Hotel at a Glance: WorldMark Indio

It's easy to relax in the desert, especially when you have the oasis-like facilities that WorldMark Indio has. Float along a lazy river on the palm-tree-lined grounds or swim in the outdoor pool while you take in mountain views.

• Five hot tubs give you ample space to soak.
• Cook sizzling steaks in your condo's fully equipped kitchen or on the barbecue.
• Fun for kids: game room and two playgrounds
• Tee off at some of Palm Springs's famed golf courses.

Indio, California: The City of Festivals in the Desert

Stagecoach Festival. Indio International Tamale Festival. Coachella. These are a just a few of the many events that come through Indio, lending credence to its title as "The City of Festivals." Coachella is probably the best known of these events, attracting more than 100,000 visitors over a two-weekend span that Rolling Stone has called one of the best American rock festivals. Music lovers flock to the desert to hear the latest and greatest in alternative rock and hip hop, as well as to take in large, sculptural art sprinkled across the grounds. This artistic vibe leaks out onto the streets of Indio in the form of Southwest-inspired wall murals.

Located about 20 miles from Indio, Palm Springs is an oasis of outdoor recreation and old Hollywood glamour. Once the stomping grounds of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and the Rat Pack, the town still attracts A-list vacationers today. A stroll through the Movie Colony—which had its heyday between the 1930s and 1960s—will take you past the former homes of Dean Martin, Bob Hope, and Marilyn Monroe.

The sun shines more than 300 days a year in Palm Springs, which means you can play a round of golf or hike in the nearby Agua Caliente Indian Canyons no matter the season. It’s worth taking a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, whose cars rotate 360 degrees as they carry passengers to Mount San Jacinto’s Mountain Station, located 8,516 feet above sea level. About 40 miles northeast is the nearly 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park, which spans parts of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Hit one of the 12 nature trails for a chance to see desert bighorn sheep, snakes, and black-tailed jackrabbits.