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Emerald Desert RV Resort
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Emerald Desert RV Resort
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Emerald Desert RV Resort
Story & photos by Perry & Cindy Mack
The morning sun lit the tip of San Jacinto Mountain as it had done for centuries. But unlike 500 years ago, as it rose higher in the sky it did not reflect off Cahuilla Lake, but instead, bathed the palm lined boulevards of the city of Palm Desert in a golden light, an idyllic respite from the wintery wonderland north of the 49th.
Palm Desert lies on the west side of the flat Coachella Valley between the San Jacinto (pronounced ha-seen-toe) Mountains & Santa Rosa Mountains to the west and the San Bernardino Mountains to the east. It’s one of nine desert cities in the Coachella valley, each of which, has it’s own unique personality.
This particular city appears literally like a sultan’s oasis in the desert. Tall manicured palms line the streets; and mature green trees, shrubs and brightly coloured flowers bath the city in a lush tropical glow. A picturesque contrast from the rocky brown hills and mountains rising abruptly to the east and west, which most often meet a cloudless deep blue sky. It’s a luxurious city of country clubs, resorts and secure communities.
There are four activities in Palm Desert, which if they ignite your passion, are in such abundance you will never grow bored. Where ever you start, by the time you have seen or done it all, either it will be time to leave, or the seasons have changed and everything will have been renewed.
The first is golf. Palm Desert lies in the famous Coachella Valley, which is home to roughly 120 golf courses, ready for both avid players and nascent ball-strikers. I can’t even begin to describe the opportunities to play here in the limited space I have available, save to say that wherever you stay, golf is just a chip shot away.
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El Paseo Shopping District
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El Paseo Shopping District
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El Paseo Shopping District
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El Paseo Shopping District
The second is shopping. El Paseo Shopping District is Palm Desert’s version of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Parking at ‘The Gardens on El Paseo’, we slummed through Louis Vuitton (which according to my wife is not pronounced Lewis Vootin), Saks 5th Avenue, and Tommy Bahama. In addition to the kilometre and half of shops along El Paseo, there are numerous outdoor malls. While I can’t guess at the total number shops in Palm Desert, for a non-shopper like myself, it feels like the same number as stars in the sky.
Art is number three. And although it may be third on the list here, it could number one for you. My favourite on El Paseo is the Coda Gallery. It has the largest diversity of art of the gallery shops I visited, and art lovers could spend a couple of hours perusing its two floors. Palm Desert is also home to the 8,000 sq ft Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert. In addition to the galleries and shops, the city has invested in dozens of public works of art, many of which you can see on the median boulevard dividing El Paseo and others streets and parks throughout the city. Visit palm-desert.org for a map of the locations and create your own walking tour.
National Monument Visitor Centre
Fourth is hiking and biking outdoors. From national parks to municipal trails, you can hike and bike a different trail every day for months. To gain knowledge of the local flora and fauna I suggest starting with the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument Visitor Center on the western outskirts of Palm Desert. By the way, there is no monument in the traditional sense of the word. I know I looked, it doesn’t matter how many times you say ‘just another 5 minutes honey’, it never appears - because you’re in it. This monument is actually a 1133 sq km (437 sq mi) tract of land that includes public lands within the BLM’s California Desert Conservation Area and the San Jacinto Ranger District of the San Bernardino National Forest.
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Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
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Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
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Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
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Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
Crossing the valley to the east, we visited the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve in the Coachella Valley Preserve. Hundreds of massive prehistoric-looking palms are clustered together creating a canopy over the trail leading away from the small rustic visitor centre. You are standing on the San Andreas Fault. The barren brown desert ends abruptly as cracks from the fault allow water from the underground aquifer to seep to the surface feeding the lush vegetation. You can hike here on your own, or sign up in advance for a guided hike on the 45 km (28 mi) of trails that range from easy to moderately difficult, and pass through a diverse variety of habitats. There is no entry fee as the facility functions on, and is happy to accept, donations. The parking lot is small and as a result they don’t allow RV parking from November to March, and recommend you carpool if you are coming in a group. http://coachellavalleypreserve.org
Our home base for exploring Palm Desert was Emerald Desert RV Resort. It’s a cozy size at 13 ha (33 ac) with 255 RV sites, twelve villas and a full suite of luxury resort amenities creating a luxurious, secure gated community. The sites vary in size and location so if you want the best of the best - book early – in fact it’s best (and cheapest) to book for the next year before you leave.
We especially liked the villas as they allow friends and family to visit comfortably. Their location is undeniably good. The Bocce court, pool, fitness centre, clubhouse, and reception are all a few steps away. Across the street is the sundry shop, where you can pick up essentials, beverages and snacks – all on the honour system as there are no staff manning the shop. You make a note of your purchase and charge it to your site. There is also a book exchange, tennis rackets and golf clubs available to borrow. A great small town touch.
Villa interiors have a number of luxury touches, from the granite countertops in the fully equipped kitchens/kitchenettes to the dark stained wood cabinetry. Your guests will find that morning coffee is made even more enjoyable by relaxing on their trellis-covered patio in swivel rockers while the maintenance crews hum along manicuring the grounds. Twelve villas are available in the resort, ranging in size from studios to three bedroom units.
Golfers will enjoy warming up on the putting green and driving range. Activities include weekly golf and and tennis clinics, yoga, aqua aerobics, arts, crafts and a plethora of featured special events. If you don’t feel like driving the RV home, indoor RV storage is available for rent as well storage lockers and a few outdoor RV storage sites.
Things we especially like at Emerald Desert RV
- Beautiful pool long enough to swim lengths, large deck area with covered gazebos, umbrellas – beautifully lit at night
- Well equipped gym, treadmills with video screens, barbells, universal gym, ellipticals
- Pet friendly for friendly pets
- Spacious well equipped clubhouse. A wedding reception was held here on the first night of our stay
- Free Wi-Fi, good enough to stream Netflix. We were very close to the clubhouse during low season so this could change with a full park and sites at the perimeter
Palm Desert is a wonderful place for either a short stay or a snowbird winter escape, able to satisfy your golf, intellectual, outdoor and shop-aholic desires year after year.
- Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Centre, 51-500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA - (760) 862-9984
- Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve, 29200 Thousand Palms Canyon Road, Thousand Palms, CA - (760-343-2733)
- Emerald Desert RV Resort, 76000 Frank Sinatra Drive Palm Desert, CA - (877) 624-4140, www.emeralddesert.com
First time tips
- Make sure you know the gate code for the resort in the event you arrive late
- Download a site map online so you can find your way in the dark
- Staff will leave a welcome bag on the door for you if reception is closed
- If you're staying in a villa, you may want to stop and bring coffee, sweetener and creamer for your first morning. All the appliances, dishes and cutlery are there.