One of my favorite things to do when I’m in need of a quick getaway is to hop in my car and drive down to Palm Springs with my girls. It’s the perfect mix of rest and relaxation with a sprinkle of fun and fabulosity. It’s also a very affordable town that vacationers should put on their radar the next time they want to plan a trip to California while cutting costs.
I recently got the opportunity to test drive the Mazda Cx-5 so I knew it would be the perfect time to enjoy a long loved past time while really seeing how this car felt on the open road. Read on for my review and to see a list of my favorite things to do in Palm Springs
1.Find Somewhere Comfy & Chic to Stay
When I was in my 20s and my girlfriends and I used to travel I never cared where we chose to lay our heads. My thought was that as long as it was clean, and safe it didn’t really matter to me. Besides we wouldn’t be in the room long enough to enjoy it because we were too busy partying. These days that couldn’t be further from the truth! My list of must-haves has gotten longer and longer as the years go by and thankfully Palm Springs delivers every time. During this trip I stayed the Hard Rock where my list of demands were easily fulfilled. Comfy and stylish rooms √ incredible dining options √ relaxing spa or pool facilities √ and located near all of the fun the city has to offer √√√√
What’s even better about Palm Springs stay options is that you don’t need to stay at a hotel to enjoy these amenities. Air BnB is a great way to cut costs and still enjoy the conveniences of a hotel.
2. Spa Days!
There are no shortages of ways to relax in Palm Springs and one of my favorite ways to wind down is to get rubbed down. Spa days are essential to your stay and the Riviera Resort and Spa has one of the best. It appears like almost a mirage in this desert town and has every single thing you’d want in a facility and more. With access to 2 outdoor pools and cabana’s, a gym, tennis courts,a restaurant and 4 bars,WiFi and a business center, you’d never even need to venture too far outside of the resort for any of your needs.
3.Driving Around Aimlessly
It may sound like a waste of time and resources but one of my favorite things to do is to drive around town aimlessly, music blasting, windows down, taking in the world around me. There’s freedom in it that I love, a feeling of complete bliss that comes over me when I have nowhere to be and no to do list to check off. Driving aimlessly in Palm Springs is a scenic adventure filled with beautiful palm trees, perfectly curated shops and towering mountains that envelop you. As corny as it sounds, the sights are truly breathtaking.
4.Getting Cultured
There always seems to be something going on in Palm Springs. It’s home to some of the coolest music festivals, art shows, and cultural celebrations in Southern California. While I was there the city was hosting Modernism Week– a celebration of mid-century art and design. It features more than 250 events including the Modernism Show & Sale, Signature Home Tours, films, lectures, Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tours, nightly parties and live music, walking and bike tours, and more.
5. Shopping
Speaking of Modernism I absolutely love the furniture shopping that Palm Springs has to offer, it’s mid-century modern lovers dream. Most pieces are original and not mass-produced which makes them super special and unique. I’m a home decor enthusiast so I was in heaven. One of my favorite stores that combines both home goods and clothing is Trina Turk. It has a great throwback 70s feel with its long flowing colorful caftans and super colorful patterns. You’ll literally want to buy EVERYTHING there.
6.Outlet Shopping
Outlet shopping just deserves its own section. It’s different from your normal everyday shopping in that you can afford more at lesser prices. The outdoor shopping center features 180 designer stores including Alexander McQueen, Michael Kors, Montblanc, Saint Laurent Paris and Tory Burch among others. There was a 70% off sale at Kate Spade that day and I totally stacked up! Thank God I had a ton of trunk space in the Cx-5 because I ended up having a ton of bags.
Now on to my review!
2 and a half hours in a car is a long ride especially when you’re alone and in traffic. But driving the Mazda Cx-5 made that drive easy. The car reminded me a lot of the BMW x-5 in terms of its sleek body style. The inside was as plush as a high-end car as well. As I like to do with my reviews, these are my lists of pros and cons.
Pros
Amenities on top of amenities!
- Dual side temps
- Mp3 player and satellite radio
- Bluetooth
- Blind-spot and rear-cross-traffic alerts
- Proximity key
- Seat Warmers
- Rear camera for easy parallel parking
- Bose speakers!!!
- Beautiful white leather with blue stitching on the seats made this beauty stand out even more.
- I loved that after all that shopping my bags were safely hidden by the trunk shade that easily pulls out
- Super comfortable fit for front and back passengers
- There was a switch near the gear shift labeled “sport”. I simply pushed the switch and the rode like a sports car. I ADORED THIS FEATURE the most! It was perfect for merging onto the freeway easily and going with the pace of other drivers on the road.
Cons
It’s always quite hard to find a con in a free car to drive for a week but as always, I have to keep it real with my readers, and while there weren’t many cons I did see notice a couple of things that gave me pause.
- I’m super used to driving economical cars so the gas mileage on this wasn’t my speed, however after consulting with some of SUV loving friends they saw nothing wrong with the 26 combined city/hwy miles.
- The sound system seemed to restart itself randomly
I’d say as far as cons go that’s a pretty short list, especially compared to my long list of pros so I’d say this car is worth it’s very reasonable price tag of just a little over $33,000.