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Allergies in the desert can often times be much worse than wetter climates. Many people learn that the hard way when they relocate and their allergies worsen. Be warned.
OMG I complete i forgot... I will share what little I know. The particulate matter count is sky-high for parts of the Mojave Desert due to "flying dust." Also, this time if year is a double whammy.thanks to daytime temperature starting to rise,the creosote scrub starts to bloom it's little "puffball" flowers and the pollen is outrageous considering this plant covers the terrain for miles and miles and miles
Maricopa, AZ? Only one road straight in town from I-10, and it's jammed at night. I'd hardly call Maricopa a cool town.
With what you're suggesting, I'd suggest looking into Tempe, AZ, where ASU has its main campus. It's college town done right. Great little shops on Mill Avenue and Tempe Town Lake. Lots to do. It's a suburb of Phoenix.
With what you're suggesting, I'd suggest looking into Tempe, AZ, where ASU has its main campus. It's college town done right. Great little shops on Mill Avenue and Tempe Town Lake. Lots to do. It's a suburb of Phoenix.
I am very familiar with the California deserts... Palm Springs is perfect but is pricy. It has canyons, springs, dunes, great culture and dining and other amenities nearby...but to save a few dimes a month, do Yucca Valley-Joshua Tree area... There isn't much there, but with a much lower cost if living, you can still have access to what the desert has to offer. Yucca Valley has nice communities near it like Flamingo Heights and Landers.
I can't believe someone recommended Beaumont, CA! The pollution and urban sprawl take away from the true desert experience!
Before coming down south back home,I had a year in Barstow,the High Desert area the four years I lived in CA, I traveled regularly to desert communities all over...and I know where NOT to be:
Don't bother with anything in or near Canon Pass, Victorville, Lancaster, Palmdale,Barstow, Baker, Blythe, Indio, or Beaumont...and I have reasons for each place name I listed if you are interested
Beaumont isn't quite exactly in the desert. Maybe near the desert, but not IN it. It is set at approximately 2,612 feet above sea level, and is more in the warm-summer Mediterranean climate zone (steppe/dry grassland). Beaumont, and also nearby Banning, Calimesa, and Yucaipa, annually receive a bit over 15 inches of rain. The desert doesn't really start until you're nearly out of Banning heading east towards the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area) on the 10.
In addition, if you don't mind me asking, why exactly a "no" to Indio and/or Beaumont? I'm a bit curious.
Indio CRIME is baaad. Pheww ! Those that cannot afford Palm Springs reside in Indio, so the bottom of Low Desert society lives there in Indio. It is nasty. The only thing of any interest is that stupid casino on the fringes of town. I have been a few times, on my way to get a fresh, local date shake because the date tree farms are literally a stone's throw away, but honestly, I like Mecca...lots of new BEAUTIFUL homes and beautiful fields and great cliff/canyon hikes not far from there. Mecca and Indio are relatively close, but Mecca is more of a small town...very tidy. Lots of citrus out there.
Okay, I will admit that I don't exactly live in the best part of Indio, but having lived in the Coachella Valley (born and raised, mostly Indio) for almost all of my life and graduated from Indio High School in 2016, I can tell you firsthand that certainly not all of Indio is "nasty." Have you been to the western areas bordering the neighboring city of La Quinta, or the area north of the 10 where the newer housing developments and shopping centers are? Those are likely the nicest areas of Indio. There are also some absolutely nice and new up-and-coming housing developments coming right here in Indio, such as Hacienda Pointe, Madison Estates, Four Seasons at Indio, Trilogy at the Polo Club, and España. So, no, not ALL of Indio is "nasty," and I'd say that plenty of this suburban city is quite beautiful and nice! Plenty of nice, big, and beautiful homes for a more affordable price than say, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, etc.!
Sure, Indio may not be the most desirable, the most upscale, the most high-end, the most posh, whatever, area of the Coachella Valley, it surely isn't, but I'm sure that it's certainly not the worst. And, Indio may not be as desirable, upscale, high-end, posh, whatever, as other areas such as Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, or La Quinta, but again, I'd say that it's not the worst. Indio, like just about anywhere else, has absolutely BEAUTIFUL residential areas! In the Coachella Valley, like anywhere else in the nation, you could do worse than Indio. Areas such as Desert Hot Springs, Coachella, Sky Valley, North Palm Springs, Thermal, and North Shore are considered, by some locals, to be worse than Indio.
I have also lived in the following other areas of the Coachella Valley: Palm Desert, Thousand Palms, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, and Sky Valley.
Of these areas, I'm going to go ahead and say that the worst area of the Coachella Valley that I lived in would be Sky Valley. There just isn't much out there. Not much there but houses and/or trailers widely spaced out, sometimes as much as by a MILE, some of which are rundown, maybe a couple of nurseries, and no school of any grade level. Nearest school of any grade level is in Desert Hot Springs. Oh, and lots and lots of wind. That's pretty much all there is in Sky Valley. I lived there from April to July in 2010. And, yes, I'd say that it's even worse than Desert Hot Springs.
As for the best area of the Coachella Valley that I lived in, obviously, I'm going to say Palm Desert.
Indio may be on the lower end of society in the Low Desert, as you put it, but I wouldn't say that it's at the absolute bottom. I'd say that it's mostly Desert Hot Springs, Sky Valley, North Palm Springs, and Indio Hills that take the crown in that department. Thermal, Mecca, Vista Santa Rosa, Oasis, and North Shore may also be close to the bottom of the Low Desert society, but to me, and perhaps to some others, they're not. I'd even say that Coachella is above those other areas just mentioned when it comes to this.
There are more points of interest in Indio than the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Shields Date Garden, Old Town Indio, the Empire Polo Grounds, etc.. Those are other points of interest in Indio.
Yes, Indio certainly does have crime. You know, street gangs, drugs, property crime, you name it. But, what city doesn't?
In conclusion, Indio is neither a "bad" nor "good" place. It all just depends on what one is looking for in a city or town. I say this as a Coachella Valley native (and proud to be one), you should take another drive around and make another visit of my hometown, and perhaps stay awhile, and also appreciate for what Indio is and what it has to offer (e.g., some of THE best authentic Mexican food in the Coachella Valley, its several festivals a year (hence its "City of Festivals" nickname), etc.). Overall, I love sunny Indio and the Coachella Valley! It will always be home for me!
Last edited by Brandon Graves; 01-16-2018 at 04:40 PM..
I'm looking for cool or underrated towns with desert terrain. 1.5 hours or less from sizable metros... And suburbs are ok if they are not excessively populated!
Right now, I live and work in Wichita, KS. In most ways, I love it! I was surprised how negative the Wichita forum was when I browsed through. I'm looking at other towns both for a possible move (SEVERE allergies in our climate/flora, unfortunately - plus Wichita is growing a bit much for my liking) and for road trip destinations.
Every summer, I road trip to northern California to visit family. I usually take 80 one way and 40 the other to experience different scenery. I seem to love all types of desert, but I usually just fly right through it. I'd love to find a community to stay in.
Of course, "cool and underrated" is totally subjective. I can say that nature activities, music, and art are most important to me. Sports are probably least important - as evidenced by my current location
OP, with your criteria, I strongly believe that the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Area) would work for you pretty well.
The Coachella Valley has tons of amenities (e.g., high-end shopping, lots of fine dining, etc.) within a ywhere from 5-30 minutes, and as such, is perhaps the most upscale and desirable area of the desert in Southern California. Though having a primarily suburban feel, the Coachella Valley is somewhat technically its own metro area (and a smaller one at that), stretching from Whitewater all the way to Oasis. Depending on where you are, the Coachella Valley is anywhere from 1 hour to 1 hour and 50 minutes to the nearest sizeable metro, which is the Inland Empire (western Riverside County and southwestern San Bernardino County). The Coachella Valley is also home to many great hiking trails, such as the Bump'n'Grind Trail, great music venues, such as the Stagecoach Country Music Festival (which I personally don't like and care for) and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (AKA, CoachellaFest), and several art museums.
Below, I'm going to list each area of the Coachella Valley, along with a short description.
Cities
Palm Springs: the principal and most well-known city of the Coachella Valley, and hosts the most events. Also the largest city (in land area) in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County (Palm Springs's land area is even bigger than that of Riverside). White-collar, and some of the more upscale areas of the Coachella Valley. Home to Wet'n'Wild Palm Springs (used to be Knott's Soak City), the Desert Regional Center, the Palm Springs International Airport, and more. However, it is targeted more towards retirees and the LGBT community, but it is now attracting younger heterosexual families with children.
Desert Hot Springs: known by locals as DHS or "Spa City," due to its many mineral springs and spa resorts. More blue-collar and a slightly higher Latino population than its counterpart of Palm Springs. Windy a whole lot of the time. Has long suffered from higher-than-average crime, and is more affordable than Palm Springs. Also suffers from some of the highest poverty rates in the Coachella Valley. Quite sketchy in several parts. Still may be worth a look IMO.
Cathedral City: AKA "Cat City." Located next-door to Palm Springs, it also has an active LGBT community. Again, more blue-collar and a higher Latino population. Home to the Boomers! amusement park, the Desert Ice Castle, which is an ice-skating rink that opened in October 2011, the IMAX theater, and the Mary Pickford Theater. More affordable than Palm Springs. Not much else to say about this one, but may still be worth a look.
Rancho Mirage: some of THE most upscale (and exclusive) areas of the Coachella Valley. Home to the Eisenhower Medical Center and the Betty Ford Center. Also has The River at Rancho Mirage shopping outlet. A lot more white-collar, probably more than Palm Springs. Generally quite expensive, and very beautiful.
Palm Desert: known by locals as "PD." Home to the El Paseo Shopping District, the Westfield Palm Desert mall, the Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden, and the Palm Springs Air Museum. Again, more white-collar. Centrally located in the heart of the Coachella Valley, thus giving Palm Desert its other nickname "The Hub of the Valley." My first recommended area whenever newcomers look for info on the Coachella Valley, and plan to relocate there.
Indian Wells: THE most upscale, high-end, exclusive, and wealthiest area of the Coachella Valley. Essentially a one giant gated community and country club. The most white-collar area. Don't even bother looking there unless you're absolutely loaded. I'm not joking when I say that. Indian Wells is THAT expensive.
La Quinta: known by locals as "LQ." Was the site of the first Walmart Supercenter in California. Home to Old Town La Quinta, which holds several art events annually. The youngest and newest city in the Coachella Valley. Once again, more white-collar. Quite a bit expensive, but still definitely worth a look.
Indio: its nickname is "City of Festivals," due to several events being held here annually, such as the Riverside County Fair, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, and the International Tamale Festival. The largest (in population) and oldest city in the valley. Home to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, the Shields Date Garden, Old Town Indio, and so on. Far more blue-collar than other areas of the Coachella Valley I described so far, and has a far higher Latino population. Still a bit of a farm-town, and has quite a bit of agriculture going on, albeit on a smaller scale due to rapid development of new housing tracts. Home to some of the best authentic Mexican food in the Coachella Valley (not kidding). However, it's quite sketchy and a bit ugly in several parts of Indio, and can be a bit scary at times. Pretty affordable, a lot more affordable. Suffers from higher poverty rates in the Coachella Valley. But, I'd say it's still worth a look if you look into the right area.
Coachella: known as the "City of Eternal Sunshine" and/or "Gateway to the Salton Sea." Like Indio, it's far more blue-collar and far more Latino (about 98% of the city's population). It's also still quite a bit of a farm-town, and has a bit more agriculture going on than Indio does. Home to Ernie Ball, a musical instrument manufacturer that started business here in the Coachella Valley in 2002, and a Coca-Cola bottling facility. However, it's quite a bit shady in several parts of Coachella. It also suffers from higher poverty rates in the Coachella Valley. Pretty affordable. IMO, in several ways, both Indio and Coachella are quite a bit similar. I honestly like this city a lot, and wouldn't mind living there if the opportunity presented itself.
CDPs/Towns
Bermuda Dunes: essentially a suburb of La Quinta. Has an airport, the Bermuda Dunes Airport. Not much there but country clubs and retirement homes. Still nice, though.
Thousand Palms: trailer park heaven. Despite its name, I honestly don't believe that there are 1,000 palm trees there. Has a couple of plant nurseries. Also has some nice rural property on lots. Other than that, it's quite a bit of a poor area.
Indio Hills/Sky Valley: both poor towns with lots of nice rural acreage and within a reasonable distance to Desert Hot Springs, etc.. Many residences (house or trailer) in both Indio Hills and Sky Valley are widely spaced out, sometimes as much as by a MILE or two. As such, they're targeted more towards hardcore desert rats and pioneer types. They're also quite a bit rundown. Oh, and lots and lots of wind. Indio Hills is Latino majority, while Sky Valley is non-Hispanic white majority. Both towns are also pretty blue-collar as well, and in a way, are essentially "suburbs" of Desert Hot Springs. Great places to keep livestock/farm animals on your property. I used to not like it up in those towns, but now, I do a lot. I personally wouldn't mind living up there again.
Desert Edge/Garnet: basically just small blips on the map with scatterings of houses/trailers. Again, reasonably close to Desert Hot Springs. That might be all there is to say about these areas.
North Palm Springs: yet another poor and blue-collar town that's also near Desert Hot Springs. Home to The Windmill Shop, which I heard serves some of the best date shakes in the Coachella Valley, and also Jalisco Tires, and the now-defunct Desert Resource Center, which was a homeless shelter that served the western half of the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, etc.), that has sadly been permanently shut down since June 2017. Also, lots and lots of wind. Kind of rundown, too.
Sun City Palm Desert (AKA Desert Palms): renamed by Riverside County officials to "Desert Palms" in 2008, but the country club remains being called "Sun City Palm Desert" for commercial purposes. Remains in an unincorporated area, however, and the 9,000 residents, only a third of which are seasonal residents (AKA, "snowbirds"), have no voice in the politics of Palm Desert itself. Contains 5,000 residences built in the " Spanish Colonial" style designed by the architecture firm Pekarek-Crandell, Inc., of San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, and was developed by Del Webb between 1992 and 2002 as an adult community for ages +55. Basically, another giant gated community/country club.
Thermal/Mecca/Vista Santa Rosa/Oasis: these are all impoverished farming communities in the eastern half of the Coachella Valley. Lots of trailer parks housing migrant farm-working families, a lot of which are in poor conditions, sadly enough. Thermal is home to another airport in the Coachella Valley, the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport. Citrus, dates, lettuce, table grapes, strawberries, melons, etc., are grown in abundance in this area of the Coachella Valley (Indio and Coachella included).
North Shore: a rural community located on the northern shore of the Salton Sea, hence its name. Home to the former North Shore Beach & Yacht Club, which is now the Salton Sea History Museum as of 2010. Has one local family-owned grocery store, the Reyes Market. Pretty poor and rundown.
Whitewater: a rundown community consisting of a quarry and scatterings of houses. The site of the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm. Cheap and a bit isolated. Windy.
Bonnie Bell: nothing there, really. Just rural residences shaded by trees (mostly tamarisk trees). Only road in and out of there is a dirt rural road, which is Whitewater Cutoff Road.
Snow Creek: located just outside and roughly northwest of Palm Springs, this is an artist's paradise. Also known as "Snow Creek Village," it is an unincorporated community of only 39 people, many of whom live in adobe-style buildings. Shaded by close-by Mount San Jacinto, it's essentially a very, very tiny "suburb" of Palm Springs. This one is quite difficult to describe; you just have to go out there and explore it yourself. Google it. It's that amazing.
So, that's all of the communities in the beautiful and sunny Coachella Valley!
If you plan to relocate there, just know that it gets really HOT from mid-May to mid-October, and the sun is stifling! But, the winters here are glorious, and you'll see many people coming from up north to down here every winter season, which in turn I creases business!
OP, I hope that you fix your decision on somewhere that you're interested in, and good luck!
Well, it looks like my job here is about done...
Last edited by Brandon Graves; 01-17-2018 at 03:49 PM..
Grand Junction , Colorado is nice and a warmer micro climate. New Mexico is nice — I live in Rio Rancho and like it. It might be too close to Albuquerque for your tastes. Look at Silver City NM and maybe Ruidosa or maybe Farmington NM. Look at Flagstaff AZ.
Flagstaff is not a desert city at all. They average over 100" of snow annually. Don't look there if you want desert.
Do look at Camp Verde. It is high desert, much cooler, the Verde river is beautiful. It is fairly small and about an hour outside of Phoenix
Has that guy even been there? OMG NOOOO Gallup is a no-man's land and the only people who actually live there are Apaches and PWT. I know. I've been there.
I'm a female
I've only stopped there for gas. I just liked the way the town settled into the landscape. Picturesque, if only from a distance!
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Coachella Valley native chiming in again! :D
