Adventures for Families: June 2016

I recently traveled to the Palm Springs area for my nephew’s graduation. My sister and I grabbed the opportunity for a one night girls’ getaway, and I instantly thought of the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, a property I have been eyeing for a while. I have many clients who travel to this area to visit family, or attend events like the Coachella Music Festival.

Palm Desert

The desert is hot in summer, of course, but this particular weekend it was even hotter than normal, with temperatures around 115 by mid afternoon. Now why would someone want to spend good money at a luxury resort in these conditions?? Would you do anything other than sit in your room?

Note the time at the top

Well, in fact I learned that this is the BEST place to be when temperatures are soaring, for several reasons:

> If you are going to be stuck inside, why not be stuck inside a beautiful resort with an elegant bar and restaurant with views, or a spacious room with comfy beds?

Inviting seating area in the lobby

Indoor - outdoor decor

Lots of space in even the entry-level rooms

> Most homeowners' pools are too warm to enjoy when temperatures soar above 100 deg. But the Ritz Carlton’s pools were chilled, so they were refreshing, and after a quick dunk we were even comfortable sitting on the lounge chairs for quite a while.

Checking out the family pool from the poolside bar

> The resort had many outdoor shaded seating areas. And while it’s still hot in the shade, it is cool enough to be tolerable. When you've been out in 115 deg temps, the upper 90's feel relatively cool.

Outdoor bar seating

A quiet area in the shade around the corner from the bar

> There are misters outside the rooms and around the pool, so you don't even have to get completely wet to be comfortable.

Our private patio with misters and a shared firepit

Sure doesn't feel like it's 115 now!

We were at the resort for exactly 24 hours, and we relished every minute. We enjoyed a fantastic wine tasting while waiting for our room, hosted by a rep from Michael David wines.

Big reds - yummy!

Ready for a group of locals to visit

Once in our room, we quickly changed and headed over to the quiet adult pool, with fabulous views across the valley.

So peaceful!

Location, location, location!

We had to drag ourselves away for our dinner reservation at State Fare, and when I heard they were known for their hamburgers, I knew exactly what to order. And my sister was happy to try the fried avocados that she had heard others rave about.

It was as good as it looks. And those fries!!

Guests dining at the steakhouse have a fantastic view of the valley

After dinner the temperatures had dropped to more reasonable levels, so we strolled around the grounds. We knew the rooms on the west side were getting a great sunset view, as we could see the last rays glowing on the mountains across the valley.

Firepit rooms next to the lawn are perfect for families,

Never tired of the reflecting pool, which was always changing

Kids were playing lawn games as parents watched from their patios with fire pits, and some guests were eagerly waiting for the telescope to be set up for stargazing. There were plenty of private spaces around the resort where guests could sit and chat.

Whimsical decorations

Bye bye sun, hello cooler temps!

The next morning we grabbed our coffee and found a quiet spot to read and enjoy the view, then took a tour of the spa.

Morning light

Great nighttime and daytime views from this spot

Another look at those firepit rooms

The co-ed lounge at the spa

For our remaining hours in paradise we hung out by the main pool, which was just steps from our outdoor patio. After lunch, we relocated to our patio with the misters to enjoy our last few hours of our girls' getaway. It was with great reluctance that we packed our bags and headed home.