Not knowing anyone shouldn’t discourage you from planning a vacation in Palm Springs, California, especially since there is now a tour guide available to carry in your pocket. No, it’s not a traveling gnome whispering travel advice but a downloadable travel guide by Visual Travel Tours (VTT) called “Exotic Palm Springs.” It can be downloaded to most cell phones or other mobile devices.

“The most rewarding trips are the ones when you have a local friend to show you around,” said Marie Profant, founder of VTT. “Our tours introduce you to the places where the locals go, the little-known story of the town’s landmarks, the best views, shopping and insider hangouts.”

The guide is written by travel writer Suzanne Hogsett and offers insightful information in an innovated format. This isn’t an iPhone application but an e-book with narrated tours accompanied with images ideal for smart phones as Blackberries, iPhones, iPads, PDAs, video iPods and computers. Internet connection and cell service is not needed to access this travel guide (once it has been downloaded).

“Exotic Palm Springs” offers inside stories only the locals know and provides the convenience of being accessible on a smart phone versus carrying a bulky guidebook. Chapters in this Palm Springs travel guide include Exotic Palm Springs California, Walking Old Palm Springs, and South Palm Springs Driving Tour.

A sample of “Exotic Palm Springs” can be viewed on the Visual Travel Tours website.

This electronic travel guide costs a bit more than the iPhone apps on the market, but offers more personal information. Downloaded tours range in cost between $12.95 and $15.95 or order a CD for $19.95.

Image Source: Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism

Millions will be hitting the highways this summer on a road trip and whether it’s for a family reunion in Myrtle Beach, S.C., or relaxing retreat in Sedona, Ariz., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is offering some advice for those hitting the highways. Goodyear wants travelers to know before hopping in their car to:

Check the Tires. Inspect the tires or receive a tire check-up at a local service outlet. The right tire pressure is the most fuel efficient which saves money. Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation printed on a vehicle’s door placard or in the owner’s manual, not the maximum limit stamped on a tire sidewall. The inflation pressure of tires should be checked at least monthly and before any long trips.

Goodyear reports the U.S. Department of Energy has reported that every pound per square inch of tire underinflation wastes 4 million gallons of gas daily in the U.S. Summer 2010 may see a rise in gas prices so it’s more incentive to check those tires. And, tires should be in tiptop condition. Check the tread depth and look for any signs of damage. It’s not fun sitting on the side of the road changing a tire.

Additional road trip tips from Goodyear:
Keep it Filtered. A clean air filter can help protect the engine from impurities and improve a car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Pack Light. Don’t overload the vehicle with too many extras. Remember, this is a vacation, keep it light. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car’s fuel economy by 1-2 percent.

Stay Tuned. Make sure the car is properly tuned because a regularly maintained car can improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Cap It. This is a simple one, ensure the gas cap is tight and undamaged. Approximately 17 percent of the vehicles on U.S. highways have either misused or missing gas caps, causing millions of gallons of gas to vaporize into the atmosphere.

Keep Cool. Remember, it’s a vacation and aggressive driving wastes gas and can reduce your fuel mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city. Observe the speed limit and buckle up.

Where will the road led you this summer?

Less than a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles, a Palm Springs vacation is an affordable, desert oasis full of welcoming treasures. Although summer temperatures are pushing the lower 100 degrees (Fahrenheit, and it’s a dry heat), maybe this summer is the time to take advantage of incredible Palm Springs lodging deals. Following are some hot places to keep (and look) cool when visiting Palm Springs this summer.

Chill out at Knott’s Soak City (pictured), the only water park in Palm Springs. The park is a flashback to the 1950s Southern California surf towns offering 18 refreshing water rides and attractions including water slides, wave pool and Pacific Spin – a multi-person raft ride with 132-foot long tunnel that drops 75 feet into a six-story funnel.

Breathe in fresh air at the top of Mount San Jacinto by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The tram departs from an elevation of 2,643 feet at Valley Station and ascends to 8, 516 feet to Mountain Station.  Those up for some exercise can hike to Round Valley, a 4-mile, roundtrip hike from the Mountain Station.

For additional hiking opportunities, take a morning hike (when temperatures are cooler) in Indian Canyons for one of several hikes. Andreas Canyon is a fairly easy 2 miles hike through a grove of California fan palms and alongside a stream – which can provide refreshment.

Bountiful boutiques, glorious galleries, world-class art collections, and a 24-hour casino are refreshing indoor retreats from Palm Springs’ summer heat.

Dine alfresco under the stars and amidst the vibrant village scene. June 4 – 13, 2010, is Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week with more than 100 restaurants offering fixed-priced, three-course dinners at $24 and $36 price points.

Tee it up early in the day at a Palm Springs golf course where incredible summer rates are welcoming visitors.

Chill out during the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival & Film Market, June 22 – 28, 2010. This festival will screen more than 300 movies from 40 different countries. The week includes parties, screenings and seminars.
Additional places to keep cool in Palm Springs this summer can be found on the Palm Springs Visitors Center website.

Photo Credit: Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism