Pioneering Public Arts
Palm Desert was the first city in Riverside County to establish a formal Art in Public Places program. In 1986, the City Council signed an ordinance requiring that developers incorporate public art in their projects or pay a fee into the city’s Art in Public Places Fund.
Classic Car Crawl
Visit El Paseo on the first Friday of the month (and other select days), October through April, for El Paseo Cruise Night. Car owners and enthusiasts meet nearby at the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce parking lot, beginning at 2 p.m., then parade down the promenade around 4:15 p.m.
There’s an App for That
Visit elpaseocatalogue.com/pass to get the Explore El Paseo pass, powered by Bandwango. The mobile pass keeps you in the know about happy hour, dining specials, events, and sales throughout the year.
What’s New at the Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens debuted two new attractions in April 2025 — Bighorn Café, where you can overlook the bighorn habitat while you eat, and Oasis Splash Pad, with fountains and a slide for kiddos. They’re now raising funds to build a lion enclosure.
Surf’s Up in the Desert
With plans to open in 2026 next to Desert Willow Golf Resort, DSRT Surf will be part residential community, part resort — all surrounding a surf lagoon with net-zero water use. Mark your calendar, because your next “beach vacation” might just bring you back to Palm Desert.
