Pool to Cool: The Tram's Summer Pass Returns

SURFING TO SKIING: We're not sure how many Southern Californians have actually surfed in the morning and skied in the afternoon, but the notion that you can pursue both disparate activities in a single day, if you have the energy, funds, time, gear, and gas, remains something of an oft-repeated line 'round the region. (Also, it is totally true, at least during some months of the year.) But people in the Coachella Valley can make a related claim, that is also accurate, and it is this: They can go from pool to cool in an hour or two, especially if the pool they're near isn't too far from Valley Station at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. For the world-famous tram, a mid-century gem that efficiently whisks visitors thousands of feet up to Mountain Station, which is located near the upper reaches of Mt. San Jacinto, really can give a person a wholly different experience, temperature-wise, especially in the summertime.

THE TRAM'S SUMMER PASS... is one of the handiest ways to find this out, especially if you plan on visiting the desert resorts for a lengthier stay or over a few warm weekends. The multi-month pass, which costs $85, just made its annual return, and it is valid through Aug. 31, 2022. Valid for the holder of the pass, that is, but there are other perks, including a discount for up to three friends (it's 10% off each of their tickets), and 10% off at both Pines Café and Peaks Restaurant, if you're feeling a bit peckish once you hit the peak. There's a whole woodsy world to explore outside of the station, too. "Passholders also enjoy over 50 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas and multiple campgrounds all within the 14,000-acre pristine forest of the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness," the tram team says.

HAVE TOTS IN TOW? A summer pass for a child (ages 3 to 10) is priced at $45. For all of the details, purchasing at Valley Station or online, and the thrill of moving between desert and mountain, and back again, trek by this helpful page now.