Dec 01, 2018

3 Days in Greater Palm Springs

This post is sponsored by A Girls Guide to Cars.

3 Days in Greater Palm Springs, a quick travel guide.

[dropcap2_large]R[/dropcap2_large]ecently I had the pleasure of heading to the Greater Palm Springs area for the Girls Guide to Cars conference. Three wonderful days were spent learning more about cars and exploring the Greater Palm Springs area. Today I’ve partnered with A Girls Guide to Cars to share some of my favorite places to stay, eat, and play in the area as well as giving away a trip to experience it for yourself.

Where to Stay

During my trip to the Greater Palm Springs area I was hosted at the beautiful Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa located in Indian Wells, California. The expansive resort features a stunning backdrop of the Santa Rosa mountains an the sunset views do not disappoint. The rooms range in size from a standard 425 sq. ft. room to suites and villas over 1,000 sq. ft. The picturesque pool leaves little to be desired, with cabanas and poolside dining available. There is even a hideaway adults-only pool for those seeking a more serene experience. The Well Spa, located at the center of the hotel’s grounds, is the perfect place to retreat and recharge. The well-manicured grounds of the hotel are in-part inspired by the general managers love for horticulture. Olive trees, citrus groves, an herb garden, tropical plants, and palm trees all come together to form the lush landscape of the hotel. Guests are welcome to enjoy the lawn games, fire pits, bocce ball court, and are also invited to pick their own citrus.

Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, 45000 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells, California 92210.

Where to Eat

Citrus & Palm
Located just steps inside of the beautiful Miramonte Resort, Citrus and Palm is the perfect place for an elevated farm-to-fork experience. We enjoyed dinner there during our stay, savoring the stir fried green beans made with crispy pancetta, thai basil, mint, chile yuzu glaze, crispy shallots, and toasted peanuts. The avocado & citrus salad was perfect, and my salmon was crispy tender delicious.

Domo Sushi
Celebrating the art of sushi, Domo Sushi is located in the El Paseo shopping district of Palm Desert, California. They effortlessly worked around my food allergies (dairy & soy) and I was able to enjoy a delicious dinner. Every dish that came out was plated to perfection and the service was attentive and personalized.

The Cafe at Shield’s
A retro-dreamland, The Cafe at Shield’s Date Garden offers a variety of Mexican-inspired favorites with a gift shop that is sure to bring back some nostalgia. Located in Indio, be sure to spend some extra time to take the walking tour ($5).

The Pink Cabana
Designed by Martin Lawrence Bullard, The Pink Cabana is an eclectic place to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a Moroccan influence. Though I didn’t get to check it out on this trip, it’s on my wishlist for future travel for sure!

Wildest Greens
Founded by Denise DuBarry Hay, Wildest Greens, is an organic restaurant located in Palm Desert, California with the goal to make you feel happier and healthier. Their menus range from grab and go to a relaxed area to enjoy your food. I didn’t get a chance to visit but it sounds like my kind of place.

Where to Play

BMW Performance Center West
One of the most exciting moments for me as a teenager was when I learned how to drive. My favorite video games as a child were ones that involved racing cars. Mario Kart, Need for Speed, you name it, I was playing it. Needless to say, when I found out that our trip included time at the BMW Performance Center West I was over the moon. After breakfast and a short chalk talk we were able to get into the fun stuff. Since I’ve previously done autocross with BMW, I wasn’t nervous. We started with timed autocross laps to warm up, driving the M3 model. I settled in quickly, squealing the tires around every corner and sliding into the stop box. We then moved on to my personal favorite, lead-follow driving the M4 on the track, hitting speeds of 130MPH. Lastly we got to do a dream test-drive all of the M models on a smaller autocross course. Experiences start at $299 and you can learn more by visiting their website.

The Well Spa
A 12,000 sq. ft. space inspired by the landscape that surrounds it. Mountains, rock formations, palm trees, citrus groves, and olive trees set the tone for this tranquil space. The spa features nine indoor treatment rooms and three outdoor rooms including both hot and cold soaking pools, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, and a relaxation lounge. For a full list of treatments and pricing, visit their website.

Drive Highway 74
A slight break-away from the group in a beautiful 2019 Lexus UX gave us a chance to see the Coachella valley from another angle. The highway quickly curves and rises up from the city of Palm Desert toward the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Take your time and enjoy the drive, stopping at a few turn outs along the way.

Painted Canyon Hike
Although I’m dying to go back, I didn’t make it to the Mecca Hill’s Painted Canyon hike again on this trip. You can see how my hike went on the last one though and check it out for yourself.

Desert X
Desert X is a biennial art exhibition that features art installations by artists from different parts of the world spread out all over the Coachella Valley.

.. and if you’re on a budget, check out these 30 free things to do in Greater Palm Springs!

Pack
For this trip I packed pretty light since I was only here for a few days. For longer trips I’ve shared a 10 day travel light packing list and 5 days of my outfits in the Palm Springs area.


Travel Guide: 3 Days in Greater Palm Springs

Enter to Win a Greater Palm Springs Getaway!

We are giving away a drive experience at BMW Performance Center West, an overnight at Miramonte Resort and more.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest rules: Entries must be completed by 11:59PM Pacific December 31st, 2018. No purchase necessary; contest open only to US residents 18 years old or older and subject to the laws of the state of California. Winner will be chosen by random drawing from qualified entires and verified by A Girls Guide to Cars; winner will be notified by email no later than January 7th, 2019. Prize will be delivered by USPS to a valid US address; prizes cannot be shipped to a P.O. box. Winners may be asked to provide identification to receive their prize. Prize valued at $1,200, not exchangeable for cash or other items. Prize is limited to one (1) night accommodations at Miramonte Resort, Indian Wells, CA with date of accommodation subject to approval by Miramonte management; one (1) breakfast for two at Miramonte Resort; one (1) half day driving instruction and hot lap package for one person at BMW Performance Center West, Thermal, CA. Travel and additional accommodations are the responsibility of the winner. Contest is administered by and prizes awarded by A Girls Guide to Cars, which assumes no liability for the administration of this contest. Miramonte Indian Wells Resort, BMW Performance Center, Visit Greater Palm Springs Area, and all other event partners assume no responsibility or liability for the administration of this contest. A total of 1 grand prize will be awarded.

This post was sponsored by A Girls Guide to Cars. Thank you for helping to support the sponsors that make life here at Hej Doll a little sweeter.

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Great post. I don’t understand why I haven’t seen him before. Very useful information and amazing photos. I really wanted to travel!

Thank you for the great post! Traveling is a part of a healthy lifestyle. Keep moving!

Wow I love this guide Jessica! I did the BMW Racing car school too during a Palm Springs Trip. So much fun!!

Great post with some helpful information. And these photos are awesome.
Thank you for sharing this.

I always find your blog super inspirational, really enjoyed reading this post. Thanks for the share.

Can’t wait to go to Palm Springs for the first time this spring! 🙂

Wow!!! That is beautiful. I am adding Palm Springs to my bucket list

I feel like flying to Palm SPrings right now. THis has certainly given me vacation goals. Your pictures make it all drool worthy.

I still haven’t been to Palm Springs but it looks like such a fun Moms weekend spot! Trying to coordinate something for next year!

Great post and oh my, these photos are gorgeous and making me want to travel!!

Great post with some really helpful information. I need to learn more about cars myself!

Love the post! Loved even more the chance to meet you because of Drive2Learn!

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