Local life
Guides
Evergreen explainers from our reporters: the desert economy, the architecture, the neighborhoods, and the seasons.
These guides are updated as the facts change. Something out of date? Tell us through the contact page.
Guide
The desert resort economy, explained
Fifteen million visitors, $7.8 billion in spending, and 52,352 jobs: what the official numbers say about the industry that runs the Coachella Valley.
Grant Nolan, Tourism & Hospitality reporter · September 29, 2026
Guide
Midcentury neighborhoods, a primer
How a handful of builders and architects turned the desert into a capital of American modernism, and how to read the houses they left behind.
Gloria Ashford, Architecture & Design writer · September 29, 2026
Guide
A newcomer's guide to Palm Springs
Your first ninety days: the airport, the mountain, the neighborhoods, and the summer.
Laura Whitaker, Community reporter · September 29, 2026
Guide
Summer in the desert: how the city adapts
Cooling centers, an overnight shelter, and the 8,516-foot escape hatch: how Palm Springs gets through the hottest months.
Marco Reyes, Desert reporter · September 29, 2026