Hot springs, palm oasis among desert finds

Many veteran Southern California desert vacationers prefer some of the newer cities within a short drive of Palm Springs.

Enclaves such as Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert tend to attract a wealthy crowd of celebrities and retirees, but budget travelers will discover some unusual finds.

Exploring is most convenient by car. Or day trips from Palm Springs are possible via the Sunline Transit Agency's SunBus (www.sunline.org).

One of the best bargains is a day pass at the Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel in Desert Hot Springs, nine miles from Palm Springs, known for its mineral waters.

"What can you buy for $3 these days? " a woman from Seattle asked me as we paddled around the pool.

We laughed at the likelihood of two strangers from Seattle bumping into each other at what has to be one of the cheapest hot-springs spas this side of Eastern Europe.

Friday is "Ladies' Day." Three dollars buys a day pass to soak in any of eight sparkling blue-tiled pools filled with water bubbling from an underground aquifer. The water is "cooled" to 80 to 104 degrees and filtered to run clear without the usual sulfur smell.

The complex includes a full-sized swimming pool and a children's pool. Just bring a suit. Towels are provided and there's a changing room, showers, lockers and sauna. Rates are $5-$8 other days and times. Call 800-808-7727 or see www.dhsspa.com.

Palm Desert

Ten miles east of Palm Springs, in the city of Palm Desert, the major pastimes are golf and shopping along El Paseo, a mile-long boulevard lined with designer shops and art galleries. Many of the storefronts are vacant, a sign the economy has hit this area hard.

More interesting is the free public art. The city bills itself as a "museum without walls."

Stroll along El Paseo, and view 18 sculptures in the median, part of the rotating El Paseo Invitational Exhibition. Print out a map with descriptions from the Palm Desert Visitor Center Web site at www.palm-desert.org. The site also includes directions for a self-guided walking tour of architecturally significant buildings.

Volunteers lead free walking tours of public art at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month through June. Call 760-568-1441 for details or to book a free private tour for two or more.

Thirteen miles from El Paseo is the remote Coachella Valley Preserve (http://coachellavalleypreserve.org), a desert oasis of tall, thick-trunk fan palms. A 1.5-mile walk from the visitor center leads to the Mission Creek strand of the San Andreas fault.

Carol Pucci: cpucci@seattletimes.com