Things To Do In Desert Hot Springs

In 1913, Cabot Yerxa re-discovered Desert Hot Springs' eponymous springs while digging for water on his 160 acres of homesteaded land. In 1941, the pioneer decided to build a Hopi-inspired pueblo on this land using materials he reclaimed or found in the desert. The result is now known as Cabot's Pueblo Museum, and it encompasses 5,000 square feet.

The building, which rises four stories above the desert and utilizes the Venturi Effect for air conditioning, is constructed out of adobe-style sun-dried brick that Cabot made himself in his courtyard. Cabot also used materials from cabins abandoned in the 1930s. Visitors can wander through his pueblo's 35 rooms, peer out of the 150 windows, and stage elaborate Scooby-Doo chases through the 65 doors.

Named for the subject of a legendary tale from 19th-century California, Willie Boys Saloon & Dance Hall surrounds visitors with fun, food, and drink, as well as the rustic frontier atmosphere of the Old West. Diners can feast on pulled pork, spare ribs, fish and chips, and burgers, pairing them with beer and wine as revelers on the spacious dance floor groove to country, classic rock, and top 40 hits. The space prides itself on its collection of antiques and memorabilia, including an authentic Brunswick-made bar from the 1800s, a 19th-century bank-teller gate, and a jail cell from Deadwood believed to have once housed the killer of Wild Bill Hickok and a man who said a curse word on a Sunday.

The grizzled sands, rocky outcrops, and cacti of the California desert make its terrain tough to navigate—unless, of course, you're inside a Hummer. For more than a decade, the guides of Adventure Hummer Tours have utilized the military-grade vehicles—open-air or air-conditioned, depending on the tour—to explore some of the area's most scenic and exciting sites. The vehicles can climb and ramble to hard-to-reach sites, such as the Berdoo Canyon along the San Andreas Fault and a volcanic summit in Joshua Tree National Park where the horizon stretches hundreds of miles in every direction. The team also steers groups to less-rugged destinations, letting travelers explore Temecula Valley vineyards or take as many pictures as they want of the mailboxes of Palm Springs homes where celebs such as Elvis Presley once lived.

People looking for a quick dip or dramatic splash have plenty of options at Wet 'n' Wild Palm Springs. Not only does the water park feature two chutes that send riders on a high-speed trip from the peak of a seven-story tower, it also harbors a massive, 800,000-gallon wave pool. This is because Wet 'n' Wild Palm Springs strives to cool off people of all stripes—whether they're looking for an adrenaline boost or hoping to work on their driftwood impression. For the former are slides for children of all sizes, while the latter can chat and tan as they effortlessly float along a 600-foot lazy river.

The water park stretches onto land, too. Lounge chairs let visitors soak up the sun while snacking on ice cream and pizza, and canopy-covered cabanas wait for groups seeking a private place to regroup between rides.

On Saturday, November 17, dozens of food trucks will ramble into the Macy's parking lot at Promenade Mall for the Temecula Food Truck Festival, an event organized by Cliff Young of PBS' Out to Eat. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment as they nibble on free samples or purchase victuals from vendors such as Suite 106 Cupcakery, Ragin Cajun, or Devilicious, a truck specializing in decadent eats such as a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with butter-poached lobster.

Yelpers give Palm Springs Air Museum a 4.5-star average, TripAdvisors give it a 4.5 owl-eye average, and it has more than 800 fans on Facebook.