It is always exciting to wake up very early knowing that you are headed out on an adventure and going somewhere new that you have never been before. This Wednesday morning, I was headed to Palm Springs, California for the first time. I was going for work and would be on the ground less than 48 hours. Instead I decided to stay the weekend, explore and relax a little before heading back home on Sunday.
When you step off the plane in Palm Springs you are immediately in a different world. You walk down the plane steps onto the tarmac. It reminds me of arriving to the British Virgin Islands. It is an open-air airport with a relaxing vibe. I head to the baggage claim to grab my bag and get my rental car. My coworkers are arriving much later in the day, so I have some time to kill. While waiting on my bag, I google national parks or other distractions. I decide to head to Joshua Tree National Park. You can read all about that awesome park in my previous post.
Westin Desert Willow Villas
After my adventure in Joshua Tree, I picked up my coworker at the airport and we headed to The Westin Desert Willow Villas in Palm Desert. What an amazing resort! I had a 1-bedroom villa with a kitchen, a dining room table, a living room with a fireplace (too bad it was July) and a beautiful balcony overlooking the golf course. I could have stayed in this room for a long time! After we settled into our rooms, we headed to the restaurant to meet up with another coworker and have dinner. The food was scrumptious!
The Westin Desert Willow Villas has everything you could possibly want in a resort including a mountain backdrop. There are 2 18-hole golf courses, spa, gym, fire pit, 4 pools including a quiet pool and a kid’s pool with a huge slide, and a kids club. There is a full restaurant along with a pool side bar that serves food. All rooms have kitchens so they also have a market onsite where you can get coffee and snacks. There are golf carts that circle the resort throughout the day and evening, so you never have to get back in your vehicle after arriving. This resort has thought through everything and have top-notch customer service.
Adrenaline Rush at the Thermal Club
Not far from Palm Springs is Thermal, California. If you like adrenaline, then you must head to the Thermal Club. There is a BMW Performance Driving School here and you can sign up for a full racetrack experience. They have various options that you can chose from including a teen safe driver course. I am not an adrenaline junkie, but I decide to be adventurous! What an experience this is with beautiful backdrops!
Following the safety and training course, you are behind the wheel of a BMW and following your instructor for 6 laps on one of the 3 racetracks they have. You learn how to brake going into the curves and how to accelerate on the straightaways. The entire time you have the instructor talking to you through a radio system. Yes, he kept telling me to speed up since I wasn’t going fast enough. After you drive six laps, he will allow you to get in his passenger seat and you better brace yourself. It is truly like being in a race car with a true NASCAR driver. I was nervous as all get out but afterwards it is an experience I will never forget!
On Friday, I take my coworkers to the airport and say my goodbyes. I head back to my villa to work until checkout. I had decided to change hotels to be in Palm Springs proper and to try a different resort. This also allowed me to save money by returning the rent car since my new hotel had an airport shuttle. I worked on the balcony until late in the day, packed up, and headed to the airport to drop off the rental car. It is officially the weekend!
Self-Care Time
I check into the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. This is also a nice hotel but a different feel from the Westin where I just left. The Renaissance is more like your typical hotel whereas the Westin was all villas. My room was on a high floor and was overlooking the pool. I was able to capture a phenomenal sunset that night.
Knowing the pace of my previous couple of days, my body needed rest or I would be in a full Fibro flare soon. Not wanting to ruin my weekend, I settled in, ordered room service, and vegged out the rest of the evening.
Saturday, I had “huge plans” of enjoying the pool and the beverages! I got down there early and set up camp. By mid-afternoon there were lines at the pool bar, a DJ, and tons and tons of people. I had enjoyed the sun, read an entire book, and had a great day so I headed back to my room. I had to get ready for my next adventure!
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
After resting, showering, and doing some research, I ordered an Uber and was out on my next Palm Springs adventure. I went to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to visit Mt. San Jacinto State Park. You need to know that I am scared of heights! I have been tackling this very slowly but at the top of a 12-foot ladder I will get dizzy and my legs get wobbly. This is a true Kara adventure!
Here are some facts about the Tramway and the State Park:
- The World’s Largest Rotating Tram car
- It is a 2.5-mile ride one way
- It takes approximately 10 minutes from the time you leave one station until you arrive the next
- You travel over the Chino Canyon
- The mountain station is at 8,516 feet in elevation
- There are 2 restaurants, multiple observation decks, a museum, 2 documentary theaters, & a gift shop
- 50 miles of hiking trails
- Tent camping is allowed in the park
That was a LONG 10 minute journey for someone terrified of heights. But it was definitely gorgeous! The entire tram shakes when you go over the towers and that is the worst feeling. You pause for a milli-second that feels like a lifetime and then the tram hops over the tower and it feels like you are dropping! Trust me it is worth it going.
The temperature drops 30-40 degrees at the top. Everyone in the desert valley wanted to be up there on this July Saturday afternoon. You can imagine the crowd. I do wish I had gone on Wednesday or Thursday, but I can’t change the past, so I join the herds of people and go to every overlook and observation deck. The last one I arrive at is the one that feeds visitors into the park. I wish I had been able to do this. Unfortunately, my Fibro wasn’t allowing me to walk far and definitely not hike at this point in time. However, I will venture back when I can hike. Others told me how amazing the hikes and views were. I stood there admiring the views of the park and was able to hear wolves howling in the distance, it was approaching dusk.
At the tram station, I discovered everyone was leaving at the same time. The wait was over an hour to get on the tram. When we did it was shoulder to shoulder and almost dark but I was still able to snap a picture of the sunset.
I was in line with an elderly lady who was a local. She hikes two to three times a week in the park. She said she never comes on weekend due to the crowds but hadn’t been able to come all week and had to get out into nature. I can only hope my Fibro body will let me do that when I am her age!
Conquering My Fear of Heights
I was able to be in the center of the Tram going down and everyone was singing along with the radio. “Sweet Caroline” and “American Pie” distracted me safely to the bottom. It was pitch dark by the time we shuffled off the tram and I had zero service to call an uber. Thankfully one of the employees helped me out and all I had to do was wait for my ride.
Sunday came way too quickly, and it was time to catch my flight and head back home. This was truly a wonderful trip and I will not think twice about going back someday. I put my earbuds in and walked onto the tarmac to head east feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride in myself for the “out of my comfort zone” adventures.
