Winter and spring months in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area) are fantastic. For the first 5 years of Offspring’s life we were snowbirds, spending summer and fall in BC, Canada, and winter and spring in the desert. Winter in La Quinta is a no brainer. There’s gorgeous weather, fresh citrus, and we have to make a real effort to see snow – as it should be!
It’s hot enough to swim every day, but still cool enough to go to the playground in the middle of the day. Mornings are perfect for hikes through Painted Canyon / Ladder Canyon, the Bump and Grind, or the Top of the Cove.
We stomp divots at polo from January through March, and walk to the farmer’s market in Old Town la Quinta. There are a lot of fun free things to do, but there are also some great events going on like the La Quinta Arts Festival, the BNP Paribas at the Tennis Garden, Coachella, and Stagecoach.
If you are planning a trip down to the desert, check out La Quinta Resort, it’s my favorite. Even when we were living there full time we were at the resort for a lot of great events, like their tree lighting at Christmas. If you can, get into one of the original casitas. Who knows, you may end up in a room that Greta Garbo or Clark Gable stayed in back in the 20’s or 30’s.
Accidental Residents
I’ve been coming to the desert since I was a teenager, but I never expected to live here. I’m not a fan of being landlocked. I’m a mermaid! I was born on a pacific island and spent my adult life on boats. Even more unexpected is that I’ve grown to love it in La Quinta. I couldn’t ask for a better group of friends for me and my daughter.
After my parents sold their home in La Quinta, and are planning to spend less time in the desert I had to weigh the pros and cons of staying here vs. moving back home to Canada. For a while the balance tilted toward staying in the Coachella Valley where Offspring was born. I asked her whether she’d prefer to live in the desert or up north. She voted for snow at first, but when I told her that would mean selling our house in La Quinta she quickly changed her mind. We finally did move when it was time for her to start school, and I proved that you really can come home.
Desert Babies
On a springtime walk to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Casa Mendoza in Old Town La Quinta, I snapped these photos of some pretty desert landscaping. Aren’t all the little babies adorable?
I really love travelling the U.S. desert states. Your pictures are really beautiful.
Thank you! I keep going back to this one block that has some of the loveliest desert landscaping. One cactus is blooming in both yellow and pink right now!
Lizzie. I see that you still have an awesome photographers eye. I’m living way too far inland my-self in Atlanta, but like you, will always make the best of thing. Thanks for sharing your stories and pics.
Your good friend,
Alfred.
Hi Alfred, thank you! Doesn’t Roatan feel like a different lifetime? Weren’t you in Arizona last time we spoke?
Hi Lizzie~ Glad to hear you are still planning to stick around here. As you state, there are very few places that are better to be this time of year. And speaking of “babies”, I just saw the first of a bunch of baby ducks at the Civic Center Park. More to follow I’m sure.
I also completely agree about the daylight savings time. I really love it staying light longer and wish it titled this way all year. ~Kathy
I need to take offspring and my camera to the ducky park to see the babies!