TxTravelPro

Is this one hard or what?
I am going for a week in January to the Miramar resort TO WORK.
All my meals are arranged. Great restaurants, evidently.
I am popping for a spa package that will be expensive.
My sister is going along with me and she has no money to spend.
Aside from laying around at the pool and enjoying the view? She can certainly window shop, but are there shuttles?
Also, she is not invited to the meals
Is there anything cheap to eat around the resorts?
We do this all the time... I get airline benefits and she will tag along on my business trips. She does not mind that she cannot do all the fancy stuff and really enjoys leaving the farm for a fews days, even though she does not live it up.
BUT we always go places that have plenty to see, like NYC, Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, etc...

trippinkpj

Gee, it's hard to think of cheap places to eat in Palm Springs. I haven't been there for a couple years, but I remember 2 taquerias, a jewish deli and a Ruby's (retro 50's chain) downtown PS. It's just fun to walk around.Here's a good website I've used before for PS:
http://www.palm-springs.org/

trippinkpj

Here another one: http://www.bestofps.com/
I'm not sure about downtown shuttles, but maybe one of these two websites have info on them.

TxTravelPro

Thanks a million... I am staying at the Miramonte Resort which I incorrectly referred to as the Miramar in my first post. It really gets mixed reviews.
I'll have a look at these sites!
Happy Thanksgiving!

horizon

We had the best time taking a tour up in the mountains with a guide who worked for something called, I think, "Red Jeeps," or something like that. Or rent a car and drive into the desert. It's beautiful.

PSLocal

Do you hike?

I suggest the Boo Hoff trail. Pick up the trailhead at Lake Cahuilla bordering La Quinta. Or, if you want a really interesting, fun experience, I suggest Ladder Canyon, which I hate to give up because it is a relatively good secret.

Another free funky thing is to go to Shields Date Gardens in Indio at Jefferson and Hwy 111. This place is right out of a time warp. Or, go stroll the grounds at the La Quinta Resort, particularly the original gardens around the casitas that were built in 1925.

PSL

PSLocal

Also, I should have mentioned, in terms of lower cost food options, check out Louise's Pantry in La Quinta on Washington for great breakfasts.

RBCal

The Miramonte Resort is in Indian Wells which is far from downtown Palm Springs.

The closest major shopping area is El Paseo in Palm Desert. However, it is also the most expensive in the desert (it's been called the Rodeo Drive of the desert).

There are many restaurants at The River and a mall that is not too far is the Westfield Shopping Center.

Cheap things to do would be hiking in the canyons and the Living Desert Zoo.

artlover

Another low cost restaurant is Thai Smile--there are 2 of them, but I don't know about getting to them without a car.

Also, if she likes hiking, Joshua Tree is nice for that, but again, don't know about getting there without a car.

Face it, this is California, and except for SF Bay Area, it's hard to get ANYWHERE in California without a car.

But the weather should be nice and she can bring some good books and get some good reading done by the pool, right?

PSLocal

Agreed. On a careful reading of the OP I realized that a car is a factor. I can tell you, that at the Miramonte seeing much beyond the grounds of the hotel and pool will require a car. You could walk over to the Indean Wells Resort and check out the Esmeralda and Hyatt, but honestly, how interesting is that???

You will need some transportation to truly see anything worthwhile.

I also agree with Thai Smile, a favorite of ours for some time. There are 3 locations, the one in PS being the original and still best, the others in Rancho Mirage and La Quinta.

RBCal

The Sunbus is the local bus line. On their web page is listed local things to do and places to go. Sunbus does go past the Miramonte resort

http://www.sunline.org/

MBnancy

We were in Palm Desert all last week. Drove by the Miramonte every day. Have had lunch in their patio restaurant in the past and it was nice. The grounds are well kept, but you are pretty isolated there. No place walking distance for cheap meals, the Hyatt and Esmeralda are expensive.

We did go to the Living Desert yesterday, and it is about $10.50 with AAA discount, and another ten dollars for lunch
.
The suggestion of going to the River, is a good one. Lots of places to sit and people watch and window shop, take in a movie.