My husband and I are looking for a vacation spot for November where we can golf without breaking the bank and also enjoy museums, hiking and great food and warm November weather. We like Scottsdale for that reason but the golf tends to be more expensive than we like. We love the southwest but are open to other destinations, in or outside of the US.

Palm Springs is a nice place with lots of culture. There are a variety of prices for golf courses. We have been there twice in Feb and golfed for less than $100 per person.

You can also come up to the SF Bay Area to golf and enjoy the things you like. I live in the area and golf almost every weekend. The weather can be really nice in November or not so nice though.

What are the cultural sights in Palm Springs?

Someplace in Mexico maybe? Like Cabo or Puerto Vallarta (I know both offer golf courses).

I guess "cultural sights" in the Palm Springs area can be divided into arts, pre-historic/historic, and pop culture.

For the arts, the Palm Springs Desert Museum actually has some respectable collections in 19th century landscape, contemporary sculpture and painting and Native American art. http://www.psmuseum.org/

The McCallum Theater offers a decent season in performing arts including names that are recognizable anywhere in the world. This is in a smaller venue where it is almost impossible to have a bad seat, contrary to the "arena" style places where you are lucky to see a performer with binoculars.
http://www.mccallumtheatre.com/

In the pre-historic and historic realm, you can see the San Andreas fault, one of the most significant fault systems in the world, up close and personal. There are tours that take you to the fault, let you see the micro-environment of ground displacement/rupture, oases, and hot springs, feed you lunch and bring you back.
http://www.red-jeep.com/san-andreas-fault.htm

There are the Indian Canyons, inhabited by the Cahuilla band for 2,000 years, with the largest native palm oases in the world, streamside and craggy mountain hikes, including a peek into the dark side of Tahquitz, the malevolent shaman who is said to dwell in Tahquitz Canyon and whom the Cahuilla still fear and respect today. There is a visitor's center with the story and a guided hike into the Canyon.
http://www.theindiancanyons.com/

Then there is the pop culture of 30's/40's/50's/60's Hollywood, stories and hangouts of Frank Sinatra and the ratpack, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Sonny Bono, Dinah Shore and a myraid other celebs. There are tours, etc. Is it a little cheesy? Yeah.
Is it for everyone? No. But if you have a cocktail and a sense of fun, it's ok.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...palm_springs-i

There is Cabot's Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs, a Hopi-style Pueblo constucted by a colorful character named Cabot Yerxa over a 24 year period between 1941 and 1965. The pueblo was made of "found" materials and houses Cabot's eclectic collection of Native American and other artifacts acquired in his storied travels.
http://www.cabotsmuseum.org/cabots_museum.htm

In terms of hiking, I can tell you I am an avid hiker and there are more excellent hikes than you could do in a month. The Lykken Trail, the Indian Canyons, the trails at the top of the aerial tramway, the Art Smith trail in Palm Desert, the Boo Hoff trail in La Quinta, the really fun Ladder Canyon hike in the Mecca Hills---and of course, Joshua Tree, which is surreal and starkly beautiful, with a wide variety of experiences and its own cultural mystique.

On top of that there are champagne sunrise hot air balloon flights, rides in open cockpit vintage biplanes and WWII warbirds...

Is it the cultural mecca of the west? Nope. But are there some worthy things to do for people that scratch the surface? Sure.

Hope you have fun.

PSL