With sunshine in the forecast for 350 days of the year and an average winter temperature in the mid-70s, it’s no wonder Palm Springs has become one of the premier resort towns in the United States.
In addition, because of its nearly 40,000 swimming pools, Palm Springs has become synonymous with aquatic life.
The first pool in Palm Springs was built in 1909 by wealthy businesswoman Nellie Coffman with the express purpose of attracting guests to her new pit stop-turned-hotel, The Desert Inn.
By the 1930s, the unbeatable combination of the privacy of the Palm Springs desert, its consistent weather and the promise of lavish pool parties inevitably drew the rich and famous (Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and Cary Grant, to name just a few). In fact, from the 1940s to the 1950s, Palm Springs’ population doubled … and so did its pool count (from 900 to 2,000). The town’s reliance on its pool culture to attract tourists also became more apparent. Hotels began to advertise the quality of their swimming facilities rather than the quality of their rooms.
Today, snowbirds still flock to Palm Springs during the winter months, and resorts attract millions of sun-lovers throughout the year.
The city recorded its hottest day ever in 2021: The thermometer hit 123 degrees (F). (However, that’s nothing a quick dip in a pool can’t help!)
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