It's golf, more than anything, that made Palm Desert famous, but with its breathtaking scenery and unparalleled selection of diversions, this resort in the heart of southern California's Coachella Valley would still feel like paradise even if you have up the game forever. But in a town where golf carts are street legal, and the municipal course ranks among California's finest, why would you do a thing like that in the first place? There are 25 public, private, and country-club courses in Palm Desert proper, including the world-famous Bighorn, which most golf fans know from televised tournaments. (Of course, in a town with 350 days of sunshine per year, there's precious little time for watching television.) From the world-class shopping at El Paseo to the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, there are plenty of reasons to make this oasis your home.