The Heart Of Coachella Valley Holds A California Desert Oasis With World-Class Resorts And The Finest Spas

From mountain peaks to desert valleys, from canyons to sandy beaches, California has something for every type of visitor to explore. As its southern half boasts the mildest temperatures in the state, you can explore Southern California's best experiences year-round. This includes Coachella Valley. In the heart of the valley lies the desert oasis of Rancho Mirage, with world-class resorts and the finest spas.

You'll find Rancho Mirage in California's Sonoran Desert, with the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, between Palm Springs and Palm Desert. It's one of nine cities in Coachella Valley and was founded in 1973. Though it's home to fewer than 20,000 full-time residents, Rancho Mirage easily surpasses that number when you include part-time residents. Given its ideal location just 110 miles from both Los Angeles and San Diego, it's easy to get to via major freeways and the Palm Springs International Airport.

Rancho Mirage's 25 square miles have been known as a celebrity haven over the years. Famous residents have included Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and former President Gerald Ford. It's earned the nicknames "Playground of the Presidents" and "Golf Capital of the World," as it has both attracted U.S. presidents over the years (in addition to the Fords) and hosted major golf and tennis tournaments including the Ryder Cup and LPGA Tour.

Rancho Mirage earned its nicknames and celebrity-enclave reputation in part because of its world-class resorts. These luxurious hotels provide one-stop destinations for their clientele and offer prestigious accommodations, amenities, and activities.

For example, The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, located atop a 650-foot bluff, features 244 rooms and suites along with two pools, including an adults-only infinity pool. You can dine at The Edge Steakhouse, which has incredible cliffside views, or the State Fare Bar and Kitchen, which has a buffet and a simple but tasty bar menu. Both are among the top-ranked restaurants in Rancho Mirage according to Tripadvisor. Another high-end resort, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, features 444 rooms across 240 acres as well as five restaurants and 25 tennis courts. It's got a reputation for being family-friendly because of Splashtopia, its onsite water park with a 425-foot lazy river and two 100-foot waterslides. The Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa features 340 rooms across 16 stories, with five restaurants and two outdoor pools, plus a "Vegas" vibe casino and on-site theater offering a variety of shows and concerts. The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa is the highest-rated among Rancho Mirage's resorts on Tripadvisor. It sits on 360 acres, offering 500 rooms, four restaurants, and two golf courses. Family-friendly amenities include three pools, a mini-golf course, and fishing spots.

For the ultimate wellness-meets-luxury resort, the Sensei Porcupine Creek is a 230-acre adults-only retreat experience featuring free-standing villas and standard rooms. It offers a variety of fitness, yoga, nutrition, and mindset classes, which can be customized to individual goals. The expansive grounds feature sculptures by artists such as Robert Indiana and Keith Haring, an 18-hole golf course, and tennis courts.

Many visitors flock to Rancho Mirage's desert oasis seeking a serene spa getaway of relaxation and pampering. These decadent spa experiences found at the resorts allow you to spa-hop or choose specific experiences around town. At the spa at the Ritz Carlton, you'll have the unique experience of creating a custom-made body scrub and body butter in addition to enjoying your spa treatment in indoor or outdoor areas with a view. The Ritz Carlton's spa ranks No. 1 amongst Tripadvisor members for spas in Rancho Mirage. The Westin's 14,000 square-foot spa at Rancho Mirage has specialty treatments that include a Theragun sports massage, moisturizing treatments with a special Japanese plum and white tea scrub, a lavender lemon hydrating body wrap, and a corrective facial. Tripadvisor users rank this No. 2 for spas in Rancho Mirage in part due to its extensive fitness offerings in addition to spa services.

Agua Caliente's 10,500-square-foot Sunstone Spa earned a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating in 2024 and features impeccable amenities and a full array of services for hair treatments, facials, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, and massage therapy. It ranks No. 3 on Tripadvisor for Rancho Mirage spa experiences. Then, there's Spa Las Palmas at the Omni, which measures 20,000 square feet and offers more than 50 treatments, including a cactus massage and a guava sugar scrub. The spa's signature aromas are made from local plants and flowers of the California desert. Tripadvisor users have Spa Las Palmas rounding out the top four for Rancho Mirage, ranking the spa fourth-best in town.

If you want to venture away from a resort, Rancho Mirage has something for everyone. One of the newer additions in Rancho Mirage is the Rancho Mirage Observatory, which will delight any level of sky viewer looking to take advantage of the clear night desert skies. The observatory offers drop-in activities like stargazing and afternoon observatory tours. History lovers should visit Sunnylands to explore the former 25,000-square-foot estate and grounds of philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The estate offers a variety of guided tours, of both the property and the house. The adjacent Sunnylands Center & Gardens, featuring 70 species of native plants, will provide a zen-like experience while you stroll along the estate. It's one of the 16 best things to do on vacation in nearby Palm Springs.

The Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert, designed for young children, is a family-friendly option for hands-on fun and activities. The River at Rancho Mirage is an all-in-one stop for shopping, dining, and entertainment, located along an artificial river. The 30-acre complex offers visitors an outdoor mecca in which to dine at a variety of establishments, listen to live music, or attend a community event in an amphitheater. For more California desert attractions, venture to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (one hour from Rancho Mirage) to check out a unique drive-through sculpture garden featuring scorpions and dinosaurs.