As I left San Francisco to catch a SamTrans bus to San Francisco International Airport last month, the city was socked in with heavy drizzle. I wore two jackets to keep warm. But it was a reversal of fortune that afternoon when I arrived in Palm Springs: crystal clear skies and about 90 degrees.
Despite the heat, Palm Springs does a big summer business, especially on weekends when many of the city’s nearly two-dozen gay resorts fill with people driving in from other parts of southern California and Nevada. The city also gets a lot of business from visitors flying or driving down from the Bay Area, seeking a getaway in virtually guaranteed sunshine.
For gay travelers, the wide variety of the city’s LGBT resorts may be the biggest draw. Many folks return to the same gay inns year after year. Most owners also actively manage the properties and are on a first name basis with regular guests.