Palm Desert

Palm Desert

Palm Desert, “the heart of the Coachella Valley,” is a picturesque desert community with a dynamic, big-city vibe. Since its 1973 incorporation, the city, once defined as a world-class resort and retirement destination, has urbanized into a thriving municipality — a place where upper middle class families and working professionals now call “home.”

First known as “Old MacDonald Ranch”, it was renamed “Palm Village” in the 1920s following the planting of date palm trees in the area. Real estate development didn’t begin to take off until the 1940s, and was primarily led by the Palm Desert Corporation, headed by founder Cliff Bergen and his brother, entertainer Edgar Bergen, and Leonard Firestone. In 1951, as the city began to take shape, it received the permanent name of Palm Desert.

A high standard of living is enjoyed in Palm Desert today. Residents have the convenience of living within a short distance of the valley’s largest selection of stores, college campuses, and a premier center for the performing arts. Residents from every corner of the desert are drawn to its city limits to enjoy the attractions, social and cultural events held throughout the year: the Fourth of July fireworks spectacular, the art walks, the Living Desert, the McCallum Theater, Golf Cart Parade, and College of the Desert Street Fair — to name a few.
 
Major shopping destinations include El Paseo, the valley’s answer to Rodeo Drive, featuring an exceptional mix of restaurants, galleries, nationally known retailers and shops of the unique and boutique. Westfield Palm Desert, the Desert Crossings Shopping Center and major superstores are in ideal juxtaposition, creating the ultimate shopping hub.

Firecliff and Mountain View are two separate golf courses that form Desert Willow,
Palm Desert’s public golf course, once honored on the cover of Smithsonian for its water efficiency and environmentally correct landscaping. A number of prestigious private courses lie within the city limits. Among the ranks of these exclusive clubs are Bighorn, Stone Eagle, Ironwood, and Indian Ridge.

Palm Desert is home to several institutions of higher education including College of the Desert (a part of the California state community college system); California State University, San Bernardino-Palm Desert Campus; Chapman University; University of Phoenix; the University of Redlands.

Discover the vibrant city of Palm Desert, a picturesque paradise offering many of the valley’s most popular restaurants and nightclubs, exciting special events, premier shopping destinations, varied educational opportunities, and five-star entertainment.

Mayor: Jim Ferguson
 
City Hall: 73-510 Fred Waring Drive

Palm Desert, CA   92260
346-0611

Chamber of Commerce:
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 114
346-6111   www.pdcc.org

Visitor’s Center: 
72-567 Highway 111
568-1441

Population:  49,280


Median Age:  52.6

 

Median Household Income:  $51,277

 

Median Home Price:  $320,807

Family Households:  60%

 

UTILITIES:

Phone Company: Verizon    1-800483-4000

Electricity: Southern California Edison
General Info 1-800-655-4555  www.sce.com
 

Gas:  Southern California Gas Company
Service Requests  1-800-427-2200   www.socalgas.com

Water: Coachella Valley Water District
398-2651  www.cvwd.org

Sanitation: Waste Management of the Desert
340-2113    www.wmdesert.com


Cable System: Time Warner Cable
1-800-964-2783   www.timewarnercable.com/desertcities




 

SCHOOLS:

Desert Sands Unified School District 
777-4200   www.dsusd.us




SERVICES:

 

Post Offices:

24-801 Hovley Lane
45-300 Portola Ave.
1-800-275-8777

 

Fire:  800-472-5697

 

Police : 836-1600

Library: 73-300 Fred Waring Drive
346-6552

 

HOSPITALS:

 

Eisenhower Medical Center
39-000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage
340-3911
www.emc.org

 

Desert Regional Medical Center
1150 N. Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs
323-6187
www.desertmedctr.com



EVENTS & POINTS OF INTEREST

Art in Public Places
72-567 Highway 111
568-5240   www.palmdesertart.org

College of the Desert Street Fair
Every weekend  (June-September, 7 a.m. - noon; October – May, 7 a.m.- 2 p.m.)
43-500 Monterey Ave.
773-2567   www.codstreetfair.com


Desert Crossings Shopping Center
72-355 Highway 111
341-0258 

Desert Willow Golf Resort
38-995 Desert Willow Drive
346-7060    www.desertwillow.com

The Gardens on El Paseo
73-555 El Paseo
862-1990   www.thegardensonelpaseo.com

Golf Cart Parade
(January)
346-6111
 
The Living Desert
A Zoo & Gardens
47-900 Portola Ave.
346-5694   www.livingdesert.org

The McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts
73-000 Fred Waring Drive
346-6505   www.mccallumtheatre.com

Stone Eagle Golf Club
72-450 Stone Eagle Drive
773-6200   www.stoneeagleclub.com

Westfield Palm Desert
72-840 Highway 111
568-0248   www.westfield.com/palmdesert