Palm Springs Peaks And Valleys Day Excursion

Palm Springs peaks and valleys day excursion: tribute To Huell Howser-Palm Springs aerial tram, Moorten botanical gardens, Mccallum adobe & included lunch on this tribute to Huell Howser and his uncanny ability to uncover amazing hidden secrets in the unlikeliest of places, we'll see clips of “California’s gold” and “visiting with Huell Howser" onboard, and walk in his footsteps as we visit the sights ourselves.

We begin this morning just as Huell did, with a stop at Hadley’s famous for their breads, nuts and date shakes. Next, we board the world’s largest rotating tramcars at the Palm Springs aerial tramway for spectacular views of the Coachella valley where on a clear day you can see the San Andreas fault and the Salton sea. The state-of-the-art, Suisse-made tramcar revolves slowly providing a spectacular 360-degree view of the Coachella valley floor as you ascend 8,516 feet to the top of the magnificent Mt. San Jacinto. After, enjoy an included lunch with choice of entrée at a 4-star restaurant in Palm Springs. This afternoon, we arrive at the village green heritage center to visit two 19th century pioneer homes that are the two oldest homes in Palm Springs. The Mccallum adobe was built in 1884 for John Mccallum, the first permanent white settler. Adobe houses were rare in the desert because few people knew how to make the bricks. The relocated and restored adobe has an extensive collection of photographs, paintings, clothing, tools, books, and Indian ware from the earliest days of Palm Springs. Miss Cornelia’s "little house" was built by the city's first hotel proprietor using railroad ties from the defunct Palmdale railway. It was purchased by the Sisters miss Cornelia white and Dr. Florilla white in 1913 and then later acquired by the Palm Springs historical society in 1961. It was furnished with antiques donated by local residents and now as is an accurate representation of the pioneer era in Palm Springs. Finally, a visit to the Moorten botanical gardens, a desert oasis featuring 3,000 examples of desert cacti and plants. To honor Huell, we’ve included within the tour price a donation to the California’s gold scholarship fund at Chapman University. Suggested: walking shoes and a sweater as it can be cool at 8,516 feet.

Note: Students under 18 years of age, must have a parent or guardian complete a Release & Medical Consent form.