helloworld Travel Mt Maunganui - Recent staff trips

Palm Springs was nothing like I expected it to be – in my mind it was full of rich famous people, big fancy mansions, well known for tennis tournaments, and really nothing a good ol’ down-to-earth kiwi girl would enjoy. Boy was I wrong! Palm Springs is one of the 5 towns/cities in Coachella Valley (yes where the famous Coachella music festival takes place). The stunning scenery around Palm Springs itself is mountainous, so a perfect place for mountain biking or hiking, and some of the resorts here have both tennis courts and pickleball courts, so is popular for the fit and active. The temperatures are mild and being in California it can be a year round destination.

It is also very well known for its ‘Desert Modern’ architecture – a large portion of the housing is 30s to 50s style, and some very famous people have owned (eg Fred Astaire’s house below) or still own some holiday houses here, while still having retained the original style of their houses. Every year there is a festival celebrating the architectural style, so if that is your interest, Modernism Week in February each year is a great week to go.

This is also a great place to experience an ice hockey game – the atmosphere at these games is nothing you would believe – it Is as much a show as a sports game. If you have never been to one I would highly recommend it!

Palm Springs is only a 2 hour transfer from LAX Airport, so easy to get to, and highly worth a short break there if you want something a little different!