|
Palm Springs Tram
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Tramway Rd., off Hwy. 111
Palm Springs, California
(888) 515-TRAM, (760) 325-1391
www.pstramway.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-8pm
To gain a bird's-eye perspective on the Coachella Valley, take
the Palm Springs Tram for a 14-minute
ascent up nearly 5,900 feet to the top of Mount San Jacinto. While the Albert
Frey-designed boarding stations retain their 1960s ski-lodge feel, newly
installed Swiss funicular cars are sleekly modern and rotate during the trip to
allow each passenger a panoramic view.
There's a whole other world once you
arrive: alpine scenery, a ski lodge style restaurant and gift shop, and
temperatures typically 40°F cooler than the desert floor. The most
dramatic contrast is during the winter, when the mountaintop is a snowy
wonderland, irresistible to hikers and bundled-up kids with saucers.
Visitors can enjoy hiking, guided
nature walks, and dining with a view. Winter activities also include cross-country skiing
and snowshoe treks. Camping is available year round.
|
