Joshua Tree & Palm Springs

Day 1 – Joshua Tree National Park

We set off from our departure points this morning aboard a deluxe motorcoach for the Coachella Valley. Onboard is a knowledgeable geography professor-guide who will provide extensive guided sightseeing as we travel in the shadow of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. Following a morning rest stop, we’ll arrive in Joshua Tree National Park. Viewed from the road, this desert park only hints at its vitality. Closer examination reveals a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their home in this land shaped by strong winds, unpredictable torrents of rain, and climatic extremes. A rich cultural history and surreal geologic formations add to the attraction of this place. With 700 species of plants, Joshua Tree is renowned for its plant diversity. No wonder that when the area was first proposed for preservation in the early 1930s, the name suggested was Desert Plants National Park. We’ll visit the Oasis Visitor Center and enjoy an included boxed lunch before we continue deeper into the park to discover a unique landscape created by two distinct desert ecosystems coming together. The Park is characterized by boulders and buttresses, rugged mountains, gold mining ruins, and desert plains dotted with those wacky namesake trees (actually a type of yucca). See the huge rock formations surrounded by a healthy population of Joshua Tree, pinyon, juniper and oak along with mesquite, yucca, nolina and various cacti in Hidden Valley. Admire the views at Key’s View (elevation 5,152 feet) where on a clear day exists a sweeping panorama of the Coachella Valley including Palm Springs, the Salton Sea and the San Andreas Fault, as well as two of Southern California’s biggest summits: Mount San Jacinto and Mount Gorgonio. We continue past Skull Rock to Cholla Cactus Garden where we can take a leisurely walk through thousands of densely concentrated, naturally growing cholla cacti. This evening we arrive at the elegant Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, a destination resort featuring luxurious hotel rooms, a variety of fabulous restaurants and Vegas-style gaming in an award-winning casino. (Lunch)

Day 2 – Palm Springs, Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Journey Home

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway where we’ll board the world’s largest rotating tramcars and travel over 2 1/2 miles along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon to the pristine wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park. During the 10 minute journey, the state-of-the-art, Swiss-made tramcar rotates slowly offering picturesque and spectacular views of the Coachella Valley floor. Once you arrive at the Mountain Station (elevation 8,516 feet) enjoy time at leisure to explore the observation decks, natural history museum, gift shop and nature trails. This afternoon we arrive in downtown Palm Springs with time at leisure for browsing and lunch on own. Palm Springs’ core shopping district along Palm Canyon Drive features mom and pop shops, vintage boutiques and name brand stores mixed in with a variety of restaurants. The redesigned downtown plaza captures the city’s energetic pulse point and offers a welcoming pedestrian-friendly experience. The Palm Springs Historical Society’s compound at The Village Green features Palm Springs’ earliest historic buildings. Along our journey home, we’ll stop at Hadley Fruit Orchards, the Southern California landmark famous for their breads, nuts and date shakes. We return to our drop-off points this evening with fond memories of our fabulous desert and mountain getaway not soon forgotten. (Breakfast)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your understanding, flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. While these have always been necessary traits for travelers, they are needed now more than ever! Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary. Now more than ever, our 30 years of knowledge and tour planning experience helps us navigate a unique travel environment on your behalf. You can put your trust in us knowing we are experts in travel planning and will do everything possible to provide wonderful new experiences and create amazing new memories for our guests while on the road with us.