Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

Sooo…you’re headed to Palm Springs for a sunny getaway & are wondering what to do?  This article is for you!  I’ve written extensively about Palm Springs, & I’ll link to several posts here that will give you more information on specific topics.  From laying out at one of the desert’s many pools, to golf, to visiting further-flung destinations such as Salvation Mountain, the Cabazon dinosaurs, or Joshua Tree National Park: you’ve got lots of choices.  And hopefully reading this will help you figure out what you really want to do on your desert getaway.  So with that, here are the “Best Things to Do in Palm Springs…“

Join me on this sun-drenched tour of some of the best things to do in & around Palm Springs! A road trip out to Pioneertown & Joshua Tree is just one fantastic option…

Check out some of Viator’s best Palm Springs tours below…like off-roading in Joshua Tree National Park!

Waterproof Cam

Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

Where to Sight-See, Hike, Bike, & Spa

• SIGHT-SEE: The #1 Most Popular activity in Palm Springs, according to Trip Advisor, is to take a ride on the legendary Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ~ which takes you up to the tippy-top of the San Jacinto Mountains, giving you amazing views over the entire valley. What is there to do once you’re up there?  There are a couple of restaurants & a cocktail lounge up top, so adults can grab drinks while admiring the view. There are also observation decks, a small Natural History Museum that kids may enjoy, picnic tables, & over 50 miles of hiking trails! I once hiked all the way to the top of San Jacinto ~ which is about 11 miles round-trip. It’s a longgg hike at a high altitude, but beautiful. Shorter hikes are also available for families, like the beautiful one-mile route to Wellman’s Divide. It’s always cooler on top of the tram, so bring a jacket unless it’s summertime. 
  

  The Palm Springs Aerial Tram is Trip Advisor’s #1 Most Popular Palm Springs activity ~ & it’s well worth a trip up the mountain for this! Something to note: it’s always about 10-15 degrees COOLER on top of the mountain, so keep that in mind when you’re packing.

  Great Activities for Kids in Palm Springs: If you’re traveling with kids, the Living Desert is one of the most popular desert attractions ~ my family actually went last week with out-of-town guests, & it was a hit! Popular animals here include the cheetahs, bighorn sheep, camels, jaguars, & of course: the giraffes. On the drive out to the desert, if you’re coming from the L.A. area, you’ll pass right by the Cabazon dinosaurs: another hit with the young crowd. (Mom may also enjoy the shopping at the Cabazon Outlets). The Palm Desert Air Museum is another very popular attraction in town, & kids who are obsessed with flying and/or history may enjoy a quick stop here. 

  

  If you’re traveling to Palm Springs with kids, one of the BEST things you can do is visit the Living Desert, in Palm Desert. The giraffes especially are popular with all ages.

  

  When we were kids, we LOVED passing by the Cabazon dinosaurs on our way out to the desert! (Older kids may not be as impressed as young ones ; )

  

  Some kids may really enjoy a trip to the Palm Springs Air Museum.

  Another spot that’s popular for photographers are the iconic Palm Springs windmills. Read this article for all my best tips on creating your own photo shoot at the windmills. And for avid gardeners & history buffs: check out Moorten Botanical Gardens or the historic Sunnylands Estate & Gardens, which is a great place to soak in both Presidential history as well as the history of Palm Springs.

  

  If you’re driving out to Palm Springs from Los Angeles & are in need of a family photo: consider stopping at the iconic Palm Springs windmills.

Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

Where to Lay Out, Golf, & Brunch

• LAY OUT: Chances are, your hotel will have an amazing pool (most in Palm Springs do) ~ but here’s a quick run-down: the Ace Hotel, Saguaro, & Arrive are all known for hosting a “younger” crowd with lively pool scenes. The rooftop pool at Kimpton’s Rowan Hotel is a refined new place to lay out, with “next-to-the-mountain” views & a rooftop bar to grab drinks at.  Margaritaville’s (formerly the Riviera) lovely pool area is perfect for visiting bachelorette parties, while the Parker Palm Springs pool is a great place to spot potential celebrities in Palm Springs ~ with its ultra-exclusive vibe.  More “adult” pools can be found at the Del Marcos, Korakia Pensione, Casa Cody, & Movie Colony hotels.

For a party: head to the Ace Hotel, the Saguaro, or Arrive. For more relaxation: head to the La Quinta Resort or the Miramonte Resort.

And moving out of Palm Springs, the La Quinta Resort & Spa is my favorite pool laying-out hotel in the desert ~ they have 35+ pools spread over their property, so you’re always guaranteed to find quieter ones. The same goes at the Miramonte Resort & Spa (now Tommy Bahama’s), which has a very relaxing vibe (great for girl’s getaways). And the Renaissance Esmeralda has a HUGE pool area, great for both families & those simply wanting to lay out.

For a full run-down of the best Palm Springs hotel pools, read this article.

Kimpton Rowan is tucked right against the mountains with a STUNNING rooftop pool. This is a great place to chill, lay out, & enjoy a drink at their rooftop bar….with major mountain views.

• GOLF: Palm Springs is one of the premier golf destinations in the country ~ this is a perfect spot for a guy’s golf getaway. Popular golf courses in Palm Springs include Indian Canyons Golf Resort (which also offers you glimpses of incredible mid-century modern homes along the course), Escena Golf Club, & Tahquitz Creek. More serious golfers may enjoy staying in La Quinta better, as it’s home to some of the best courses in the world: like all of the popular (& often-televised) PGA West courses, including the Stadium Course with its “Island Alcatraz,” & my personal favorite, the Mountain Course.

Here’s my complete list of the best golf courses in the desert.

Desert Willow is one of the most perennially-popular golf courses in the desert, & offers two 18-hole tracks: Firecliff & Mountain View.

• BRUNCH & LUNCH: Eating in the desert is a stylish affair….& with so many al fresco dining options here ~ there’s no shortage of choice. Some of the best brunch spots in Palm Springs include Cheeky’s, FARM, Wilma & Frieda’s, old-school Billy Reed’s, & the bottomless mimosa haven of Pinocchio’s in the Desert.  One of the most Instagrammable spots in the entire desert is also a great brunch spot: The Pink Cabana, located in Indian Wells at the Sands Resort. 

For a more complete list of great Palm Springs brunch spots, click here.

The prettiest, most “Palm Springs” restaurant & a great place to brunch is The Pink Cabana restaurant at the Sands Hotel, in Indian Wells.

As far as lunch goes, you may want to visit Tommy Bahama’s in Palm Desert which gets my vote for the #1 best lunch spot in the desert.  Or if you’d rather stay in Palm Springs, try Lulu’s California Bistro (great people-watching), the always-popular Las Casuelas for great Mexican food, or grab take-out from desert classic Sherman’s Deli.

Las Casuelas is a Palm Springs institution: & a great place to people-watch, dance to live music, & enjoy some great Mexican food.

Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

Where to Hike, Bike, & SPA

• HIKE: You’ve got all kinds of iconic hikes in the desert, from the massively popular (& often with a HUGE line at the entrance) Indian Canyons, to the main destination for the super-fit: the Bump N’ Grind Trail, located by the Palm Desert R/C Raceway (behind Target).  Families will enjoy the shorter & slightly easier “Hike to the Cross,” which is accessed off of Thrush Road in Palm Desert. Then you’ve got further afield-trips, like stunning Ladder Canyon in Mecca, which we did as a family ~ in total, it’s a 6-mile trek, mainly flat.

Indian Canyons is one of the most popular hikes in Palm Springs. But it can be SO BUSY. Try to go on a weekday.

The pay-off at Ladder Canyon is right at the beginning of the hike: with a series of ladders, less than a mile from the trail head!

I also love the “Top of the Cove” area in La Quinta for hiking; my friend & I routinely do the Boo Hoff trail, as well as the “Cove to Lake Cahuilla” trail, a good 6-mile out-and-back.

For more info on all my favorite desert hikes, read this article that lists my top five favorite hikes in the desert.

The Bump N Grind trail is one of the most popular hikes in the desert. I took this shot half-way down the mountain, of exclusive Porcupine Creek Golf Course. We’ve seen a lot of bighorn sheep on this hike!

• BIKE: In Palm Springs, you can enjoy a nice, flat bike ride around the Movie Colony era or Indian Canyons to view gorgeous mid-century modern homes (like in the photo below). Or you can rent an electric bike in La Quinta & head up to the top of the La Quinta Cove via a nice, paved pathway.  Mountain bike enthusiasts can head out to challenging terrain such as Dunn Road in the Cathedral City Canyon, or Murray Hill.

This article gives you a more comprehensive list of ALL the best bike rides in the Palm Springs area.

Biking around Indian Canyons will take you past some of the city’s finest mid-century modern homes…including a very famous one with a bright pink door.

• SPA:  If you’re headed to the desert for a girl’s getaway, you may want to visit some of the area’s world-class spas. In this category, don’t rule out Desert Hot Springs, which has some of the best spas in the desert: such as juice-fasting haven We Care, or the popular hot springs at adult’s-only Two Bunch Palms (try their water massages here). In Palm Springs, the Parker Palm Springs has the biggest “WOW” factor spa, & you may run into a celebrity or two.  Another great spa is at the La Quinta Resort, where you can luxuriate in an outdoor bath, surrounded by citrus trees.

  

What to Do in Palm Springs

Where to Shop, Road Trip, & DINE

• SHOP:  The most popular place to shop in Palm Springs is right along South Palm Canyon Drive, in the heart of Palm Springs. Here, you’ll find everything from Trina Turk to local boutiques, & amazing vintage stores (Joshua Tree also has some great ones). Another great shopping area is along El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert, which features everything from high-end art galleries to Tommy Bahamas, Anthropologie, & Chico’s.  If you’re in La Quinta, check out the shops at Old Town La Quinta, which are locally-owned, small boutiques. 

Visit quaint Old Town La Quinta for great shopping & restaurants with mountain views.

• FIND MID-CENTURY MODERN HOMES:  Palm Springs is renowned for its mid-century modern architecture, which has been featured in films like “Don’t Worry Darling.”  It’s home to more mid-century homes than anywhere in the country.  Take a drive around Indian Canyons Golf Course or the “Movie Colony” neighborhood in Palm Springs to find some….

It’s typical for mid-century modern homes to paint their front doors in bold colors…like this bright orange one.

• TAKE A MINI-ROADTRIP:  Use Palm Springs as your base for exploring the greater desert area. Great road trips include heading out to adorable Pioneer Town & Joshua Tree, which is currently one of the most-visited National Parks in the country. If you love rainbows & the eclectic: head out to Salvation Mountain, which looks like Candy Land come to life. While you’re out there, check out the innovative & kooky housing of Slab City (some of the “houses” even look like space ships), made famous by Jon Krakauer’s book, “Into the Wild.”
  

  I thought the coolest part of Salvation Mountain was the crazy, cave-like structure to the RIGHT of the main mountain ~ with whack-a-doodle, colorful trees like this one…

Joshua Tree is only an hour from Palm Springs, & gives you some of the most iconic scenery in the country. 

• HAPPY HOUR & DINE: This post is running long, so Ive written a whole separate “Dining Guide” for Palm Springs!  But here’s a quick list of some of the city’s most popular dining spots: Azucar, Las Casuelas Terraza, Lulu’s, The Barn Kitchen (at high-end Sparrows Lodge), Copley’s (for old-school charm), & Rooster & Pig is consistently rated as one of the finest dining spots in town. 

The only restaurant that’s more photogenic than Azucar is the Sands’ Hotel’s Pink Cabana.

You can’t come to the desert without pretending you’re a member of the Rat Pack & tipping back a libation while listening to some groovy music: here’s a list of my favorite happy hour spots in Palm Springs & beyond.

For a sexy vibe & some of the finest craft cocktails in town, head to Bootlegger Tiki on North Palm Canyon Drive.

Best Things to Do in Palm Springs

Thanks for reading this article!  If you have any questions about travel in Palm Springs, please reach out in the comments below…

xoxo Noelia

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