@KKlim
Another Californian here, KKlim - such terrific suggestions above, and I agree 100 percent that Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage will be glorious in November.
Not sure if you like museum visits, but the Palm Springs Museum of Art is great. They have unusual outdoor art, including a car poised vertically on its bumper and a massive sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in her iconic white dress that blows up over her knees.
There is also a lovely restaurant in the courtyard of the museum that has salads and delicious wood-fired pizza.
In Rancho Mirage, you can visit Summerlands, which is the spectacular mid-century modern home and estate of the wealthy Annenberg family, who founded TV Guide. The outdoor grounds are impecable and the tour of the house is well worth it. But...you MUST make reservations well in advance of your departure date to tour the house.
In Palm Springs, there are so many great places to eat you will be spoiled by all the choices. Among our favorites: Trio, Las Casuelas Terrazo, Sherman's Deli and Bakery and Lulu California Bistro. All the menus to these places are online.
The tram ride is a must, as a poster above suggested. Since it is your first trip west, there are a lot of mid-century modern walking tours in Palm Springs that will highlight all the celebrity homes and famous neighborhoods filled with the best examples of mid century modern architecture on the West Coast. Very Rat Pack-inspired places where Liberace, Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra lived and played.
Another "western" idea is Pioneertown, about 30 miles north of Palm Springs - near Joshua Tree - which is a classic cowboy town used as a set in many Westerns of the late 40s and 50s. There's a cool store with Western gear called The Hoof and Horn, and we ate really tasty burgers at Pappy and Harriet's restaurant there. Fun vibe, very surreal - you feel like Clint Eastwood will be right around the corner.
Also, Joshua Tree is a freaky national park with strange trees and desolate moonscape. It's not for everyone, but it surely is interesting if unusual nature floats your boat.
There's also the George Patton Museum, about an hour from Palm Springs, which is really worth it if you have a history buff in your group and/or a military veteran.
Finally, dates are grown in the Coachella Valley, so a quick stop at Hadley's in Carbazon is worth a visit for a super-sweet date shake - an unforgettable concoction of vanilla ice cream and chopped fresh dates.
Hope you have an amazing trip - and welcome to the West Coast!
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