• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Catherine Gacad

  • About
  • Categories
    • Archives
    • Blogging
    • Burning Man
    • City Guides
    • Education & Politics
    • Favorite Books
    • Finances & Retirement
    • Parenthood
    • Relationships
    • Religion
    • San Francisco Bay Area
    • Travel
  • Hire Me
  • Subscribe
    • Feedburner
    • Bloglovin
    • Feedly
  • Search

All Posts, Travel

Touring Sunnylands, “Camp David of the West,” near Palm Springs

Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsAfter Disneyland, we headed down to Palm Springs for what I considered the adult portion of our vacation: a little history and architecture, fine dining and good wine. I had been wanting to go to Sunnylands ever since it opened to the public in 2012. Have you heard of it?

Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsSunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsSunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs

Located in Rancho Mirage, 10 miles from Palm Springs, Sunnylands is a 200 acre estate built by Walter and Leonore Annenberg. He was a publishing magnate who produced the Philadelphia Inquirer, TV Guide and Seventeen magazine. They were both very involved in business, politics and philanthropy and used their wealth to build hospitals, schools and literally broker world peace. Sunnylands was called the Camp David of the West because it was used as a retreat for leaders from around the world.

Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsSunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsSunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsIf you want to tour the estate, you’ll need to plan well in advance; I was told at least a month. By the time I looked at buying tickets a few weeks prior to our trip, they were sold out. There are no restrictions, however, to visiting the Sunnylands Center & Gardens. You can walk around the grounds, view art work and make a purchase in the cafe or store. If you visit, I highly recommend viewing the documentary which plays in the theater every 30 minutes. It’s really fascinating to see all the presidents and world leaders who have spent time there. 
Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs Sunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm SpringsSunnylands Center & Gardens, Palm Springs

Additional Reading

  • Guide to Palm Springs
  • How to Maximize Your Time and Money at Disneyland

Related

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

06.14.18

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to my site, derived from an advice column I wrote while getting my MBA. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I give helpful, opinionated advice based on my own experience and from the expertise of my extensive network. For more, click here.

Categories

  • Archives
  • Blogging
  • Burning Man
  • City Guides
  • Education & Politics
  • Favorite Books
  • Finances & Retirement
  • Parenthood
  • Relationships
  • Religion
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Travel

Popular Posts

  • An Exploration of World Religions: Zoroastrianism
  • A Flowchart for Choosing Your Religion
  • Why Do Guys Date Girls Who Barely Speak English?
  • Touring Sunnylands, "Camp David of the West," near Palm Springs
  • UC Berkeley English Department
  • How to Avoid Fecal Coliform Bacteria on Your Next Flight
  • What to Know About the Lair of the Golden Bear
  • Daily Interviews
  • Pre-Thanksgiving Not So Good News
  • Oysters at Cafe des Amis

Back to top

© 2025 Catherine Gacad.