Desert Region

The Desert Region cuts through five counties of the southeastern portion of California and encompasses millions of acres of protected lands. This vast region is very dog-friendly, from the Greater Palm Springs area (cities of the Coachella Valley), to Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego and up to Death Valley.

The stories below give you some great ideas of how to get the most doggone fun out of the region. A reminder, when traveling in the deserts in winter or summer, be sure you and your pup are well hydrated and be aware of your surroundings. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe.

Go Retro in a Dog-Friendly Airstream Trailer

Retro is all the rage these days, and what could be more mid-century stylish than an overnight stay in one of those sleek aluminum Airstream trailers updated for today’s DogTrekkers? There are quite a few places in SoCal where you can indulge. A few: more »

In GPS, Five Pet-Friendly Hotels Are Raising the Bar

Photo courtesy of Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa

A winter visit to Greater Palm Springs is more than a change of scenery: it’s a change of mind—for your four-legged buddy as well as for you. Your visit will be greatly enhanced by choosing a hotel where you and yours will be welcomed, pampered and attended to at every turn. Here are five that are raising the bar. more »

Hotel Paseo, Palm Desert

Bronco at Hotel Paseo - Photo Credit: @mr_bronco_fuzzy_pants

This three story, 150-room addition to Marriott’s Autograph Collection opens in March just steps from El Paseo, the “Rodeo Drive” of the desert. It’s the first luxury hotel for the upscale shopping district and the first new hotel for the community in 30 years. Among amenities adding to the retro ambience at Hotel Paseo is a vintage Airstream trailer with its own “back yard.” more »

Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs Hotel

Boutique is sweet, especially when it’s a Kimpton. This new, 154-room, six-story property is the first full-service hotel to be built downtown in decades. It’s part of a redevelopment project that eventually will encompass many retail and entertainment venues adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum.  more »

Greater Palm Springs: Gateway to the Desert

If your vision of a wintertime vacation to the California desert includes purple mountains, exotic cacti, comfy resorts and dog-friendly things to do, you’ll hit the jackpot with Greater Palm Springs. The region hugging the Interstate 10 corridor cuts through five counties and encompasses not just the celeb-saturated city of Palm Springs, but the neighboring communities of Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Indio, La Quinta and Coachella. Greater Palm Springs is the gateway to California’s vast Desert Region and an ideal place to stage your getaway. Here’s how to get started. more »