If you’ve been staying in Coachella Valley to view Palm Desert real estate or homes in La Quinta, you may want to learn about cool things to do that are just a short distance away. The perfect example of this is the 20th annual Festival of Lights celebration at the nearby Mission Inn Hotel & Spa. Located in Riverside, just 60 miles away from Palm Springs, this fabulous event attracts more than 250,000 visitors each year.
More than 3.6 million lights transform this national historic landmark into a mesmerizing and magical display of holiday lights that the whole family will truly enjoy. This unrivalled event commences each year on the day after Thanksgiving with an opening ceremony that includes an amazing fireworks show.
This unique holiday celebration includes live entertainment such as Dickensian carolers and literally hundreds of characters in 17th Century costumes. In addition, the event features authentic horse-drawn carriage rides, freshly fallen snow and visits from Santa that locals and owners of homes in La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and all the other desert cities look forward to for months.
This one-of-a-kind tradition is presented by the owners of the Mission Inn, Duane and Kelly Roberts, who saved the Mission Revival-style hotel from destruction and reopened it in 1992. The hotel offers special packages during the festival to accommodate visitors who want to immerse themselves in the experience. It’s the perfect way to both kick off and end the holiday season, and a great way for those looking at Palm Desert real estate to get a feel of some of the wonderful, wide range of experiences available to them in the desert communities.
Due to popular demand, the Festival of Lights has been extended and will run through January 5, 2013. The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is located at 3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501. Click here for more information.
image credit: smartmeetings.com