If you're taking I-15 and not in a major time crunch, I highly recommend taking the 74 route to Palm Desert. As you approach and descend steep mountain ranges, there are a number of rest stops with immaculate scenic photo opportunities.
At the base of the 74, La Quinta, also known as the "Gem of the Desert," is just a few miles away and offers quaint Old Town shopping and dining, beautifully landscaped accommodations and spas that will impress even the most knowledgeable beauty aficionado.
My favorite place to stay in the desert is La Quinta Resort and Club, which is also part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection. The resort rests at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains and features 45 acres of unadulterated bliss. La Quinta Resort and Club offers nearly 800 casitas, suites and villas, vacation home rentals, nine championship golf courses, an award-winning spa, over 20 tennis courts, 41 pools and 53 hot tubs.
Since its opening in 1926, the resort has been a favorite retreat for legends like Greta Garbo and Clark Gable as well as the greatest in modern day entertainment and sports. Pools, Jacuzzis, water features, beautiful landscaping, and cacti are everywhere you turn and the resort is the ultimate retreat in the desert.
Make sure to check out Spa La Quinta where you can allow your mind and body to let loose at the Spanish hacienda-style getaway. Private open-air shower treatments and alfresco massages are at your disposal, along with a never ending list of spa services you can enjoy in their indoor solace. Try their Orange Blossom Body Facial, a skin soothing treatment that incorporates a citrus herbal scrub, mist of orange blossom aromatherapy oil, massage and application of oils, leaving the skin supple and noticeably softer.
If you're in the need for the ultimate in romantic lavishness, the Desert Wine and Roses spa package is a must. The three and a half hour experience begins with a desert rose bath filled with the fragrance of roses and essential oils, followed by a massage with rose scented lotion. A full-body scrub follows using crushed grape seeds from the Napa Valley. Lastly, a rose quartz facial cleanses, exfoliates, and tones the skin.
Shopping in Old Town La Quinta was also a favorite and offered a few stores that directly catered to my demographic. Free from the resort-style attire or those generic, and sometimes dull, golfing ensembles, the newest boutiques in Old Town La Quinta offer nothing but color and sophistication with their trendy digs.
Tink is a very vibrant, and not to mention very pink, boutique offering the latest in casual and sporty wear to summer dresses and girly skirts. Pick up the hottest pieces from Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson, and Paper Denim & Cloth at Tink. Elizabeth & Prince is also another great destination for high fashion and offers the best in clothing, shoes, candles and beauty. Designers include Citizens of Humanity, Diane von Furstenberg, Sass & Bide, Stella McCartney, and Tory Burch.
Dining is also excellent in Old Town La Quinta. We visited the Hog's Breath Inn, which isn't an inn at all. The cocktails and margaritas were refreshing and definitely helped us cool down from the desert heat. The menu featured a nice mixture of steaks, seafood, and neighborhood favorites. The Stuffed Sole Florentine was amazing and consisted of crab, shrimp, spinach, and brie atop a large piece of sole and served with a large side of their hose au gratin potatoes. If you have the room, dessert shouldn't be passed and guests have a number of choices to gorge on.
Nightlife in the desert is picking up and a couple places sparked our interest. Velvet Palm is located on the 12th floor of Fantasy Springs Resort Hotel & Casino in Indio. The nightclub features hot DJs and an outdoor patio with panoramic views of the desert. A couple Playboy playmates were making a guest appearance on the night we visited and definitely kept the energy up throughout the night.
If you're not too tired after dancing, the casino at Fantasy Springs is lively and will suck you in if you let it. Drinks are cheap, the slots are loose and the company will stay up all day and all night. Costas at the Marriott in Desert Springs is a few miles west of La Quinta and is a great place to go after work for a drink or to hit the dance floor with top-40 hits. Friday and Saturday are the best nights and crowds usually start to liven up around 11pm.
La Quinta and the Palm Desert area are quickly becoming great getaway destinations for San Diegans looking for some great shopping, dining, and relaxation. The friendly and artsy atmosphere of the town is inspiring and I'm already planning my next trip out there. If you can stand the heat, La Quinta and the desert is a prime place to getaway from the hustle and commotion.
For more San Diego travel ideas, read the details here.
La Quinta Resort & Club - laquintaresort.com
Hog's Breath Inn - hogsbreathinn.net
Tink - tinkboutique.com
Elizabeth & Prince - elizabethandprince.com
Fantasy Springs Resort Hotel & Casino - fantasyspringsresort.com
Marriott Desert Springs - desertspringsresort.com
tags : La Quinta Hotels, La Quinta Resort, La Quinta Club