreets. Fri.-Sun. evenings in front of the Village Green.
Big Horse Carriage Company, 120 W. Arenas Road, Palm Springs. 760-660-8860; www.bighorsecc.com
Need a Lift?
For more than 50 years the Palm Springs Tram has set hearts aflutter at 8,500 feet. Follow the rotating gondola ride with a multicourse dinner (and a proposal?) at Peaks Restaurant, and star gaze on the balcony as city lights twinkle below.
One Tram Way, Palm Springs. 760-325-1391; www.pstramway.com
photo courtesy of balloons above
It’s My Fault … and Yours
Fall under the “magic hour” spell of long shadows and golden sunlight on a Jeep-enabled excursion to the San Andreas Fault. Learn about the tectonic phenomenon and watch how wildlife celebrate their happy hour.
Desert Adventures, 74794 Lennon Place, Suite B, Palm Desert. 760-324-5337; www.red-jeep.com
Head for the Highway
About 5 miles south of Highway 111 lies Vista Point on Highway 74 that was immortalized in the opening scene of the 1963 comedy, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Pack a snack, a selfie stick, and your favorite co-star to capture your own memorable scene. Vista Point is on the east side of the road in Palm Desert.
Above Average
Getting high in a strictly literal sense is the best kind of trip. When your vehicle is a balloon, golf courses look easy, palm trees look short, and dreams come true. Pop the question on a Sweetheart Flight — a smaller, private basket — and get a customized banner if you want the world below to know.
Balloons Above, 760-347-0410; www.balloonabovethedesert.com
You Spoil Me
photo courtesy of jw marriott desert springs resort
Pamper Perfect
Take a two-fer spa day at The Spa at Desert Springs with side-by-side massages in a couple’s suite, then toast your romance with Champagne and a bubble bath. Or wallow in the private mud bath tubs at Two Bunch Palms for the most elemental experience of becoming one (well, two) with nature. At Sunstone Spa at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, add a poolside cabana to the scrub-and-rub that acknowledges that although beauty is only skin deeep, contentment goes right to the bone.
www.desertspringsspa.com; www.twobunchpalms.com; www.hotwatercasino.com
photo courtesy of greater palm springs cvb
Sittin’ on the Ritz
The Ritz-Carlton perches like a regal eagle in the hills above Rancho Mirage, rendering the valley below your domain. Celebrate your royal moment with Veuve Cliquot at State Fare Bar. (Go one better and book a stay-cation.)
68900 Frank Sinatra Drive, Rancho Mirage. 760-321-8282; www.ritzcarlton.com/ranchomirage
Garden Party
Relive the past, but in more comfortable shoes, at Sunnylands Center & Gardens. Stroll through 1.25 miles of plantful paths and wander around
the current exhibit of Asian Artists in Crystal: Steuben Glass. Get a ticket to tour inside the Annenbergs’ former estate, where Nancy and Ronald kissed on many a New Year’s Eve.
37977 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 760-202-2222; www.sunnylands.org