'Eye on L.A.' explores Palm Springs
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KABC) -- Hit the road with "Eye on L.A." as we take you on a quick but fabulous getaway to Palm Springs! There's plenty of fun to be had from golf and ATVs, to seeing where old Hollywood played, and visiting the Palm Springs Tramway, Shields Date Garden and the Living Desert.
On the drive out to Palm Springs, stop and visit the Cabazon Dinosaurs and do a bit of gambling at Morongo Casino. Then, when you get out to the desert, hit up the Palm Springs Village Street Fest on Thursday evenings.
CABAZON DINOSAURS
The World's Biggest Dinosaurs are located in Cabazon off of Interstate 10 at the Main Street exit, 13 miles west of Palm Springs. Famously featured in the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," the two original Cabazon dinosaurs, Dinny and Mr. Rex, were built by Knott's Berry Farm sculptor Claude Bell in the 60s and 70s to literally stop traffic and draw patrons to his Wheel Inn Restaurant next door.
MORONGO CASINO, RESORT & SPA
With its four-star accommodations, round-the-clock gaming action and world-class entertainment, Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa turns a casino experience into an unforgettable getaway. Morongo Casino is located just off the 10 freeway at Morongo Trail exit.
PALM SPRINGS VILLAGEFEST STREET FESTIVAL
Every Thursday evening, downtown Palm Springs transforms into the Palm Springs VillageFest, with artists, artisans, entertainers and purveyors of fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, jewelry, snacks and sweets.
Palm Springs became famous in the golden days of old Hollywood as a movie star getaway. Now, you can take tours of the famous architecture and check out the world-famous Palm Springs International Film Festival.
EL PASEO: THE RODEO DRIVE OF THE DESERT
The world-famous El Paseo Shopping District in Palm Desert features over 300 world-class shops, boutiques, art galleries, jewelers, restaurants and much more.
PALM SPRINGS: PLAYGROUND OF THE STARS
In the early days of Hollywood, movie studios included a "two-hour clause" in all of their actors' contracts stating that they could not be more than two hours away from the studio in case of a last-minute photo or film shoot. This made Palm Springs the perfect getaway for every A-list celebrity of that era. "Eye On L.A." visited the Palm Springs Historical Society to check out some of the most iconic celebrity images of stars like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, and unlikely party guy Albert Einstein, living it up in Palm Springs. See them for yourself at the Palm Springs Historical Society or at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
PALM SPRINGS ARCHITECTURE TOUR
Tour guide Robert Imber of P.S. Modern Tours took "Eye On L.A." on an incredible tour of some of Palm Springs' most unique and famous mid-century architecture. One of the most famous is Bob Hope's iconic Lautner house. We toured a fabulous William F. Cody home (which is also Robert Redford's vacation rental) and stopped by Elvis Presley's honeymoon hideaway.
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming thousands each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival has honored Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Colin Firth, Ron Howard, Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman, Kate Winslet and many others.
With amazing weather year-round in Palm Springs, you've got to take advantage of the great outdoors! "Eye On L.A." took in a few rounds of golf, hit the dunes on exhilarating ATV and dune buggy rides and took a 10-minute ride up the Palm Springs Tramway, 8,500 feet up to the desert mountains for a breathtaking view... and snow!
TAHQUITZ CREEK GOLF RESORT
Amazing landscapes and great weather have made Palm Springs a year-round golf destination. We stopped by the Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort, one of the premiere public golf courses in Palm Springs, for a quick golf lesson.
OFF-ROAD RENTALS
There's more to do than just lounge around the pool in Palm Springs. You can also get an adrenaline rush riding dune buggies and ATVs in the Palm Springs outskirts.
PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY
"Eye On L.A." ascended 2 1/2 miles in 10 minutes to a pristine wilderness atop the San Jacinto Mountains, aboard the world's largest rotating tramcars. At the top of the tramway, there are two restaurants, a bar and lounge, and a gift shop. You can also hike, cross-country ski, snowshoe and camp.
The Coachella Valley is home to Palm Springs and other desert cities like Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Indio. We had a great time at The Living Desert in Palm Desert and Shields Date Garden in Indio.
AGUA CALIENTE - CAHUILLA INDIANS
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the historic Palm Springs-based tribe is a Sovereign Tribal Government, and stewards more than 31,500 acres of ancestral land.
THE LIVING DESERT
More than 400 species thrive at The Living Desert in Palm Desert, including Mexican gray wolves, bobcats, mountain lions and golden eagles. The Village Watutu exhibit expands the desert experience to include the regions of Africa, so the collection also includes camels, zebras and cheetahs.
SHIELDS DATE GARDEN
Floyd and Bess Shields opened the Shields Date Garden in 1924 in Indio, just 26 miles east of Palm Springs. Shields was a pioneer in the date business; his famous "Blonde" and "Brunette" dates are exclusive to the Shields Date Garden and aren't grown anywhere else in the world.
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