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North America- Family Vacation 2.0
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OFFICIAL BLOG OF HABIBI WORLD TRAVEL & TOUR
North America- Family Vacation 2.0
Family Vacation 2.0
by Spencer Hert
Spencer just started a new job, so he’ll have to wait a little while until the next vacation.
Family Vacation 2.0
When my forever-adventuring mother initially suggested the trip, I thought, “Palm Springs?” It seemed out of left field, as our family trips typically revolve around National and State Parks with lots of hiking. After visiting, I can see why she was so excited to travel to the Coachella Valley. Each day was a special treat with new discoveries and plenty of fantasies of living in the mid-century modern houses.
Expanding our Definition of Family Vacation
Though we arrived at night, we were greeted with the buzz of the town, accompanied by the silhouette of the looming Mt. San Jacinto that hugs the city. My mother, father, sister, and I gathered and ordered cocktails at the top of the hotel where we would be staying for the entirety of our trip, the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs.
We discussed plans, and shared our excitement for the days to come. While my sister (22) and I (24) find ourselves in a transition period between finishing school and figuring out what we will do with our lives, we always have, and will continue to enjoy the family trips we are fortunate enough to take together. This is the time, now more than ever, as we find ourselves in different parts of the country.
The palms of Palm Springs DAY ONE
Sunscreen applied and shoes tied, we made our way down the Palm Canyon trail, which is one of several different trails in the area. We were promptly out of the desert and in a lush oasis filled with California fan palms, an eclectic smattering of bird species, and though we didn’t spot any, bighorn sheep.
We followed the Victor Trail along a ridge dotted with barrel cacti, prickly pear cacti, and the occasional remnants of coyote scat. This trail provided fantastic views of the oasis below, and Mt. San Jacinto in the background.
Our next stop was Andreas Canyon, where we embarked on a short loop hike through the canyon. The gentle trickle of Andreas Creek could be heard along the path and runs year-round through the canyon.
After a day of wandering through the area surrounding Palm Springs and discovering the intricacies the desert had to offer, in proper Hert family fashion, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit at least ONE National Park. We were ready to make our way to Joshua Tree National Park the next day to discover more.
The author under a Joshua Tree Day Two
The West Entrance to Joshua Tree National Park showcases a dynamic shift in rock formations and provides an introduction to the Joshua tree itself, as the largest species of Yucca (Yucca brevifolia) begins to dominate the landscape. The distinctive trees begin to arrange themselves in a vast and spread-out forest of vegetation exclusive to the Mojave Desert.
After pulling off to marvel at the largest Yucca plant in the world, we parked at the Hidden Valley Trailhead. This short loop hike snakes through a gap in the large rock features and opens up into Hidden Valley. The area delivers a display of Joshua trees and a 360-degree view of quartzite rock secluding the small valley.
Just a few minutes down the road is the trailhead to the Barker Dam Trail. This 1.1-mile loop trail takes you through the alluring desert to its halfway point at Barker Dam. Built by area cattlemen in 1900, with an addition made by William F. Keys in 1949, this dam is still able to hold water in season. Farther down the trail, you can see both petroglyphs and pictographs etched and painted on the rock.
We then made our way to Skull Rock, a highly visited landmark in the park. Between the herds of people taking selfies and family photos, you can catch a glimpse of this fascinating anthropomorphic rock formation.
After our staring contest with Skull Rock, we made our way down the Discovery Trail and Face Rock Trail across the road. This trail features interesting rock formations which make for enjoyable, family-friendly scrambles to get a good view of the area. Branching off from the Discovery Trail, the Face Rock trail reveals (at least to the abstract mind) a varied collection of faces. We returned to our car and drove to Cholla Garden.
The most striking species of cholla cactus found in Joshua Tree is known as “Teddy-Bear Cholla,” but despite its namesake, is best not to be cuddled. We specifically chose the end of the day to visit Cholla Cactus Garden because as the sun begins to lower, the light will shine through the off-white needles and create a halo-effect around the fuzzy cacti. Though cholla can be found throughout the park, this specific area has an extremely high density of cacti and makes for a unique view.
We wrapped up our day’s adventure at the Joshua Tree Saloon, a quirky, old-west style bar and grill. The lively bar and grill were the perfect end to our day, and we arrived back at the Rowan Kimpton happy and satisfied.
Cruising the streets Day Three
We invite you to feel the joy this morning on an iconic Alaskan experience— flying over the water in a small plane, landing on a beach, and spending time with coastal brown bears on their own turf. Bear Camp is on the “doorstep” of Lake Clark National Park, and on your days spent there you will often venture into the park itself. Our guide will ensure our safety as we observe in close proximity digging for clams, wading in the water, playing, and just being bears.The opportunity to spend 3 nights and 4 days alongside this thriving bear population and their environment is incredibly unique. The team of Nat Hab’s guides have a deep knowledge of the bears that reside nearby, and are eager to share during our time spent with the them. We’ll spend much of our daily excursions on foot, but not hurried or rushed.
After breakfast at Farm, a five-minute jaunt away from our hotel, we made our way to the Palm Springs Art Museum to admire myriad art forms, from glass sculptures and Native American pieces to Modern Mexican and hyperrealistic art pieces.
The rest of our day was spent on Cruiser bike seats in the pleasantly warm streets of Palm Springs, viewing mid-century modern architecture. While the bike routes for viewing these homes are seemingly endless, we decided to hug the mountains and snake through the Vista Las Palmas and Old Las Palmas neighborhoods. Each house we passed drew us in with unique landscaping, color palette, and structural design.
After the “ooh’s” and “aah’s” had settled, we coasted over to The Movie Colony, known for the Hollywood stars who congregated in the area. The Movie Colony is the perfect neighborhood for any movie buff to tour the old homes of celebrities, past and present.
After a long day, we took a short walk over to Tac/Quila, one of our favorite meals of the trip. After an exceptional dinner and a unique Tequila cocktail, we were looking forward to our final day.
Day Four
We began our final day near our hotel at Grand Central, a pleasant restaurant featuring both sweet and savory options. After breakfast, we were ready for the day’s destination—the Coachella Valley Nature Preserve, a sandy oasis close to Palm Springs, home to rare wildlife and vegetation.
It was much to our chagrin when we realized the nature preserve happened to be closed that day. I remembered my seat-mate on the plane mentioned a mountain town called “Idyllwild,”— an old mountain town known for its rich history and large granite formations.
The drive to Idyllwild was long but beautiful. Once there, if you pass the tourist trap shops in the center of Idyllwild, you can find quirky boutiques and wineries with friendly locals. Though we didn’t have time, there are ample outdoor activities to enjoy, including The Idyllwild Nature Center and popular hikes and climbs that lead to prominent features—like Taquitz (or Lily) Rock, Taquitz Peak, and Suicide Rock—that make Idyllwild so special.
When leaving Idyllwild, we decided to take a different route back to Palm Springs, and we were happy we did! The Banning-Idyllwild Panoramic Highway passes mountain meadows and ranch land before reaching the desert views we had become accustomed to throughout our trip.
We had our final dinner at 533 Viet Fusion and journeyed back to our hotel, already reminiscing on our time together and celebrating our long run of fun family vacations.
Travel Outside the Box
Before embarking on what would be a fantastic desert adventure, I found Palm Springs to be an unusual destination for our typical family trips. I had designed a template in my mind of what constituted an adventure, and Palm Springs fell outside the confines of what that meant to me.
Happily, I was proven incorrect. As my sister and I grow up and inevitably grow geographically distant, it becomes more important to us to have these family trips to really connect, and Palm Springs was the perfect area to do that. With help from locals, my mother, and the friendly folks at Off the Beaten Path to give us some information about the area, we had an excellent trip that greatly exceeded my expectations.
Posted on February 4, 2022 | People, Sense of Place, Travel Notes
