Desert Hot Springs, California

It all started with a man, a mule, and a mission. In 1913, the natural beauty of this idyllic spot, located at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, beckoned homesteader Cabot Yerxa and his trusty black burro named Merry Christmas. His successful quest for water paved the way for modern explorers to continue the trek to Desert Hot Springs. These days, visitors come to stake a claim on the tranquility found at a cadre of boutique spas, and the back-to-nature state of mind in its village atmosphere.

So Desert Hot Springs plays its signature attribute for all it's worth. In a community of only 23 square miles there are 39 lodging properties, most of which long ago dropped the "motel" from their name and replaced it with "spa" or "resort."

Speaking of H2O, although cities throughout the West struggle to procure and provide safe and adequate drinking water, Desert Hot Springs has been tapped as having some of the best-tasting water in the world. At the international Berkeley Springs Water Tasting and Competition, the same water served domestically in the City of Desert Hot Springs by Mission Springs Water District, has taken five medals in eight years of competition. With two gold, two silver, and one bronze, it has become obvious that there is no water in the west like the water in Desert Hot Springs.

Check out http://www.visitdeserthotsprings.com

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