The sunshine is the first thing you notice when you land in Palm Springs. It’s a tiny airport, one that is mostly outside! Walking from your gate to the main building is all outdoors…nothing but flowers, cactus and the mountains to take in as you make your way to arrivals.
We were staying in a condo downtown Palm Springs where there was literally a huge mountain right next door…it didn’t look real even! Almost like a fake movie set, or maybe the Truman Show. I love love love Palm Springs… the architecture of the homes, the desert, the hummingbirds, the cactus, the hiking and exploring, and the FOOD!!! So good.
For this blog post, I’m going to focus on the history of Palm Springs and one of my favorite places for an early morning hike… Tahquitz Canyon.
The Legend of Palm Springs: Your Secrets are Safe
A little bit of history…In case you haven’t heard the stories, Palm Springs was “Hollywood’s Playground to the Stars” starting all the way back to the 1930’s. The Palm Springs Racquet Club was a huge draw, and, it is still there today. Palm Springs was just far enough away from Hollywood to be out of the 100-mile reimbursement policies of gossip magazines of the time. This meant that Hollywood stars could escape to Palm Springs, live life how they wanted to and keep all their secrets from being published because no gossip reporter would follow them if their travel expense would not be reimbursed. This ensured privacy and peace for stars like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and many more. It’s really interesting… you should Google it 🙂 Many of the homes have been bought and transformed into boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts.
“Palm Springs was a safe-haven for old Hollywood stars…”
The Legend of Tahquitz Canyon: A Banished Shaman
Tahquitz Canyon is home to Tahquitz Falls. They say it was named by the leader of the Fox Tribe and that it is a place of power. “When you enter, you’re tired and weak, when you leave you are rejuvenated and energized”… it’s a shallow pool of water at the foot of the falls and you can absolutely walk the soft sand up to the waterfall. You do feel good just being there and breathing in and out… it’s calming and beautiful. Nate and I certainly had a moment of serenity that was much deserved!
The terrain almost looks like you are walking on another planet, one that is nothing but large boulders of granite and mountains all around you.
The temperature was pleasant in the early morning, but know that if you are out there past 10am, it is HOT. We were there in May which I think is the perfect weather month for a place like Palm Springs. We love this hike…it’s not difficult, and it’s just long enough to feel like you got a great workout. It’s a beautiful place, one that, of course, has a legend attached to it…
Legend has it that Tahquitz was the first shaman who was given lots of power, and initially began using his power for good. But in time, he became selfish and used his power for wrong-doing. He used his powers against the Agua Caliente people who lived on that land, and in doing so, they became so angry that they banished him to Tahquitz Canyon, where he is still today, living in a secret cave below Tahquitz Rock. They say you can see him in the night sky as a glowing green ball of light. This story was enough for me to go exploring into the canyon…mystic legends are high on my list of awesome things!
We had a wonderful couple of days, we were actually sad to leave it behind. We had amazing dinners, which I’ll likely blog about later… and we did some walking around and exploring, found a flower-covered courtyard hiding in the center of some buildings and stumbled upon the most super-secret-yet-amazing cocktail bar! Nate discovered this gem and I can’t wait to write about how this place is a must-do…
We hope you consider Palm Springs… the main strip is quite action-packed. There are also many quiet and secret places to discover! I recommend getting a VRBO or AirBNB with a pool…it is hotter than blazes and sitting out by the pool while the sun is slowly setting with a bottle of wine is THERAPY for the soul…nothing but mountains, a slight breeze, and warmth ❤️
GO Adventure! And please share your Palm Springs comments as we do plan to go back, might even take the kiddies this time!!!
Heather and Nate
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