The single best reason to stop in Palm Desert. The Living Desert is a 1,200-acre zoo and botanical garden devoted to deserts of the world, with animals and native plant trails covering the Sonoran, the Mojave, the Sahara, and beyond. The scale catches most people off guard — three hours is a minimum, half a day more realistic if you want to see it properly.
The African village section is particularly well done, with giraffes, oryx, and a working blacksmith. The reptile and amphibian house holds Gila monsters and desert tortoises, and the gardens themselves are worth the visit even without the animals — labelled trails wind through cholla, ocotillo, and a remarkable variety of cacti. Visit in the cooler half of the day; in summer the Living Desert closes early because of the heat.