Over spring break this year, I traveled nearly 3,000 miles to Palm Springs, California, to visit my grandmother. While there, I experienced different weather conditions, plant life, and architecture.
One of the main differences between Clinton and Palm Springs is the weather. Palm Springs is a desert in Southern California and Clinton is a town on the Connecticut shoreline. One day, while Clinton was 53°F, Palm Springs was a whopping 94°F. The lack of humidity, however, made it more bearable than what 94°F would feel like in Clinton. Something else to consider is that in Palm Springs it was 94°F in April, and it can get up to 120°F in the summer. Clinton does get hot, but not to the same degree as Palm Springs.
A sight that I found interesting that may not shock someone native to the area was the plant life. As one may imagine, palm trees are abundant in Palm Springs. During my time there I traveled to Palm Canyon which is exactly what it sounds like: a canyon full of palm trees. Hundreds of palm trees were in the canyon, some much taller than others with some looking “shaggy.” Another piece of plant life that intrigued me was the cacti. Some were round and bigger than a bowling ball, and others were slender and so tall that they were more than double my height. The flowers were also vibrant and plentiful, peaking my excitement.
Palm Springs’ downtown was bright and fun. Stars were scattered throughout the pavement, displaying the names of famous individuals who had resided or spent time in Palm Springs. There were a variety of restaurants specializing in different culture’s cuisines. Also, there was an assortment of shops, boutiques, and tourist attractions. One tourist attraction that stood out to me was a statue of Marilyn Monroe that stood 26 feet tall. The general architecture also varied from what someone who lives in Clinton and surrounding areas may be used to seeing. It was much more modern and Spanish, in comparison with Clinton’s more colonial architecture.
One might be surprised to hear that I encountered snow on my trip, but at 8,000 feet above sea level, snow is to be expected. I took a tram cable car up the mountains that could be seen from the whole city of Palm Springs. The experience was unlike any other. The floor in the tram car rotated around, allowing riders to get a 360° view of the ride up. At the top, there was a building with souvenirs and food available. The view was astounding; I could see the whole city of Palm Springs from the top.
My favorite part about my trip wasn’t even in Palm Springs, it was in the neighboring town of Joshua Tree. I visited the national park which, to no surprise, was filled with Joshua trees. The trees were uniquely shaped and consisted of arm-like branches. The trees can only thrive at a certain altitude so they are native to the area. There were also impressive rock formations, with caves to climb around.
One other fun thing I tried In Palm Springs was cactus candy. In my initial bite, I found that it tasted slightly citrusy. The more I chewed though, the less I liked it. I would not recommend it, although it was certainly a fun experience to try something new.
