The hook
An alpine arts town sits in the pines an hour above the desert, under the granite rock where modern American climbing worked out its grades.
01Why it's worth it
Idyllwild is a mile up in the San Jacinto mountains, a small pine-shaded town of a few thousand that feels nothing like the desert an hour below. Two things give it more than the usual mountain-town charm. Above it stands Tahquitz Rock, a granite dome where climbers in the mid-century worked out the Yosemite Decimal System, the 5-point-something scale every American climber still uses, which makes this quiet peak a genuine landmark in the sport's history. And the town itself has been an arts colony for decades, with galleries, an acclaimed residential arts academy, and, in the way of small towns that don't take themselves too seriously, a golden retriever for a mayor. Add Pacific Crest Trail access and cool pine air, and it's the local escape from the heat down below.
02How to experience it
It's about an hour up the mountain from Palm Springs, or a couple from San Diego or the Inland Empire. Come for a day of galleries and pine-shaded strolling, a hike or a climb if you're equipped, and the cafes around the town center. Summer is the escape from the desert; winter can bring snow and chain controls on the roads up.