Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Provides View From the Top
Open since 1963, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offers visitors a chance to take a 10-minute ride to a mountain paradise aboard the rotating tramcar. Once at the top of the San Jacinto Mountain, more than 50 miles of hiking trails, shops, and restaurants and a spectacular view of Palm Springs await. While riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, patrons can escape the heat of the desert land below and find themselves immersed in crisp air and the beauty of the area’s natural wilderness.
During the warmer months, visitors enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, walking, biking and camping in the 14,000-acre wilderness area. Then, during the colder winter months, visitors bundle up and enjoy activities at the Winter Adventure Center including cross-country skiing, family snow days, snowshoeing and snow camping. For visitors planning to camp in the San Jacinto Mountain area, a wilderness permit must be obtained in advance by calling (951) 659-2607. The cost is $5 per person.
Peaks Restaurant is located at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offering a fine dining experience against a backdrop of the Coachella Valley. Also at the top is the Pines Café — a cafeteria-style restaurant for a more casual option. Both restaurants are open for lunch and dinner daily.
After 3 p.m. the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offers a Ride ‘N’ Dinner special which includes tram admission and dinner at the Pines Café priced at $36 for adults and $24 for children — that’s the same price as a Tramway ticket. In addition to the two restaurants, there is a full-service bar, the Lookout Lounge, located near the restaurants. The lounge serves alcoholic beverages and appetizers.
Nearly 30 years in the making, the Tramway concept began when Francis F. Crocker visited the Palm Springs area in 1935. As he roasted in the hot summer sun he longed to be on top of the San Jacinto Mountains that were still capped with a layer of white snow. Crocker knew that the 10,834-foot elevation of the San Jacinto Mountains would be a spectacular place to visit and would make for an amazing view of the valleys below. After years of project setbacks and political and financial challenges, the Tramway concept was funded and construction began in 1950.
HelloPalmSprings Tip: Visit the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway website to purchase tram tickets, map out a hiking trail and to access souvenir photos.
Posted by Jennifer Pruett
