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A solo getaway in Palm Springs satisfies the need to explore
Wanderlust must be in my DNA. There are times when my innate desire to travel and explore wells up like hot lava that’s about to burst from a volcano, and I have no choice but to hit the road…
Even though the mercury hovered close to 100 degrees, I picked Palm Springs, California, as my fix. The 5½-hour drive was the perfect distance for me to scratch my wanderlust itch yet still feel energetic when I made it to my destination.
My GPS announced my arrival at
The Monkey Tree Hotel,
and, even if I had driven 18 hours, I would’ve felt refreshed when I set foot on the colorful property. I couldn’t wait to take a dip in the sparkling pool that was surrounded by sunshine-yellow umbrellas and Albert Frey’s iconic architecture with a slanted roofline that mimicked the nearby San Jacinto Mountains.
But first, I entered the swanky lobby and met Kathy Friedle, who owns The Monkey Tree Hotel with her husband, Gary. She and the manager, Alex, were both friendly and welcoming and made some phone calls to confirm the restaurants they were recommending for dinner were open since parts of Palm Springs take a bit of a siesta in August.
It was hard to focus on everything Kathy and Alex were saying because I saw so many special details each time I blinked—Eames chairs, a George Nelson coat rack, a brass submarine lamp, stylish artwork and a chrome piece on the wall with small clocks showing the time in Buenos Aires, London, Moscow and six other cities. I had no doubt that each piece had a story behind it.
Alex showed me to my room and explained how the huge windows were mirrored and completely private unless a light was on inside at night. It was such a treat to have a wide-open view of the gorgeous grounds and still have complete privacy. The attention to detail throughout my room was top-notch, including a handwritten welcome note with some snacks and wine. I felt right at home, especially when I saw the retro bathroom tile with small squares and rectangles in a pattern that matched the hall bathroom in my childhood home.
After reading about how Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as well as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, among other notable celebrities, stayed at the hotel in its early years, I wondered if any of them stayed in my exact room. It was fun to daydream about how it would have been to sip martinis with them.
Up, up and away
The guide in the tram shared interesting tidbits of information as we
ascended the mountain, such as that it would be about 25 degrees cooler
once we reached the top and that the downhill tram pulled the uphill one
up. The floor rotated so all of us could continuously have an excellent
view of the breathtaking scenery. After the tram reached the 8,516-foot
summit, everyone disembarked and I hiked along the paths lined with pine
trees that were so large my arms only stretched around a fifth of the
biggest trunks. The smell of pine was wonderful and the views of Coachella
Valley below were magnificent.
Driving encyclopedia
After my morning on the mountain, instead of having my Uber driver take a
direct route back to the hotel, I asked him to show me some of his
favorite homes. I lucked out because, as a former realtor, he ended up
having a wealth of knowledge about the architecture. I learned that an
authentic detail generally associated with George Alexander homes, the
ones with the butterfly roof lines, is they have an olive tree in the
front yard. Alexander’s wife, Mildred, planted one in front of each of
Alexander’s homes as a symbol of peace.
It’s all downhill from here
The agenda for my last day started with a 20-mile downhill bike ride—our
group pedaled from 1,400 feet above sea level to 187 feet below—along the
San Andreas fault line with Big Wheel Tours. While we rode, we listened to
Raul, our tour guide, share interesting stories about the fault line and
history of the area. The terrain along the tour changed dramatically from
desert brush to unusually smooth mountains that looked like a set for
Planet of the Apes to rows of grapes near Mecca. We finished the
trip with a delicious date shake at Oasis Date Gardens.
Taking the plunge
After I returned to my hotel, I tried the Scandinavian hot-cold plunge
pools. It was a piece of cake to soak in the hot pool. I admired each of
the hand-painted rocks that past visitors had painted with messages and
names in the stone wall that surrounded the pools. Then I had to psych
myself up to take the plunge into the 55-degree pool. Whew! It was
exhilarating! I went back and forth a few times and felt like I could
easily ride another 20 miles—even uphill.
Until we meet again
My time to leave had arrived, and I wished I had more hours to explore
Palm Springs. I compiled a list of things I had to do on my next trip,
including a visit to Moorten Botanical Garden and the Palm Springs Art
Museum, and hiking to the giant waterfall in Tahquitz Canyon, renting a
scooter and checking out the custom-designed hot dog wallpaper at
Frankinbun Gourmet Sausages.
As I was checking out and thanking Alex for an outstanding stay, I also
asked if I could paint a rock in the wall around the plunge pools. She
enthusiastically handed me the box of paints and brushes, and I painted a
rock purple and added my initials in orange and yellow. Leaving my mark
was the perfect way to wrap up my solo excursion, and, even though one
adventure was ending, I could feel the spark of wanderlust ignite and was
already starting to think about where I might explore next.
