RANCHO MIRAGE, CA 92270 ______________________________________________
INCORPORATED IN 1973 24.7 SQ.MILES MAYOR: RON MEEPOS 17,057 PEOPLE FULL TIME / 11,300 SEASONAL MEDIAN AGE: 54 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $78,434 MEDIAN HOME PRICE: $695,000 HOUSEHOLD WITH CHILDREN: 59% 1 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR 350 DAYS OF SUNSHINE ANNUAL RAINFALL 5.23"
Steeped in rich history and with a setting it took two languages to describe, Rancho Mirage sits prosperously at the heart of the CoachellaValley. Nearby mountains -- namely Mt. San Gorgonio and Mt.San Jacinto -- block most coastal weather patterns and help ensure the areas 350 days of sunshine each year.
Those natural benefits, plus skilled planning and insightful development, result in the Rancho Mirage we enjoy today. Its 17,000-plus full-time residents and 13,000 seasonal residents share the city as a resort destination with more than a million visitors annually. An exquisite quality of life is underscored by country clubs, resorts, spas, shopping, dining and medical facilities -- each of world-class quality -- to make the city a dream destination. More than $900 million dollars of resort refurbishment or new resort construction including the new Ritz-Carlton hotel are underway in the city.
Rancho Mirage is a 21st Century city, but it holds a legacy of Native American and European cultures. Inland routes brought the first Spanish to the valley in the late 18th Century to develop and sustain missions. The United States acquired the area in 1848 as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and it took several more years for the first surveyors to arrive.
They are credited with the "mis-naming" of the Coachella Valley, where surveyors found a multitude of conch shells left from an ancient sea that once covered this desert valley. Government officials transcribed the notations as "coachella" instead, and the valley was so named.
The Bradshaw Trail (now Highway 111) and trains ferried humans through the area where native desert bighorn still wander.Starting in the 1920s, visionaries such as Bert Davie and E.E. McIntyre began to see a future for this desert oasis.
"Rancho Mirage" came about from the Spanish "rancho" and French "mirage" in a name that now so aptly describes the mix of traditional and luxury influences that highlight the city. In the 1930s, however, it was simply the promotional name given to parcels by developers Louis Blankenhorn and Laurence Macomber. Planned development began in the post-War era, spurring residential and resort communities that now enjoy worldwide acclaim. Thunderbird Country Club, oldest of the grand clubs (and namesake to the Ford model), began operation in 1951. It was followed shortly thereafter by Tamarisk Country Club. DesertIsland, the Springs, Sunrise, Mission Hills, Rancho Las Palmas and Morningside round out an array of world-class facilities. In the older clubs, youll find designs from Mid-Century Modern architects such as William F. Cody and Richard Neutra. They designed and built many of the Valleys distinctive and inspiring residences, which are hot on the market today. See my special page on Mid-Century Modern.
Spend a few moments in Rancho Mirage, and you'll gain an appreciation for its commerce -- retail, dining, services and mixed-use developments. Easy access to Highway 111 and the Interstate 10 corridor helps ensure a business environment thats as vibrant as it is beautiful. The Valley finds countless shopping opportunities in Rancho Mirage, resulting in per capita sales far exceeding the local and state averages.
Many dining choices along Restaurant Row are found at The River at Rancho Mirage, a open-air shopping center and waterfront.
THE RIVER
You'll find Roy's, Fleming's, PF Chang's, The Cheesecake Factory, Babe's and many more. Venture to the River at Rancho Mirage, a multi-purpose development with shopping, dining, entertainment and a faux river winding through its 30 acres.
Under the palms of Rancho Mirage, you'll find the finest in products and services.
Dining With nearly 70 restaurants in Rancho Mirage, no palate will suffer.
Desert European Motorcarsoffers patrons first-class service and the finest automobiles to be found: Porsche, Audi, Range Rover, Bentley & Rolls Royce. It's the highest-volume Rolls Royce dealership in the world.
Ligne Rosetfeatures European, modern-contemporary furniture with clean lines and timeless styling.
Spa Las Palmas a sanctuary for renewal. Offers treatments such as European mineral baths, Native American purification and rituals from Bali, Indonesia.
Read the news about Rancho Mirage in the local "Desert Sun!"
Leisure & Recreation Many of the world's greatest recreation facilities call Rancho Mirage home. Enjoy holes at the city's prestigious golf courses and resorts, or tennis. Get away from the everyday at these resort hotel offerings:
Rancho Las Palmas Friendly club atmosphere with 25 tennis courts, eight of which are lit for night play.A nationally-acclaimed resort with 450 rooms, luxury amenities, meeting/function space, sparkling pools & spas, golf, tennis and restaurants.
Mission Hills Country Club Good tennis players and a variety of court surfaces. It is the only club with two grass, four clay and 20 hard-surface courts.
The Westin Mission HillsSurrounded by the Mission Hills Country Club, this 360-acre resort features 512 rooms, meeting/function space and a family atmosphere. Moroccan styling is enhanced by the surrounding desert wildflowers and painted canyons. The Resort & Spa recently added 26 Million in upgrades.
Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas Resort & SpaA 35 Million make over in 2007 makes this one of the great golf getaways in Rancho Mirage. The new restaurant "Blue Ember" offers great al-fresco dining.
The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho MirageAn oasis of luxury overlooking world famous Palm Springs below from a striking mountain plateau. It has 240 rooms, 31 suites, state-of-the-art conference facilities, plus aspa and tennis center. The Ritz Carlton will be the only five-star resort in the valley and is due to open early 2009.
Gaming -- TheAgua Caliente Casinooffers full amenities with six restaurants, a caberet-style lounge, more than 1,000 gaming machines, 46 tables and a high-limit area. The recently expanded Casino complex is adding a 2000 seat entertainment venue which will allow to bring some of the biggest names to the valley.
Rancho Mirage Neighborhoods:
Ike's Park: Includes Wilshire Palms, Ivy League Estates and Mirage Estates developments.
Clancy Lane: Rancho Mirage's top neighborhood - Includes the gated Clancy Lane Estates and the new Bella Clancy community, Clancy Lane South, Mission Ranch, La Renaissance and Bridalwood developments, as well as the ungated Rancho MaAana neighborhood.
Lakeside: Includes the gated Lake Mirage and La Terraza developments.
Riverwest: Is the neighborhood just west of the River at Rancho Mirage. Includes the gated Parkview Villas and Desert Village developments and all streets off of San Jacinto Dr.
Magnesia Falls: Includes the entire ungated Magnesia Falls Cove, Chalet Palms Apartments and Whispering Waters condos as well as the large gated and private Blixseth Estate.
Rancho Las Palmas: It encompasses the Rancho Las Palmas Country Club and Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas Resort.
White Sun: Includes the White Sun, Estates at Rancho Mirage East & West, Parkview frontage developments and Magnesia Falls Dr., Rancho Rd., Barbara Dr. and Joshua Rd. Northeast of Highway 111.
Annenberg Estate: The famed Annenberg Estate known as Sunnylands, where so many United States presidents have met other heads of state.
Offers comprehensive care on a 100-acre campus in Rancho Mirage. The valley's only not-for-profit hospital, EMC holds a 261-bed hospital, specialty services and treatment facilities. Annenberg Center provides continuing education through facilities that include a 500-seat auditorium with satellite services to the Eisenhower campus.The new 250 bed Walter and Leonore Annenberg Pavilion at Eisenhower Medical Center will be the only hospital in the Palm Springs Valley to meet the latest California earthquake standards when it opens early 2010. The 215 Million addition will include state-of-the-art intensive care, coronary care and cardiac surgical units. Eisenhower was named in the top 5 percent of all hospitals in the USA.
A non-profit center dedicated to advocacy for abused children. The center provides care to victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse through comprehensive programs and coordination with authorities at many levels.
Provides treatment for dependence on alcohol and other drugs, the pre-eminent provider in the field. The Betty Ford Center emphasizes family involvement in the recovery process and has treated more then 40,000 patients.
