Palm Springs, Hollywood's desert playground, as Palm Springs is also called, was the domain of movie stars until a few decades ago. Palm Springs is a nice stopping point between the Grand Canyon / Phoenix and Los Angeles. If you stay here longer you should definitely visit Indian Canyons. The Indian Canyons is a collective name for the Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon and Murray Canyon, which used to be sacred ground for Indians. Nowadays it is a popular location for walking. You literally follow in the footsteps of the Indians. At the entrance you can buy hiking maps, food and drinks, but also Indian art and utensils.

After you pick up your motorcycle on the day of your arrival and park it in the hotel's parking garage, you can enjoy Los Angeles for the rest of the day and possibly visit Sunset Boulevard. The next day your journey begins in Califormia. With the bikes packed and packed with luggage we leave Los Angeles. The 1st part of the route is not the most attractive part, because Los Angeles is a series of cities, so it will be quite busy, you can now get used to getting used to the motorbikes and driving in America. Tip: Try to plan your trip in such a way that you will drive this route on a Saturday, it will then be less busy!

When we have left Los Angeles behind us, we leave the highway and drive into the San Bernardino National Forest, so that we can steer for a while and we are not on the highway all day. The San Bernardino National Forest is a wooded and hilly area where people from California often recreate. It is 823,816 acres (3,333.87 km2) in size. Heights range from 2000 to 11,499 feet (600 to 3505 m). Shots were also made for the following films: Daniel Boone in 1936 & Paint Your Wagon in 1969.
In Bear Lake we have the 1st gas stop of the trip, the first 180 KM are on it and we stop for lunch at the Pines Lakefront Restaurant, where you can have a delicious lunch overlooking the lake.

When we have left this area, we are looking for a piece of highway, so as not to arrive in Palm Springs too late. But first we make a stop at the Indian Vista Overlook, where, if you're lucky, you might see deer, bobcat, gray fox or a coyote. You also make a stop at Coachella Valley Vista, where you have a fantastic view of Bighorn Country Club, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta, also the view of the mountains San Jacinto and San Gorgonio is great, and on a nice clear day you can see the northern tip of the Salton Sea, which is about forty miles to the southeast.

Such a first day is of course getting used to the engine and to the temperature, because you will regularly stop it is quite a sit. Once in Palm Springs, where you can stop by the supermarket before you get to the hotel and you definitely need to refuel, so that the next day you can leave with a full tank. Once at the hotel you can swim in the hotel pool. There are also all kinds of shops, food and beverage outlets in "down town" Palm Springs.

In this 4-star route you will drive along beautiful good roads, through a wooded area with various opportunities to take beautiful overview photos.

General information:
The Colorado River covers most of South Central Califomia. In this seemingly arid desert are two green valleys: the Imperial Valley, which borders Mexico, and further north the Coachella Valley. In 1901 the Colorado River was diverted through a network of channels to irrigate these two regions. Both valleys produce crops such as lettuce, tomatoes, citrus fruits, melons and dates in the winter. Here, in this irrigated basin of the Coachella Valley - the date capital of the world - lies Palm Springs.

As you drive through the valleys, you will come across a number of strange towers along the highway. These wind turbines use wind energy to generate electricity. The windmills are a fairly recent phenomenon; they are built by investment companies that try to sell wind energy to utility companies. The California law says that local electricity companies must purchase all the energy generated by private individuals. There are two other wind farms in California, which are also located in windy places. At present there are more than 10,000 windmills throughout California.

Palm Springs is a true oasis in the desert. The city owes its name on the one hand to the presence of the indigenous Washington palm, and on the other to the many hot springs. For centuries, the Palm Springs region was home to Indian tribes, who founded small villages around the many springs in the valley. The Agua Caliente Indians - who still own the majority of Palm Springs used to spend the winter in Palm Springs and spent the summer months in the cooler San Bemardino Mountains. This tribe (the Spanish name Agua Caliente simply means hot water) is one of the few truly rich Indian tribes in the United States. Many of the impressive mansions of Palm Springs are built on land leased by the Aqua Calientes.

In 1870, Palm Springs became a stop along an important rail line, the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the 1920s and 1930s, the beautiful surroundings and warm desert climate attracted a number of major Hollywood stars to Palm Springs. This tradition continues today, and now not only celebrities but other well-to-do Americans are coming. Palm Springs is a second home for many movie stars. Even a former mayor of Palm Springs, Sonny Bono, was once a famous entertainer. Most visitors come to Palm Springs to rest and relax, but there are also a number of popular attractions.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway makes a climb of 1800 meters and leads up to the forest of the San Jacinto mountain, where Mount San Jacinto State Park is located. The journey takes only 20 minutes, but in a wonderful way it takes you from the dry desert air to the cool mountain air. There is also a spectacular view of the desert. The three nearby Indian Canyons - Palm, Andreas and Murphy - offer an oasis of tranquility, with pleasant hiking trails and picnic areas.

There is an entrance fee for the Aerial Tramway. (Note: the ride on the cable car is not suitable for people with heights). To reach the cable car, take the Tramway Road exit before arriving in Palm Springs. For people who prefer something a little slower, there is the Palm Springs Desert Museum in the city. The museum has very varied exhibitions, with works by Matisse and treasures from the Old West. It is located at 101 Museum Drive.
Also nice is a quiet walk on the exclusive Palm Canyon Drive. There are many beautiful restaurants and exclusive boutiques on this wide palm tree lined avenue.