The Coachella Valley is sometimes compared to Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona or Santa Fe, New Mexico as part of the Southwest, as much it’s a part of Southern California’s most popular destinations (San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, and the rest of the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area). In a 2003 Condé Nast publication review, Palm Springs was ranked one of the top 10 global vacation destinations, and the smallest one in population.
The Coachella Valley is major hub for entertainment known worldwide. Palm Springs became a miniature version of Hollywood and a rival to Sundance, Utah; with the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival every January and the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival (or ShortFest) held in August, at the historic Plaza theater.
For professional tennis fans, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, opened in 2000, hosts the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament annually in March. Each April, Indio Hosts the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival. Indio is also the site of the annual Coachella Music Festival, a rock music concert venue in the Indio/Empire Polo Ground, recognized as one of the nation’s premiere music festivals for its high-profile acts and scenic beauty.
The Coachella Valley area is dotted with casinos run by local Indian tribes as well as resort hotels and spas with natural mineral water wells, making it a vacation destination as well. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes visitors from the valley floor to the San Jacinto Peak mountain station 8516 feet above sea level.
Palm Springs is home to one of the country’s largest collections of mid-century architecture. Thousands of homes, apartments, hotels, businesses and other buildings were designed in this fashion across the city. International mid-century enthusiasts come to Palm Springs to admire the design.
The Coachella Valley area is home to the world famous music festivals, Coachella and Stagecoach as well as the Rhythm, Wine & Brews Experience, The Palm Springs Film Festival and many others. The areas’s casinos include Morongo, Agua Caliente Casino and Spa, Agua Caliente Resort, Augustine Casino, Fantasy Springs, Spotlight 29 and Soboba.