With more than 350 days of sunshine per year and the warmest winters in the western US – though summer can be quite hot – recreational hiking and horseback riding are popular in the many canyons in the mountains that surround the valley. One of the most visited outdoor sports areas is Thousand Palms Canyon.
In the early 1900s, Palm Springs was an ideal farming town and had some space converted to a minor agricultural economy. After that failed, all the fields and groves were replaced by homes and golf courses. Agriculture succeeded in the lower Coachella Valley near the communities of Thermal, Mecca, Oasis and Vista Santa Rosa that had a large underground aquifer to sustain a year-round green environment.
Roughly 125 golf courses blanket the area, making it one of the world’s premier golf destinations and is the most popular golf vacation destination in California. The Merrill Lynch Skins Game was held in La Quinta each Thanksgiving and drew some of the biggest names in golf. The PGA has a major presence in La Quinta as well with the PGA WEST golf and residential complex. One of the host courses of the aforementioned Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, a PGA WEST fairway represents the area in Soarin’ Over California, an IMAX-based attraction at Disney California Adventure Park theme park.
Popular sports in the Coachella Valley besides Golf include: Tennis, Hiking, Cycling, Rock Climbing, Racing, Off-Road Vehicle Sports and Horseback Riding.