46. Fantasy Balloon Flights
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 568-0997, (800) 462-2683
47. Adventure Bike Tours
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 328-0282
Description: This outfit provides a mix of custom bike tours, and can supply all needed equipment. Please call to inquire about tour options and requirements.
48. Big Wheel Tours
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 779-1837
Description: Kinda makes you think of Creedence, no? Then what Big Wheel should conjure up is the sense of wind in your face as you descend from the high to low desert on a guided 20-mile trip on the paved and largely deserted backroads of the far eastern valley. The company also offers mountain biking and custom tours, and of course, provides all the equipment you’ll need. (They also do jeep, hiking, and other tours.)
49. Big Wheel Tours
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 779-1837
Description: Each of Big Wheel’s tours is meticulously researched, informative, and entertaining; the guides are first-rate, and the destinations show imagination and creativity. Hiking tours include at least a dozen of the best spots in the valley or surrounding mountains. Off-road tours head into Joshua Tree National Park, through the San Andreas fault zone and other secluded areas, using SUVs or open-air Jeeps depending on location and customer preference. And of course tailor-made tours can be suited to your particular need for adventure and interests, be that the San Jacinto Mountains or a day spotting birds at the Salton Sea.
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
51. Covered Wagon Tours
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 347-2161, (800) 367-2161
Description: Authentically built covered wagons pulled by draft mules and driven by guides who play to the “Wild West” history of the desert can be a delightful way to learn a little bit about the desert—a smidgen of history wrapped in a lot of entertainment. High camp? You bet. And the kids’ll love it. Barbecue cookouts over a campfire and country-western serenades as the sun goes down are part of the fun, and the wagons are equipped with padded seats and rubber wheels for a relatively smooth ride. The tours take place in the Coachella Valley Preserve, a lovely desert spot dotted with natural palm oases. Departure times and offerings vary, so be sure to call for information and directions.
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
53. Joshua Tree Hiking Adventures
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 821-3227
Description: If you have a hankering to see the park from foot but don’t relish the idea of trying to figure which hike to take or peak to bag, leave the guiding to someone else. Proprietor Mike Santine leads half- and full-day custom hikes for groups sized one to whatever. Since the leader’s time costs are fixed, the more friends you take along the less each of you will pay, moving you well back down that price category above. The Web site lists hikes by category of difficulty, with all the boilerplate on length and elevation change, and a little narrative. Santine will also take you up your choice of several peaks in the park.
54. Trail Discovery/Desert Safari
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 325-4453
Description: Company president and lead guide Scott Scott (nope, not a typo) has been hiking in the desert for years and is considered quite the expert. He’s a delightful companion as well, adapting each tour to the participants’ interests and ability levels.Scott offers three main tours—Indian Canyons, Joshua Tree, and the forests above the tramway—and auxiliary excursions to the Coachella Valley Preserve and some outlying canyons. In winter he leads snowshoe trips. If you’re in town when Luna is large, the full-moon hike is a must. All tours include transportation, loaner hiking packs, water, snacks, and admissions when needed.
55. Big League Dreams Sports Park
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 324-5600
Address: 33-700 Date Palm Dr.
Description: The big attraction here is baseball and softball—three of the fields are small replicas of Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium—and pickup games are available if you call ahead. Among the activities and facilities are batting cages, sand volleyball courts, a mini-soccer field, and a tot lot for the little ones, as well as a covered in-line hockey facility and a restaurant. Outside food and drinks are not allowed. It’s a clean, safe, and well-run facility.The park typically opens at 8 a.m. and closes after the last game is played. Call for exact hours. Admission is free for spectators 12 and younger, and it’s only a few bucks for older spectators and sports-participating kids; however, all activities require tokens, and these can add up quickly.
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 67-700 East Palm Canyon Dr.
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 71-701 Gerald Ford Dr.
58. Desert Imax Theatre
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 324-7333
Address: 68-510 East Palm Canyon Dr.
Description: This is a typical IMAX, which means lots of amazing nature and adventure documentaries, and animated films, some in 3-D, shown on staggeringly large and lifelike screens, with resonating sound systems. Be sure to check The Desert Sun’s movie listings, as this facility regularly runs specials and offers discount coupons that can save a lot for a large family.
59. The Indian Canyons
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 323-6018
City: Palm Springs, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 500 West Mesquite Ave.