Thursday May 7, 2026

You will be taken by motor coach from the hotel to the base of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—the world’s largest rotating tram car. It travels over two-and-one-half miles along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon, transporting riders to the pristine wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. During your approximately ten-minute journey, tram cars rotate slowly, offering picturesque and spectacular vistas of the valley floor below. Once you reach the Mountain Station—elevation 8,516 feet—we have arranged a private meeting room for an informational lecture on the site built entirely by helicopter. There are no roads to the top of the mountain. The only other way up or down is to hike. We have arranged a luncheon for us while we are there, and afterwards feel free to enjoy the observation decks, State Park Visitors Center and natural history museum, two documentary theaters, a gift shop and over 50 miles of hiking trails (okay, maybe not all 50 miles of hiking trails!). The weather at the top is usually 30 degrees cooler than in Palm Springs, a nice respite from the heat (bring a sweatshirt!).