Palm Springs & Desert Attractions
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
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To gain a bird's-eye perspective on the Coachella Valley, take this 14-minute ascent up nearly 5,900 feet to the upper slopes of Mount San Jacinto. While the Albert Frey-designed boarding stations retain their 1960s ski-lodge feel, newly installed Swiss funicular cars are sleekly modern and rotate during the trip to allow each passenger a panoramic view. There's a whole other world once you arrive: alpine scenery, a ski-lodge-flavored restaurant and gift shop, and temperatures typically 40° cooler than the desert floor. The most dramatic contrast is during the winter, when the mountaintop is a snowy wonderland, irresistible to hikers and bundled-up kids with saucers. The excursion might not be worth the expense during the rest of the year. Guided mule rides and cross-country ski equipment are available at the top. An upscale restaurant, Peaks, serves California-modern cuisine. Appetizers begin at $10, entrees $21. Wait and take the tram to the top after 3pm for a lower rate and "Ride and Dine" at the Pines Restaurant, $34 adults. Peaks is open 11am to 7:30pm daily and reservations are recommended (tel. 760/325-4537).
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