Thinking of spending a week in Palm Springs in July. Know it will be HOT! How long would a day trip to Big Bear Lake take and would it be worth it? What about San Diego or L.A.? Will it be too hot to even enjoy the pool? Thanks for the info. Terri

I live about 20 minutes outside of Palm Springs. I would not recommend coming here on vacation in July. You mentioned Big Bear or San Diego. Either one of those would be a great place to spend a week in the middle of summer, and if you absolutely wanted to, you could take a day trip to Palm Springs from THERE! I am sure you could find reasonably priced accomodations in both areas. Try renting a little cabin at Green Valley Lake (about 30 minutes from Big Bear)--peaceful, quiet, and cool!!!

by 9:30 a.m. it is VERY hot. all people do in july is run from their air conditioned car to air conditioned home. i went once in july and was comfortable just laying on the airmattress in the pool all day. but, you have to be careful not to burn. even though it's hot, i still enjoy it for a weekend but it might get really OLD for a week. san diego is only about 2 1/4 hours away so a day trip to the ocean is definitly doable if you don't mind driving. there are several different routes you can take to keep the ride varied. i think i may consider splitting the week between san diego & palm springs. i'm pretty sure big bear would be doable in a day from palm springs which would get you out of the heat. don't plan on golfing unless you book know for 6 a.m. tee times.

Is it really that unbearable in July? I'm planning a trip in June '03. Taking my wife and 2 daughters (14&10). We are from Wash., DC area and can handle 95+ degree days with high humidity. It actually sounds perfect for lounging by pool, taking the aerial tram, morning desert excursions, etc. We're staying a 2-bedroom villa @ Marriott Palm Desert II, so we shouldn't be on top of each other.

I live 45 minutes from there and go in the summer for a long weekend or to Vegas as well. I love to just lounge by the pool as do my kids. We don't mind the heat. Now ask me if I want to go hiking no. But I love just the pool stuff. Go for it!!

Thanks Monique,

That's the way my family is. We love the pool and if it gets too hot, we have a large villa in which to stretch out until sundown.

Do the Tram of Terror, The Gondola of Death!

DO NOT eat in the restaurant at the top of the tram. It makes Country Buffet seem gourmet.

The temp today is 105. There is a waterpark there, but I haven't been to it. We go for weekend in April & October from San Diego. The tram ride is nice & there are trails at the top & it is cooler. I agree, the food there is horrible! The Wild Animal PArk in SD should be about 2hrs, but SeaWorld, zoo or beach about 2 1/2hrs. Never went from PS to Big Bear. Magic Mtn may not be too terribly far either.

Magic Mountain is 2-1/2 ot 3 hrs. The back way to Big Bear is about 1-3/4 hours.

I agree about the tram food. Once on this site, when someone commented it was 'good', I figured it was the operator of the food franchise up there.