Top 12 desert escapes

Soak, sun, relax--do all of this and more on a trip to these top-notch desert destinations

For adventurous trekkers: La Quinta, CA

Coachella Valley is home to the Santa Rosa Mountains, where granite, desert flora, and sweeping views surround primo hiking. And La Quinta, 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs, is a great entryway for hikers: Take the Cove to Lake Trail, a 2.5-mile one-way trek. Or, for serious burn, consider the strenuous 7.5-mile Boo Hoff Trail. Download a map at la-quinta.org

Best time to go: March and November, when moderate temperatures make for supreme hiking weather.

Stay: La Quinta Resort & Club—once a favorite hideaway for Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn, and Greta Garbo—has cozy casitas, 41 pools, and a James Beard award–winning chef at its Morgan’s restaurant. From $249; laquintaresort.com