Dec. 5, 2019 – In this quarterly round up from the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, you will find:

  • New hotels and resort renovations
  • Arts and culture happenings
  • Outdoor adventure
  • New restaurants, bars, breweries and coffee shops


Discover more via:

 

New Hotels and Resort Renovations

La Quinta Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, will welcome the new year with a remodeled outdoor plaza and a redesigned spa. The premier outdoor gathering space has undergone a stunning makeover with a new café and marketplace, a bar, brand-new furniture and 22 palm trees to join the party. The Spa La Quinta just got even more tranquil, with a redesigned lobby, fully renovated locker rooms and upgrades to the Spa’s calm-inducing courtyard.

The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage has completed the renovation of its Coffee-Ology Marketplace, featuring Starbucks coffee and a delightful selection of pastries, snacks and grab-and-go specialties. 

The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert has undergone a $90M-plus "reinvention" with new guest rooms, suites and a meeting space. Each of the 884 guest rooms has been re-envisioned with new furnishings, carpet, wallpaper and expanded bathrooms. The lobby with boats that pull up to the atrium has also been redone.

The Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells–an early home to Hollywood icons ranging from Bob Hope to the Rat Pack–is celebrating a complete makeover. The resort has reemerged with a new look for its 560 guest rooms, including 103 redone suites, remastered corridors, a new multi-story lobby, the creation of an industry-leading fitness center, vibrant pool-area enhancements, food and beverage innovations including the unveiling of The Place lobby bar, the establishment of an intimate olive tree grove and the debut of a magical outdoor gathering spot.

Springhill Suites in Palm Desert, with 107 suites larger than a typical hotel room, has opened its doors, offering guests convenient access to the El Paseo shopping district, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The rooms offer separate living, working and sleeping spaces to give guests the ultimate in flexibility and functionality. Each suite features West Elm furniture and a designated workspace and includes daily complimentary breakfast.

 

Arts & Culture

The PGA Tour returns to Greater Palm Springs for The American Express Golf Tournament (Jan.15-19), a 72-hole event featuring the world’s best golfers. One of the few tournaments contested on more than one course, the American Express is played at the famed Stadium Course at PGA WEST, the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA WEST and La Quinta Country Club. Rock-and-roll icon Stevie Nicks and country music star Luke Bryan will perform on Friday and Saturday evenings at PGA WEST following the golf tournament.

4xFAR, presented by Land Rover (Jan.18-19),  is a new weekend festival combining live music, culinary and outdoor adventure experiences for people with a passion for exploring the unknown. Featuring two days of music from Grammy award-winning producers and today’s biggest artists, 4xFAR will also be the first opportunity for consumers to experience the all-new Land Rover Defender on a purpose-built off-road course.

Modernism Week (Feb.13-23) highlights midcentury modern architecture, art, interior and landscape design and vintage culture in Greater Palm Springs. Now in its 15th year, the annual 11-day festival will feature more than 350 events, including the Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale, tours of iconic homes in more than 30 neighborhoods and the popular Signature Home Tour on both weekends. Also offered are architectural walking, biking and double-decker bus tours; tours of the historic Annenberg Estate at Sunnylands; a classic car show; garden tours; nightly parties; and a special series of compelling and informative talks. All events are open to the public, and many are free or available at a low cost. 

Museum of Ancient Wonders has opened its doors in Greater Palm Springs, bringing to life the enigmatic, opulent age of the 8th Dynasty of Egypt through reproductions of Tutankhamun’s legendary treasures. Guests will come face-to-face with 124 replicas of the pharaoh’s sacred and personal possessions, including his magnificent state chariot, golden shrines, beds, thrones, jewelry, spectacular funerary mask and royal mummy.

The Coachella Valley History Museum is moving forward with their 2020 Gardens & Railway projects, which will encompass a 15,000-square-foot lot on the northeast corner of the campus showcasing an array of drought-tolerant desert gardens along with an immersive and interactive railway exhibit featuring a Southern Pacific train car.

 

Outdoor Adventure

Full Moon Hikes are back in La Quinta (Dec.11, Jan.10). Hikers will see the splendor of Greater Palm Springs mountains under the wash of moonlight, and will be guided on a lookout for all types of night creatures along the trail. Please note: Registration is required and dogs are not allowed.

The Desert Circuit returns to the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal from January to March 2020. The Desert Circuit entails eight weeks of USEF Premier-rated Hunters and 5*/6* Jumpers, drawing thousands of equestrians to the premier Southern California show-grounds.

The Tour de Palm Springs (Feb.7-8) is a 100-mile cycling ride benefiting charities in Greater Palm Springs. The event, attended by thousands of cyclists, will also include food trucks and unique offerings like sushi along the route.

 

New Restaurants, Bars, Breweries and Coffee Shops

Eddie V’s–an upscale steak and seafood restaurant–has opened in Palm Desert’s El Paseo shopping district at the corner of Highway 74 and El Paseo. The restaurant specializes in prime seafood and steaks, world-class wine and dazzling hand-crafted cocktails and features live music trios nightly in the V lounge.

Barrel District Pizza is the latest pizza bar and kitchen to open its doors in Cathedral City. The eatery offers a plentiful menu beyond pizza, including starters, salads, tacos, burgers and signatures dishes. Happy hour is from 3 to 6:30 p.m.

Red Collar Coffee Company in Palm Springs replaces Ristretto Coffee in the 500 Building, with "Red Collar" referring to the owner’s dog - RC.

The newly opened Las Palmas Brewery is the only brewery with onsite facilities in Palm Springs. The brewers have a two-barrel system in the back of the bar where they can get creative with the fermentation process.

Named after the speedy bird that can be spotted racing in the desert of Greater Palm Springs, RD RNNR Libations Pints & Plates is the newest craft American restaurant to make its home in the heart of Old Town La Quinta. The owners, who have lived and worked in the Coachella Valley for 20 years, bring local farm-to-table ingredients, refreshing craft cocktails, a selection of hops and rotating craft taps all set in a casual and hip atmosphere.

AsiaSF Palm Springs brings the ultimate San Francisco experience to the desert. Part restaurant, part cabaret, part nightclub, AsiaSF Palm Springs will feature acclaimed Cal Asian cuisine and hourly performances atop the red runway bar.

Wildest Greens in Palm Desert is becoming Wildest Restaurant + Bar. The restaurant has taken the "dynamic food" philosophy of the previous vegan eatery and elevated it to a full-service restaurant and bar complete with a 25% plant-based menu, wild fish and grass-fed/organic meat.

 

About Greater Palm Springs:
Greater Palm Springs is Southern California’s most storied resort oasis, with nine distinct cities—Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella—each offering its own blend of experiences. And with natural hot mineral springs, lush palm groves, over 100 golf courses, year-round signature events and more than 300 days of sunshine annually, Greater Palm Springs offers a unique combination of escape, adventure, recreation and relaxation. For more information, visit www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Joyce Kiehl | Director of Communications
Email: media@gpscvb.com
Phone: 1-760-969-1338
Website: www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com