Tag: Palm Springs

Palm Springs: A Year-Round Desert Paradise Awaits You, Part II

Today, in part II of my Palm Springs blog post I’ll write about some highly frequented gay hot spots, e.g. the Hunters Nightclub. I’ll also recommend my favorite restaurants, e.g. Alibi and Azul’s.

Alibi and Azul

On the second floor of the convivial Mexican and tapas restaurant Azul, you’ll find Alibi to be a spacious, upbeat spot that is part video bar, part sports bar, and an excellent place for cocktails and people-watching early in the evening, as the balcony setting overlooks bustling Palm Canyon Drive below and the mountains to the west.

The Barracks

Barracks is the local hangout for guys into leather, uniforms, fetish, bears, boots, pierced and tattooed dudes, muscle worship, military gear, water sports, and hard-core cruising. Located in Cathedral City, a 10-minute drive from Palm Springs, the Barracks is in a not-so-obvious location, so look for the Arco gas station on East Palm Canyon Drive at the intersection of El Dorado and Canyon Plaza, then turn right at Canyon Plaza.

Bongo Johnny’s

Conveniently located on Arenas Road next to Stacey’s bar, Bongo Johnny’s restaurant offers an affordable breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Half of the venue’s seating is devoted to a lovely outdoor patio for casual al fresco dining and fascinating people-watching.

Hunters Nightclub

The largest and most popular of the gay bars along the Arenas Road strip in downtown Palm Springs, Hunters Nightclub is a spacious, well-decorated, upscale-looking gay bar that’s a mainstay of the region’s clubbing scene. Popular as much for watching videos and dancing as for watching hot go-go boys, Hunters fills to the rafters on weekends in high seasons and draws pretty good crowds year-round.

Quadz

One of the hotspots in the Palm Springs Arenas Road gay nightlife district, Quadz is a friendly men’s bar drawing a mostly 30-and-up crowd of guys into karaoke, videos, and drag shows. The crowd varies a bit depending on the night, with sometimes a slightly younger crowd, and other times a mix of women and men. It’s a fun place on weekends.

Stacy’s

If a quiet piano bar is your style, the newest offering in Palm Springs is Stacy’s, where you can enjoy a cocktail and friendly conversation with locals. Crystal chandeliers and regular pianists add to this sophisticated interior popular with locals and tourists alike.

Streetbar

The laid-back Streetbar is a mainly male, cash-only neighborhood hangout, generally drawing a 40-and-over crowd. It’s a popular stop on the Arenas Road gay bar circuit and is known for karaoke, cheap happy hours, and campy drag shows.

Tool Shed

Since the mid-1990s, the rough-and-ready Tool Shed has been the premier leather-and-Levi’s bar in Palm Springs. It’s on a side street on the south side of downtown. Open from morning until 2 am, the Tool Shed offers cheap and potent drinks, hosts an Erotic Art Expo each February, and awards a Mr. Tool Shed Leather prize each year.

Toucan’s Tiki Lounge

This tropics-themed bar and dance club is one of the top gay hangouts in the desert region, catering to a primarily male (but female-welcoming), all-ages crowd. It’s known for such engaging theme nights as Sunday night drag revues, 2-for-1 drinks on Tuesdays, ‘80s flashback dancing on Wednesdays, and Jungle Boogie (with go-go dancers) on Fridays and Saturdays.

Tropicale Restaurant and Coral Seas Lounge

The Tropicale Restaurant & Coral Seas Lounge offers a chic and sophisticated décor that provides the setting for distinctive world cuisine, a provocative mix of zesty influences that creates a delightful dining experience. The adjacent Copa Nightclub is also a very popular upscale entertainment venue featuring musicians, singers, and comedic drag shows.

Trunks Bar

Formerly known as Diggs, Trunks is a friendly gay neighborhood bar, a casual little hangout in Cathedral City, about a 10-minute drive from Palm Springs. It features a pool table, Wii games, and gay country-western dancing on Tuesday and Saturday.

Wang’s in the Desert

Wang’s in the Desert is one of Palm Springs’ hot spots for contemporary Pan-Asian food. The restaurant is stylish and festive, and the sidebar, which hosts happy hour celebrations, is a fun venue for colorful cocktails and mingling with locals and tourists.

Some facts about me

I’m your welcoming ebab host offering two spacious guestrooms in my Palm Springs condo located one block from the south terminus of the popular Buzz Bus. My Junior Suite with king bed and private bath is ideal for one or two people, while the Master Suite with two double beds, en suite bath and private patio comfortably accommodates one to four guests.

Palm Springs: A Year-Round Desert Paradise Awaits You, Part I

There’s something for everyone in this desert oasis that from the 1940s to 1960s was the favorite playground of famous Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Doris Day and Lucille Ball, to name just a few. Located less than two hours by car from Los Angeles and San Diego, Palm Springs has long been a popular destination for Southern Californians. Its desert hiking, golfing and laid back atmosphere attract visitors from all over the world and can be conveniently reached by air from such cities as New York, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Miami and San Francisco.

There’s a very large gay population here, which some jokingly refer to as a “gay retirement village”. In fact, it’s a wonderful place to grow gay and gray, but you’ll see every age and type of person under the sun here. There are plenty of cool gay bars with mixed crowds but visitors tend to be more focused on the daytime sun and fun. This favorite gay vacation getaway in Southern California’s Mojave Desert has a large variety of gay bars, piano lounges, dance clubs, and restaurants to complement its many museums, galleries, shops and outdoor activities. There’s a reason this is the West Coast’s leading resort getaway among the LGBT set, especially from Fall through Spring, when temperatures here are mild and inviting.

Below is just a sample of the many popular events that occur each month of the year here:

#Jan. >> Palm Springs International Film Festival
#Feb. >> Modernism Week, International Bear Convergence
#Mar. >> Cathedral City LGBT Days
#Apr. >> Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival
#May. >> Palm Springs Hot Gay Rodeo
#Jun./Jul. >> Swing & Mix (gay squaredancing)
#Aug. >> Pool parties everywhere!
#Sept. >> Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival
#Oct. >> Leather Pride, Halloween
#Nov. >> Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival and Parade
#Dec. >> Christmas/New Year events galore!

Getting around is simplified by the Buzz Bus, a motorized trolley offering free transportation every 15-minutes Thursday through Sunday between North and South Palm Springs, making numerous stops throughout the downtown business and entertainment district. If love visiting tourist attractions Palm Springs won’t disappoint you…

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Ascend two-and-one-half miles from the desert floor to a pristine wilderness on Mount San Jacinto aboard the world’s largest rotating tramcar. In summer there can be as much as a 30-degree temperature difference at the top of the tramway, making this a popular destination to cool down from the summer heat. Hiking trails, gorgeous vistas and several dining options are available at the summit of this popular year-round tourist destination.

Joshua Tree National Park

Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park, located just an easy 30-minute drive north of Palm Springs. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast Southern California wilderness.

In part II of my Plam Springs blog post I’m going to write about some highly frequented gay hot spots, e.g. the Hunters Nightclub and I will recommend my favorite restaurants, e.g. the Alibi and Azul’s. So, be aware of my Palm Springs blog post part II, which will be published soon.

Some facts about me

I’m your welcoming ebab host offering two spacious guestrooms in my Palm Springs condo located one block from the south terminus of the popular Buzz Bus. My Junior Suite with king bed and private bath is ideal for one or two people, while the Master Suite with two double beds, en suite bath and private patio comfortably accommodates one to four guests.