The valley, changing
DSRT SURF: what’s open and what’s next
Follow the surf destination’s public opening, with the hotel and villas kept in their own development timeline.
Explore the storyCoachella Valley + surrounding mountain towns
The Coachella Valley, one story at a time.
Fresh reporting, useful guides and the places that make this region worth knowing.
Desert Magazine Building
Explore this place
Palm Desert
The valley, right now
Make a plan. Find a new place. Follow the progress.
Events & outings
Today & This Week
Events, concerts and local discoveries for your next day out.
Find something to do New placesJust Opened & Coming Soon
New restaurants, shops and attractions—with the latest opening details.
Explore new openings DevelopmentWhat’s Being Built
Follow major projects, construction progress and what’s planned next.
Open the development mapSelected by Mark
Three ways into the desert.
A changing place, a wild neighbor and a story behind the landscape.
Life around us
The wild neighbor in our neighborhoods
Food, family and the paths coyotes follow between desert, farmland and the places we call home.
Explore the story
The story behind the landscape
When Kathleen flooded the valley
How a 1976 storm sent mountain runoff into the desert—and helped shape the flood protections we see today.
Explore the storyRecently Published
The newest stories from across the valley and surrounding mountains.
Things To Know
Where Is the San Andreas Fault—and What Are You Looking At?
Read the hills, look beneath the surface and move the landscape—with local photographs and interactive geology.
Things To Do
A Morning of Art in Downtown Palm Springs
Sculpture, architecture and the museum—one compact outdoor loop, with room to turn it into a longer art morning.
Things To Do
Great Views Without a Big Hike: Coachella Valley & Nearby Escapes
Eight scenic outings, from mountain views near the car to an optional uphill walk—with photographs, parking notes and a comparison tool.
Nature
Black Phoebe or Say’s Phoebe? Meet the Flycatchers on Your Fence
Two familiar flycatchers, one useful starting point: look below the breast.
Nature
The Bird That Barely Moves: How Great Blue Herons Hunt
Patient watching, deliberate steps and a sudden strike at the water’s edge.
Nature
When the Fields Turn White: Snow Geese at the Salton Sea
The food, families and northern journeys behind a remarkable winter gathering.
Nature
Pelicans in the Desert: How American White Pelicans Find a Meal
A remarkable bill, cooperative fishing and the desert waters that make a meal possible.
Nature
The Hawk Above the Fields: A Red-tailed Hawk’s Coachella Valley
Perches, prey and rising air: how a familiar raptor uses the landscape around us.
From the archive
Worth exploring
Desert explained
Why Does It Get Windy In Coachella Valley?
Know your surroundingsWhat Mountains Surround the Coachella Valley? Visual Guide
Desert historySalton Sea History: From Lake Cahuilla to Today
A mountain landmarkThe Complete History of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Living in the desertIID vs. Edison: Why Electricity Rates Differ Across the Coachella Valley
Cahuilla homelandWho Are the Cahuilla? The Indigenous People of the Coachella Valley and Mountains
Go a little deeper
Explore the valley your way.
Find your bearings, plan a visit or get to know a community.
Your next discovery starts here
Explore Coachella Valley on the map.
Find your bearings. Explore cities, communities and places to spend the day—then save your favorites to My DOI.
Explore the mapStart here
Essential guides
Find your way into the places, communities and stories of the desert.
Coachella Valley restaurant guide
Find your next great meal.
Explore restaurants by city, cuisine, meal and occasion. From a casual breakfast to a dinner worth planning around.
Explore restaurants Fine dining & date nightsAI-generated illustration of a fine-dining evening.
Look a little closer
Discover the desert.
Meet its wildlife, explore its landscapes and uncover the stories behind the places.
Ongoing reporting