Palm Springs Downtown Sights
No vacation in Palm Springs would be complete without a visit to the popular Downtown area here. The downtown area here is a thriving hub of entertainment and culture and is even considered to be the best part of Palm Springs. The Palm Canyon Drive is the place to go to, if you want a true taste of Downtown Flavor. Plenty of local shops, galleries and restaurants stay open till late night just to cater to all kinds of tourists. Located just a few steps away from the Downtown area are attractions like the Palm Canyon Theatre, the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Spa Casino. Thursday nights are the perfect time to take part in the Villagefest which can be found exclusively here, giving tourists a taste of proper late night entertainment. Those who want a taste of local culture will love the arts, crafts and food vendors that can be seen here every week. Dont miss out on shopping at the Farmers Market where tourists can buy fresh produce and flowers among other little things.
Ideal Palm Spring Weekend Getaways
A short holiday every once in a while, gives you the chance to feel refreshed when you get back to your everyday schedule. Palm Springs offers many family attractions to enjoy as well as luxury and budget hotels that the family can stay in during the weekend. The Viceroy Palm Springs is a good choice for a weekend getaway as it combines comfort and outstanding service. Guests love the hotel for its pool, spa, fitness centre, restaurant, lounge area and above all the great food the restaurant serves up. Rooms with private balconies, spacious pools, private kitchens and many other amenities are a few features guests can expect at the Oasis Villa Resort. Guests can try their hand at a game of golf near the hotel and even go horseback riding. The hotel staff is helpful and friendly, taking care to make every guests stay as enjoyable as possible. The Holiday Inn Resort is a great choice to consider for families who want a comfortable and decent stay at value prices. They have complimentary airport shuttle services and plenty of onsite activities for the family.
Palm Springs Vacation Fun Family Activities
If you want to have a fun family vacation with lots of activities the whole family can try; then look no further than Palm Springs. Hop on the worlds largest rotating tram and take a ten minute ride, on the Aerial Tramway. You can even choose to have lunch at one of the restaurants here, enjoy great natural views, buy a gift and visit the natural history museum. Step into a world of unlimited fun when you visit the Boomers Family Entertainment Centre where you can try your hand at golf on their miniature courses, enjoy a bumper boat ride or play plenty of games in their game room. For some overnight camping with the family; Lake Hemet is the ideal spot. Here, you could have some quality time with your family and try some boating, fishing, hiking or just have a picnic in the lap of nature. There are provisions to rent boats near the lake as well as any camping gear you may need. You could also visit the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum to learn more about the Cahuilla Indians and other natives in a variety of exhibitions, research and educational programs on display there.
Must Visit Historical Sites in Palm Springs
As a tourist, theres plenty to see and do in Palm Springs- such as great outdoor activities, have fun in a family resort and visit a historical site which keeps the rich cultural heritage alive. One of the first people to settle down in the area were the Agua Caliente Indians who take an active interest in the development of Palm Springs even today. Tourists will have a good time exploring ancient palm groves, streams, waterfalls and the Indian Canyons with a guide as well as visiting the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum to understand their culture better. Tourists can view the graves of celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Frederick Loewe and Sonny Bono when they visit the Desert Memorial Park. Tourists must not miss out on the O Donnell House Historic Tour, which is a 90 minute tour where the history of Palm Springs is explained in a house that was built in 1925. The house itself has a fine collection of furnishings, pottery and unique furniture too. Those who are keen on the culture of those times should not miss visiting this site.
What’s The Score?
American Indians In Sports Exhibition
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
March 24th ’10 – Oct. 17th ’10
Palm Springs, CA – What’s the Score? American Indians in Sports opens March 24, 2010 at Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, 219 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs and will continue through October 17, 2010. Sports played a prominent role in the traditional life of most Indian communities. Games such as shinny, lacrosse, footracing, archery, swimming, hoop and pole, and various types of football taught survival skills. This exhibition offers a look at Indian sports through the years, including traditional, boarding school, reservation, and professional sports. Notable Indian athletes, local reservation teams, and heroes such as Cahuilla baseball player Jack Tortes Meyers, catcher for the New York Giants, are spotlighted. This exhibition is sponsored by Robert and Renona Pennington. An opening reception will take place that evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Currently featured at the Museum is Raw Earth and Fire Clouds featuring Cahuilla pottery which began with the Cahuilla people long after basketry had reached a high level of artistry. At least 500 years ago, pottery techniques were adopted to supplement baskets as utensils for storage and cooking. Local clays were processed and coiled in shapes to hold water, seeds, and pigments. This exhibition interprets the full spectrum of pottery from clay sources, manufacture, pigments and painting, to firing the finished product. Raw Earth and Fire Clouds is sponsored by Debbie, Anthony and Andrew Purnel, and Ambrosia M. Howell, in memory of Priscilla Patencio Gonzales.
The Museum features three permanent exhibitions: A Woman of Influence: Flora Patencio is a study of Flora Patencio, a strong leader in the history of the Agua Caliente people who participated in some of the most important political and cultural decisions of her time; The Cahuilla Culture & History Gallery displays photographs, maps, and text that tell the story of the early times of the Cahuilla people; and a fifteen-minute film entitled Indian Family of the California Desert re-enacts the early Cahuilla traditional life.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is also pleased to present off-site exhibitions. Dream of the Blue Frog, at the Spa Resort Casino Hotel, 100 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, focuses on the history and lore of the Agua Caliente Hot Spring from ancient times to the present. Blue Frog is one of the nukatem (spiritual beings) residing in the spring. California State University, San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus, 37500 Cook Street, Palm Desert, is home to Tahquitz Country, which explores symbols and artwork of the Cahuilla people through designs used in pottery, basketry, and rock art. Take a photographic journey through the heart of Cahuilla territory – home of shaman Tahquitz.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution, inspires people to learn about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and other Native cultures. It keeps the Native spirit alive through exhibitions, collections, research, and educational programs. In recognition of its role as a regional and national resource, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is the first Native American museum to be part of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program. This status provides opportunities to share resources in programming, collections, scholarship, and technical expertise – and entitles the Museum to bring world-acclaimed Smithsonian exhibitions to the Coachella Valley.
The Desert Entertainer is the 2009-2010 Exhibition Print Media Sponsor.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is located at 219 S. Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. Museum hours are Labor Day to Memorial Day: Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.; Memorial Day to Labor Day: Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.
