August 14, 2015

Traveling with Pride: Palm Springs

Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 5 MIN.

The dog days of summer are coming to an end, but sunshine isn't far away if you head to Palm Springs, California, where a weekend getaway can range from outdoor adventures to leisurely poolside cocktails and the average temperature hovers at a perfect 75 degrees.

Once home to the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians, Palm Springs began to gain traction as a tourist destination in 1909 with the opening of the Desert Inn.

By the late 30s, Hollywood's elite was escaping to the picture-perfect destination and the steady growth of Palm Springs International Airport since the 70s has solidified it as a go-to hub for sun, fun and occasional debauchery.

Greater Palm Springs Pride

Since the region's first Pride event in 1986, the Coachella Valley has been advocating for diversity and equality. This year's Pride theme is "Color Our World With Pride" and event organizers anticipate more than 175,000 to descend upon downtown Palm Springs.

Key events of this year's Pride include:

November 6

  • Rainbow Flag Raising
    10 a.m. Palm Springs Village Green

  • Broadway in Drag
    8 p.m. Palm Canyon Theatre hosts the fifth annual competition where a chorus's worth of female impersonators vies for the crown.

  • Get Wet
    11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Head to the Pride Beach Party (no cover, 21 and over) at Hacienda Cantina and Beach Club (1555 S. Palm Canyon Dr.) for an all-day celebration.

    12 p.m. - 10 p.m. If you're looking for something with a bit more skin, leave the Speedo behind and opt for CCBC Resort's (68300 Gay Resort Dr.) Hot Wet & Proud Pool Party (clothing optional, 21 and over)

    November 7
    10 a.m. The 28th Anniversary Pride Parade steps off at Tacheva Drive and Palm Canyon Drive. Those looking for VIP digs should head to Dish Creative Cuisine for prime balcony viewing (1107 North Palm Canyon Drive). Keep an eye out for National Grand Marshall Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry.

    November 8
    10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Palm Springs Pride Festival
    Take to the streets for an action-packed day filled with live music, DJs, local retailers, beverage gardens and food vendors. (Palm Canyon Dr. from Amado to Baristo Rd. and on Arenas Rd. from Belardo to Calle Encilia)

    With flights from San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, getting there couldn't be easier than on Alaska Airlines. A longtime supporter of the LGBT community, Alaska Airlines is offering 10 percent discount on flights to Greater Palm Springs Pride, as well as discounts to other LGBT events throughout the fall including Southern Decadence (New Orleans), Orlando Pride, Atlanta Pride, Atlantis events and more.

    Discover

    Here's our not-to-miss bucket list:

  • Join best-selling author Michael Stern on an exclusive architecture and design tour of Palm Springs' most notable properties. The Modern Tour includes viewings of celebrity homes that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra, among others, as well as interiors of some of the area's most exclusive homes and admission to the new Palm Springs Architecture and Design Center.

  • Owners Tom Burke, Kathleen Brown, and Claude Sauviat opened Serious Food and Drink in early 2015 and it's earned fast raves from locals and tourists alike. Be sure to try the Quack Stack, duck fat fries topped with shredded duck confit, duck egg hollandaise and duck cracklings. The brunch menu also entices with sweet treats such as Crunchy Macadamia Nut French Toast topped with coconut dulce de leche and banana.

  • Pack your hiking shoes and call upon Stout Adventure to plan your outdoor excursion. They'll even provide backpacking gear so you can pack light -- "everything you need but the clothes on your back." Options include Mt. San Jacinto, Joshua Tree National Park, an epic three-week journey on the John Muir Trail, and more.

  • Cinema Diverse, The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, returns September 17-20, 2015. All screenings will take place at Camelot Theatres.

  • For an adrenaline rush in the sky, take a whirl around the Coachella Valley with Palm Springs Biplanes, which will whisk you into the sky in a 1940s Stearman biplane.

    You'll Never Want to Leave

    Palm Springs has welcomed more than a dozen hotel openings over the past two years along with renovations to keep things fresh. Here are our top picks:

    Avalon Hotel Palm Springs
    Dating back to the 1930s, the Avalon's lush past converges with modern amenities to embrace the glamorous Hollywood Regency Style. Offering a range of rooms, suites, and villas, consider gathering some of your closest friends for a stay in one of the Sovereign villas, which can accommodate six guests and features private outdoor patio, fireplace for those cool desert nights and a full kitchen to cook up your own farm fresh California cuisine.

    The Palm Springs Hotel
    True... not the most original name, but you'll be swept away by the hotel's "desert-modernist" architecture and furnishings that were tailor made and custom curated by ModShop by Room Service.

    All Worlds Resorts
    It may not quite have the swank factor of some other design-driven properties around town, but if you're single (or playfully coupled), this is the place to go for a friendly romp. If you'd rather just visit than stay a while, consider a day or evening pass.

    by Matthew Wexler

    Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.

    This story is part of our special report: "Traveling With Pride". Want to read more? Here's the full list.

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