I've Lived in California for 50 Years-and This Is Its Best Desert City With 350 Days Of Sunshine and Old Hollywood Charm

""I love the air and the quality of the light in Palm Springs," Josh Agle, the artist known as Shag, tells Travel + Leisure. "The city has a unique microclimate that makes it sunny when the rest of Southern California is drizzly or overcast. That, combined with the relaxed attitude and focus on leisure, makes Palm Springs irresistible to me.""

""My worries melt away upon arrival, with the peace and calm of the desert setting," says travel writer and Fora Travel Advisor, Melissa Curtin. "Palm Springs can also be exciting. It feels like a small town with the culture of a big city. There are constantly new things to discover.""

""Visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries visit for Modernism Week," says Lisa Voss Smith, CEO of Modernism Week."

Palm Springs sits in the Colorado Desert about 100 miles from downtown Los Angeles and is surrounded by mountains. The city enjoys roughly 350 days of sunshine per year and a microclimate that often keeps skies clear when other Southern California areas are overcast. The leisure-focused ambiance, restaurants, scenic surroundings, and a range of accommodations draw creatives, artists, and travelers seeking rejuvenation. Annual events such as Modernism Week, the Gay Pride Festival, and Coachella attract visitors from across the country and world. The Uptown Design District offers home decor, galleries, boutiques, and the Shag Store, while midcentury modern architecture remains a defining local feature.

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