Sun City Palm Desert
Del Webb's Sun City Palm Desert is a resort-style 55+ community in Palm Desert, California. This nearly 5,000-home community is the ideal retreat for active adults who want a community in Coachella Valley that offers a world-class lineup of amenities that includes three clubhouses and two 18-hole championship golf courses.
Sun City Palm Desert is a masterfully crafted community that was the result of many years of careful planning. The knowledge and experience Del Webb acquired while building their popular Sun City brands across Arizona in the 1970s and 80s led to a home-run with the opening of Sun City Palm Desert.
Homebuyers often choose Sun City Palm Desert for its variety of floor plans, well-manicured landscaping, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, craft studios, stimulating intellectual activities and a multitude of recreational opportunities.
Active adults looking for homes for sale in Palm Desert, CA will enjoy what Sun City Palm Desert has to offer.
Sun City Palm Desert Amenities
Spanning 1,600 meticulously planned acres, Sun City Palm Desert features three clubhouses that offer thoughtfully designed appointed amenities that have set the standard for active adult living in the region.
The Mountain View Clubhouse
The Mountain View Clubhouse in Sun City Palm Desert is spread across two buildings for a combined size of 77,828 square feet. Indoor amenities in this clubhouse include a fitness center, an indoor lap pool, a full-service post office, a computer lab, arts and crafts rooms, a ballroom, and several meeting rooms. The clubhouse is also home to two dining options: Papa Dan's and The Daily Grind.
Residents of Sun City Palm Desert can also enjoy an outdoor pool and spa or break a sweat on one of nine tennis or eight pickleball courts, all of which are lit for early morning or evening play. The Mountain View Clubhouse also houses one of our two golf pro shops where equipment and accessories can be purchased, and where a pro can be hired to hone your golfing skills.
The Sunset View Clubhouse
The 25,000-square-foot Sunset View Clubhouse at Sun City Palm Desert features a library, speaker's hall, movie theater, aerobics and dance studio, card and meeting rooms, and a billiards hall. The Sunset View Clubhouse is also host to The Boulevards Restaurant, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains while serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Outdoors, the Sunset View clubhouse offers an additional pool, spa, and eight lighted bocce ball courts.
The Lakeview Clubhouse
The 16,000 square-foot Lakeview Clubhouse includes a fitness center, indoor walking track, and four meeting rooms. This Sun City Palm Desert clubhouse also features an outdoor pool and spa, as well as being surrounded by scenic ponds and waterfalls.
The two 18-hole championship golf courses at Sun City Palm Desert's Mountain Vista Golf Club produce an exciting and memorable experience for golfers of all skill levels. Hall of Famer Billy Casper and Greg Nash designed the Santa Rosa and El Gorgonio golf courses. Both courses boast exciting layouts with cascading waterfalls and emerald green fairways adorned with flowers and towering palm trees. The grounds of Sun City Palm Desert are also home to an 18-hole putting course, two fenced dog parks, miles of walking and jogging paths, and a baseball field.
Sun City Palm Desert Homes & Real Estate
There are a wide variety of housing styles and sizes in Sun City Palm Desert to match the preferences and budgets of almost any buyer. Homebuyers can select from single-family homes, homes with casitas, and attached homes. The homes of Sun City Palm Desert range from 1,000 to 3,200 square feet. Most of the homes within the community offer one to three bedrooms, one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half bathrooms, and two-car garages.
Many Sun City Palm Desert homes have golf cart storage as well as magnificent golf course or greenbelt and mountain views. Some of the homes have been completely remodeled and highly upgraded with granite countertops, gourmet kitchens, and spa-like bathrooms.
Sun City Palm Desert Lifestyle
Sun City Palm Desert offers a lifestyle with a rich lineup of clubs, activities, and classes to match the interests of any physically or socially active adult.
Since opening in 1992, Sun City Palm Desert has grown into an active adult community filled with activities, culture, and clubs. There are over 80 different clubs and community interest groups that residents can join. A community activities director, monthly calendar, and monthly magazine keep the residents up to date with all of the latest news and events offered in the community.
Sun City Palm Desert features a club, activity or group for virtually every interest. Residents who want to explore other fitness regimens can try aqua Zumba, raja yoga, Tai Chi, or join the desert cyclist group. Homeowners can also meet new neighbors over a game of mahjong, poker, or billiards. It is also easy to discover a new favorite wine with wine tastings, a terrific read with the book club, or create a gift for loved ones with the quilters club. Those who enjoy creative outlets will find like-minded Sun City Palm Desert residents in the art club or the writers circle. From baseball to the rainbow circle, you are sure to find an activity to suit your lifestyle.
Palm Desert, CA Area
Sun City Palm Desert is nestled in the beautiful Coachella Valley, which has been a popular haven for active adults seeking warm weather and 350 days of sunshine a year. The area is home to the renowned tourist haven of Palm Springs. The Coachella Valley also offers a variety of festivals and great shopping, restaurants, and casinos.
The area also hosts a vast array of outdoor recreational opportunities. The nearby mountains are ideal for hiking, camping and horseback riding. Plus, there are over 200 golf courses in the surrounding area, making it one of the premier golf destinations in the world.
Sun City Palm Desert is centrally located next to San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles and provides endless entertainment. Residents can enjoy day trips at Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Mountain, and local beaches. Sun City Palm Desert is also conveniently located near world-class shopping, tasteful dining, and great medical facilities.
Sun City Palm Desert Models
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Sun City Palm Desert Amenities
There are plenty of activities available in Sun City Palm Desert. Here is a sample of some of the clubs, activities and classes offered here.
- Clubhouse/Amenity Center
- Golf Course
- Restaurant
- Fitness Center
- Indoor Pool
- Outdoor Pool
- Aerobics & Dance Studio
- Indoor Walking Track
- Card Room
- Ceramics Studio
- Arts & Crafts Studio
- Sewing Studio
- Stained Glass Studio
- Woodworking Shop
- Ballroom
- Computers
- Library
- Billiards
- Walking & Biking Trails
- Tennis Courts
- Pickleball Courts
- Bocce Ball Courts
- Shuffleboard Courts
- Softball/Baseball Field
- Lakes - Scenic Lakes & Ponds
- Lakes - Fishing Lakes
- R.V./Boat Parking
- Playground for Grandkids
- Outdoor Patio
- Golf Practice Facilities/Putting Green
- On-site Retail
- Multi-Purpose/Meeting Rooms
- Gazebo
- Sports Courts
Sun City Palm Desert Clubs, Groups, Activities & Classes
There are plenty of activities available in Sun City Palm Desert. Here is a sample of some of the clubs, activities and classes offered here.
- AARP Drivers Class
- AARP Tax Aide
- Aging with Confidence
- Airplane Model Flying
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Alzheimer's Support
- Aqua Zumba
- Aquacize
- Aquatics
- Art Club
- Astronomy
- BZB's Needlecrafts
- Ballet
- Bible Study
- Billiards
- Bocce Ball
- Book Club
- Boomers & Friends
- Boosters
- Bridge
- British Commonwealth & Friends
- Bunco
- Camera Club
- Canadian Club & Friends
- Canasta
- Car Club
- Cards
- Catch & Release Fishing
- Ceramics
- Chair Yoga
- Compulsive Eaters
- Computer Instruction
- Couples Golf
- Couples Putters
- Crafty Ladies
- Creative Arts
- Democrats in Sun City
- Desert Cyclists
- Desert Dancers
- Dining Out
- Discovery Meditation
- Duplicate Bridge
- Farmers Market
- Financial
- Fit-N-Fun
- Food & Wine Connoisseurs
- Forum
- Friends of Gilda Cancer Support
- Friends of the CV Symphony
- Friendship Church
- Fun City Bowlers
- Garden
- Genealogy
- German Community & Friends
- Gin Rummy
- Grief & Loss
- Hadassah
- Hand & Foot
- Health Lecture Series
- Hearts
- Here We Go Travel
- Hiking
- Homecrafters
- Italian Heritage Group
- Jewelry Club
- Just for Fun
- Karaoke
- Ladies 9-Holers golf
- Lady Putters
- Library Group
- Line Dance
- Love to Dance
- Mahjong
- Meditation
- Men's Golf
- Men's Niners
- Menz Putterz
- Mexican Train
- Minnesota Memories & Friends
- Model Railroaders of the Desert
- Moonlighters Golf
- Mountain Vista Ladies Golf
- Movie Nights
- Movie-Going & Critiquing
- Music Buffs
- Neighbors 4 Neighbors
- Pacific Northwesterners
- Pan
- Parents Grief
- Performing Arts
- Pet Lovers
- Pilates
- Ping Pong
- Quilters
- RV Club
- Racquet
- Racquetball
- Rainbow Circle
- Raja Yoga
- Red Hats
- Rhines
- Rummy Q
- SCPD Republicans
- Scrabble
- Sit-N-Fit
- Solos Club
- Stained Glass
- Step Aerobics
- Stitch & Sew
- Stroke Survivors
- Sun City Jewish Services
- Sun City Singers
- Sunshine
- Tai Chi
- Theatre Club
- Time 'N' Tone Aerobics
- Travel Club
- Trim & Tone
- Veterans
- Weight Circuit Training
- Wine Tasters
- Wood Crafters
- World of Women Charity Fundraising
- Writers Circle
- Yacht Club
- Yoga
Sun City Palm Desert Reviews (19)
Average Rating for this Community
I bought my first house here in 2015 and became a snowbird from the Washington DC area. After looking at communities throughout the cities in the Coachella Valley, I decided on Sun City Palm Desert for several reasons. The gorgeous grounds were so well maintained it was a pleasure to come home every day. The HOA really cares about the residents! Our dues are some of the lowest in the Coachella Valley, and have stayed low, with few small increases since I purchased here. This community is in the Imperial Irrigation District for electric service, with rates MUCH LOWER than other parts of this valley. And that shows up on lower summer AC bills! I love all the clubs! Every interest I have is fulfilled and getting to know people has been really easy because everyone is very friendly. I made the commitment to live here full time in January 2022 and I am sooooo glad I did! You won't be disappointed when you decide to live here either!
We bought our home 4 years ago and are so happy with our choice of Sun City. We love the life style that Sun City offers, it's like living at a resort. The grounds are beautiful, the price of the HOA is the best around, the amenities of golf, swimming, tennis, pickle ball, the gym plus so may clubs you can keep as busy as you like or of course just do nothing and relax. We drive around the community in our golf cart, visiting friends, going out to dinner in the restaurants on site or just making a stop at the post office.
I have lived in this beautiful community for 11 years. The property is well maintained. The homes are beautiful. We have two professional 18 hole golf courses, pickleball, & tennis. 60+ clubs for every interest.
I bought a home in Sun City Palm Desert in the summer of 2017 and could not be happier. The community is beautiful - well maintained and developed. The HOA fees are low, especially considering what you get - premium cable and internet, three clubhouses, two 18 hole golf courses, pickleball and tennis courts, bocce ball, a softball field and much, much more. The activities and clubs are almost endless, from sports to crafts to hobbies to cards to social activities. The people are very friendly and there are so many opportunities to meet and socialize with your neighbors. The community recently received the Medallion award from the Community Associations Institute (CAI). It is a national organization with over 800 members in the Coachella Valley alone. A community must meet over 70 benchmarks to be eligible and Sun City is now one of only four in the state and the first 55+ community to be awarded this status, which means we have been recognized as a preferred place to live. This was the best decision I’ve ever made!
My husband and I moved here 5 years ago and have never had one regret. The people are welcoming, the association well run and the community is immaculately maintained. There are enough many clubs and activities to meet the interests of any new resident.
After working for 37 years I finally decided to retire...My husband and I were looking where we wanted to spend our retirement and living in Orange County California we were used to beautiful weather and easy access to everything close by...So after many many years of debating retirement and moving either to the Big Island of Hawaii and or the Coachella Valley and then months of looking on 55Places and other realtors in both locations we chose Palm Desert Sun City and found the most vibrant beautiful community.....First we chose it because it is Gorgeous here with 2 golf courses and the mature landscaping in entire community. They have three clubhouses and they are very nice and well maintained. Country club without the club membership fees. 4 Pools and 3 fitness centers....Bocce and Tennis and Pickle ball.18 hole putting course that is really fun... plus other putting areas to practice...Both courses are open to public, there are two restaurants to enjoy that are good....Boulevards and Papa Johns...You can drive a golf cart all around property and out to the local store. Stater Brothers Walgreens True Value are right next door and accessible thru a resident golf cart gate. ...
We chose this location because as we age we will require more services that the area offers.First - more medical / transportation / entertainmentSecond - wanted a well made home with a yard - which these are. Plenty with views - we wanted a large private yard which we found. Oh and Everything Grows here so you can have a great garden year round.Third - we wanted a good value and this hit all the buttons..everything other communities offer but much more affordable - it is a larger community so it remains well funded and maintained.They have a package deal with cable and the electricity is cheaper on this side of the freeway by almost half.Palm Springs is close and Indian Wells and La Quinta. Freeway access is great.You can fly out of Palm Springs to Phoenix and Dallas to connect around world...Direct flights to Toronto/Vancouver also.We found a remolded home that was affordable and lovely... there is pretty much anything you like in this community...Do you want to remodel one yourself and save there are fixers available ... do you want one already done you can find that...A Pool/Billiards room with 8/10 tables i forgot to count and a small cocktail lounge ( they need to make that bigger )Many Social Clubs to join. Farmers markets. Exercise Classes. Tons of activities in the community itself.
You can even see the Development from space - it is that large...We are very happy here with our choice to move- if your thinking about it come visit SCPD and check it out...I think you will like it we did and love it.
It has been four years since my wife and I purchased our home in Sun City Palm Desert. We couldn't be happier with our decision. The amenities available to residents include multiple craft facilities, tennis and pickleball courts, two superb golf courses and a wide variety of social groups. The community is professionally managed, maintains a sound financial structure, and employs a well trained staff who make the grounds and three club houses beautiful. The cost of all these features is remarkably economical. Sun City Palm Desert has one of the lowest HOA fees in the entire Coachella Valley. So, if you are looking for a superior retirement environment, this is the place!
While visiting friends who had a home in Sun City in 2015, we were given a tour of the club houses and amenities offered here. It was very appealing, and a no-brainer to move into this well-managed and gorgeous community. My husband has two golf courses to play on and I have every craft and art club imaginable to join. Such friendly folks here. The HOA's are extremely reasonable. Yes, it gets a bit windy here at times, but I bet you would agree that no place has perfect weather every day of the year. This place is close. I strongly recommend it others to take a serious look at what this fabulous community has to offer.
Enter through the front guarded gates and prepare to gasp at the cascading waterfalls, perfectly manicured golf courses, flowering bushes, palm trees and colorful beds of blooming plants. The streetscape is always alive with color, and the three clubhouses offer all the fitness and amenities one could ask for. With oodles of social activities and over 80 clubs, there's something here to interest anyone and everyone. Plus the homeowner fees are the lowest in the valley for a 55+ community. Retirement means nothing here--there's so much to do to fill every day.
I’ve analyzed many acquisitions so when we decided to look at moving to an active adult community, I did a more in depth analysis than most buyers might do. We had vacationed in the Palm Springs area a few times and I attended several conferences in Palm Springs so we felt we would be happy moving to the greater Palm Springs area although we were most interested in a community near Palm Desert. We talked to Relators and read many reviews and that led us to want to look at Sun City Palm Desert. We managed to visit Sun City Palm Desert (SCPD) twice and fell in love with the beauty, resort style living and all the activities we could engage in, so we decided to rent a home there for the month of February to see if this was the right place for us. I bike and hike and found clubs right in SCPD for both those activities and made new friends doing those. We both swam several times a week alternating between the resort style outdoor pool and the Olympic style indoor pool and we both went skiing at the nearby Big Bear ski resorts which were amazing. My wife joined the Tennis and Pickle ball clubs as well as the art club where she has learned new skills and loved it. We explored Joshua Tree National Park which is not only fantastic to explore but turns out to be a world class rock climbing and bouldering spot where I ended up taking a class, learning something new. We also rented ATVs (dune buggies) and road the giant sand dunes in nearby Glamis after exploring the Salton Sea area. With three casino entertainment venues, the fantastic McCallum theater and many playhouse theaters the amount of entertainment available in the Coachella Valley is amazing. The restaurant options are almost endless and delicious and of course the weather and landscape are what much of the rest of the country dreams of.
When we looked at the cost of selling our home in the Seattle area and buying at SCPD, not only were the homes very reasonably priced but I discovered that SCPD had the lowest property tax bills in the entire Coachella Valley and unlike two other 55+ communities we considered there are no expensive Mello-Roos or Community Facility District fees that I was surprised to learn can add as much as $1,000 a year or more to your property tax bill. Also SCPD has a negotiated premium cable TV and high speed Internet package that saves us over $100 a month from what we were used to paying for an inferior package.
As you may have guessed we really became thrilled with the Sun City Palm Desert life style so we have now bought a home in SCPD and could not be happier.
I moved to this fantastic community a few years ago with some hesitation as I am still working 5 days a week. However not only did I find living here was as enjoyable as staying at a resort, the people I have met have been so friendly and welcoming and with super fast internet, a low cost landline and excellent cell service I am easily able to work from my home office when I want to. SCPD is right off of the I-10 freeway, which makes my commute super easy. The fitness centers, tennis courts and swimming pools are all open late so I can use them when I get back from work. I also take advantage of the 18 hole putting course and occasionally the golf course on my days off. I never thought I’d be able to afford this life style as I approach my retirement, moving to Sun City Palm Desert is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
We've been living at this absolutely beautiful resort like community for a number of years, enjoying the friendly people, the unbelievable amount of clubs and activities and the fantastic facilities - swimming pools, hot tubs, fitness centers, tennis & pickle ball courts, golf, you name it, it's here. And on top of all that, I think it's the lowest cost active adult community in the area. We realize every year we couldn't have made a better choice.
Beautiful community with so much to offer! Very nice golf courses and although the clubhouses may be a bit dated, they still provide so many wonderful things for its residents.
I love it here! I've been researching 55+ communities for several years and feel very confident that I chose the best. I wanted a community that was built by Del Webb, not Pulte Homes who bought them out. There's a difference in quality and management. The amenities are beautiful and very well-kept, and there are so many clubs and activities to choose from. I love that the facilities are open until 11 PM because I still work full-time and can only use them in the evening. I just turned 55 so am on the young end of the spectrum, but feel very comfortable (and safe) here. My home is absolutely lovely and the people have been more than friendly. I invite other 50-somethings and early 60-somethings to consider Sun City Palm Desert.
Sun City PD. has around 5,000 homes, which allows the community to be gated, and properly cared for with relatively modest HOA fees. The 2 golf courses plus many pools and other activities, means everyone is able to find an outlet to enjoy. It is handy to shopping, and there is easy access to basics on a golf cart that is street legal. The homes were built from 1992 to 2002 , but have large rooms, and good sized lots to allow for privacy, but still be close to neighbours. People looking for a second home or retirement in a secure area should check out the community web site and download the community news letter to see what it's all about.
This community is really top-notch. I like the fact that it's all homes, no condos or townhomes here. It's better for resale value. My wife and I moved in about a year ago and got a really great deal for a very nice home under $200,000. I've already noticed prices are starting to go up so I'm glad we bought when we did.
Nice community, just moved 3 months ago, (May 2017). neighbors are very friendly and helpful , price for this area is great and as a big community, always we may find things we don't agree with it. Enjoy your new friends
Some personalities are suited to this place; some are not. We owned a place there from 2012-16, and I'm very glad we sold and moved to Indian Wells.
Pros: Well maintained common areas, good security, some good clubs, some very nice residents
Cons: Frequent sand storms; had to remove sand yearly. Remote location necessitates long drives to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. On-site Boulevards restaurant mediocre. HOA-LEC rules very rigid and controlling; many ways to get in trouble from taking your garbage cans out too early the night before, hanging decorative tile on the front of your house, to leaving your garage door open too long. Grand-kid unfriendly; no kids under 4 allowed in pools; only 1 pool open to kids 4-18. Although it is a 55 and over community, the average age is way way above that. Be very careful when being a pedestrian or bicyclist; there are people still driving there that shouldn't be. Repetitive cookie cutter architecture with pretentious facades, jammed on 7,000 sq ft lots with crushed rock (only in HOA approved colors haha!).
Wonderful community but the problem is the Sun City people who man the Lifestyle Enhancement Committee (LEC) and the Architectural Committee. They are people who like having power and by and large they are very hard to work with. We have had outdoor wall art up for seven years than all of the sudden they tell you to take it down it isn't to code. We did a remodel and the person we were forced to get approval from was like the Soup Nazi from Jerry Seinfeld. If you don't mind dealing with community associations that are not easy to deal with than Sun City is a great community.
Sun City Palm Desert Homes
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Quick Facts
Price Range
High $300ks - Mid $1Ms
Home Types
Attached, Single-Family
Number of Homes
4949
New / Resale
Resale Homes Only
Age Restrictions
55+
Gated
Yes
Construction Dates
1992 - 2003
Activity director
Yes
Reviews
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