Cities in the Coachella Valley

Palm Springs
Cathedral City
Rancho Mirage
Palm Desert
Indian Wells
La Quinta
Indio
Desert Hot Springs

When you arrive here, no matter where you turn you see scenic, rugged mountains. That’s because this picturesque valley, which is below sea level, is surrounded by several mountain ranges—to the north Mount San Gorgonio (around 10,800 feet), the high-desert mountain range and the Little San Bernardino Mountains; to the west, Mount San Jacinto (10,500 feet) and the San Jacinto mountains; to the south, the Santa Rosa Mountains; and to the east in the distance, the Chocolate Mountains.

In the winter when the skies are clear blue and the days are sunny and dry at 75- to 85-degree days, the mountains are covered with snow. It’s an amazing and beautiful sight!

The valley is a vacation paradise, offering amenities and resorts of all kinds, varieties and sizes in each city. Each city has its own unique character. Palm Springs is at the west end of the Valley. Traveling east, you encounter Cathedral City, then Rancho Mirage, followed by Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and finally Indio. It's no more than 30 miles from Palm Springs to Indio.

Palm Springs
Originally called Agua Caliente (Spanish for "warm water"), the site of present-day Palm Springs was selected in 1863 as a stop on the stagecoach line between New Mexico Territory and Los Angeles. It was developed as a residential community in the 1880s.

Palm Springs is the Valley’s oldest and probably best-known city, made famous by Hollywood stars in the '30s, '40s and '50s who used it as a getaway. About 50 percent of the population is full-time and the rest are weekenders, vacationers and seasonal residents. Houses in Palm Springs range from $239,000 to $8 million.

Palm Springs has older, charming neighborhoods, all nestled at the base of Mt. San Jacinto, and some new neighborhoods are springing up in the north part of town. The main street, Palm Canyon Drive, is a classic desert boulevard lined with tall palm trees shading fun shops and trendy restaurants. It's a great walking street and a terrific place to shop, dine, meet people or just sit in a sidewalk café and watch the world go by.

Every Thursday night, year-round, lower Palm Canyon Drive is blocked off for the Street Fair. The fair features music, a Farmer's Market, arts, crafts and more. On North Palm Canyon Drive there’s another year-round event called First Friday. The historic district’s art galleries and specialty shops stay open and offer wine, cheese and other enticements the first Friday of each month. It’s another wonderful Palm Springs experience!

Palm Springs also is the center of the Valley’s gay population, having the highest concentration of gay people among area cities. In October 2003, the city’s Chamber of Commerce estimated that 57 percent of the population is gay and lesbian. Census 2000 reported that 11 percent of couples living together in Palm Springs are same-sex couples. That compares to 7.4 percent in San Francisco.

Cathedral City
Going east, Cathedral City is a bit more commercial, with more strip malls, car dealerships and other commercial activities as well as a wide variety of housing options. The city has some nice residential areas also, and housing is generally less expensive than in Palm Springs. Prices ranged from $220,000 to $1.5 million. The City is building a new shopping and restaurant complex next door to the Imax Theatre, the only one in the area.

Rancho Mirage
The next city going east, Rancho Mirage is much less commercial and mostly comprised of high-end residential properties, country clubs and gated communities. Former President Gerald Ford lives in Rancho Mirage, as did Frank Sinatra. A popular place is The River at Rancho Mirage, a new shopping and dining “experience.“ Houses here range from $329,000 to $6.75 million.

Palm Desert is in the Valley’s center. The largest and probably fastest-growing Valley community, Palm Desert is experiencing a boom of new residential and commercial construction. In addition to residential housing and condo complexes, there are many large gated communities, golf courses and resorts. Home prices range from moderate to very expensive ($249,000 - $7.5 million). The city offers several large shopping centers with major department stores and national retailers. El Paseo Drive—with shopping, dining and art galleries—is comparable to Los Angeles’ “Rodeo Drive. Palm Desert is also home to College of the Desert, and branches of the University of California-San Bernardino and University of California-Riverside.

Indian Wells
Indian Wells is considered to be the most upscale community in the Valley by many people. It's quiet, with numerous exclusive neighborhoods. For example, the homes in one community range from $5 million to $15 million. The city also has several large resorts, such as the Hyatt Grand Champions, and is home to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which hosts the annual Tennis Masters Series by Newsweek each March.

La Quinta
Next is La Quinta, the newest and smallest city in the valley. In addition to residential housing, there are many gated communities, with housing prices ranging from $200,000 to $6.9 million. Like Palm Desert, La Quinta is experiencing huge growth in both commercial and residential development. The city also is in the process of building an 18-hole municipal golf course, and is home to the La Quinta Arts Foundation, which holds a nationally renowned art festival each spring.

Indio
At the eastern end of the valley, is Indio, a smaller city that also is experiencing growth. Called the “City of Festivals,” Indio hosts the annual Date and Tamale Festivals. Home prices range from $175,000 to $2.4 million.

Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs is a beautiful, unique little city of spas and resorts nestled in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park, overlooking Palm Springs and the other Coachella Valley cities. Desert Hot Springs is built over one of the world’s finest, natural hot-mineral-water aquifers. Naturally occurring mineral waters bubble and percolate to the surface city. Visitors can calm and renew themselves in polished marble resorts, retro-hip motels or ultra-exclusive celebrity retreats.

Desert Hot Springs also boasts pure and delicious award-winning municipal drinking water, clean air, magnificent scenery, and easy access to all the events and attractions in the other cities of the Coachella Valley.

The beautiful Coachella Valley offers an extensive variety of home options for those seeking a relaxed, Desert lifestyle. Be sure to check out some of Stacy’s favorite places and activities.


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