The Ultimate Palm Springs Travel Guide (2024)

The Ultimate Palm Springs Travel Guide (1)

Photo by Lisa Corson, AFAR Media

The human history of Palm Springs dates back more than 2,000 years when the Agua Caliente Indians first settled in the area. Its history as a vacation destination goes back longer than many realize, too: The springs that are part of the city’s name and the dry desert climate drew the wellness travelers of the 19th century, and the Palm Springs Hotel (the first in the Coachella Valley) opened in 1886.

It was, however, in the 1920s and 30s that Hollywood royalty began to make the 100-mile drive from Los Angeles and in the process spread the city’s reputation beyond Southern California. Its mid-century modern buildings—many built as homes for Hollywood stars like Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra—continue to be a major draw for those interested in architecture.

For many Angelenos, Palm Springs is primarily a long weekend getaway, a place to lounge by a swimming pool with a good book in hand. The city, however, rewards those who make time for a longer visit. There’s downtown Palm Springs, with Palm Canyon Drive its major artery. There you’ll find the famous Visitor Center built in 1963 which is both an architectural masterpiece and a source of information for your stay, while the same street includes the Architecture and Design Center, part of the Palm Springs Art Museum. A trip on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to near the top of San Jacinto Peak provides bird’s-eye views of the area.

While Palm Springs may be the most familiar name, it is just one of nine towns in Greater Palm Springs. Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, and the area’s other communities all have their own highlights and attractions. Finally, one of the gems of the national park system, Joshua Tree, is just 45 minutes away by car.

What to do in Palm Springs

  • If you are passionate about midcentury architecture, Modernism Week with its busy schedule of lectures and exclusive house tours takes place in late February.
  • Whenever you visit, the Architecture and Design Center of the Palm Springs Art Museum provides an introduction to the city’s remarkable buildings. The museum’s main location in downtown Palm Springs has nearly 30 galleries displaying everything from centuries-old Native American pieces to recent works by contemporary artists.
  • The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offers stunning views of the desert landscape.
    A walk through Indian Canyons, an oasis dotted with palms, provides a glimpse of how the desert looked when the earliest Agua Caliente Indians arrived here.
  • A very different stroll, along Palm Canyon Drive, can include stops at the lively bars and restaurants that are oases for today’s travelers.

Neighborhoods to Explore

Palm Springs

With Palm Springs’s long history that includes Indian Canyons and the city’s Hollywood connections, it is the best known of the nine communities in the Coachella Valley. Its downtown has many popular restaurants and resorts range from venerable favorites to gleaming new additions. It’s not the most populous of the cities in Greater Palm Springs, but it is the largest by area.

Palm Desert

This city’s El Paseo gives Palm Canyon Drive some competition when it comes to the title of the Coachella Valley’s best shopping street. With three different college campuses, there’s a definite student vibe here compared to other retiree heavy communities. A plus is restaurants that cater to the budgets of students—and those of frugal travelers. The fascinating Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden is also located in Palm Desert.

Cathedral City

Sitting between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City’s family attractions include an IMAX theater and the Big League Dreams Sports Park. A vast city revitalization project begun in the 1990s included a new city hall and other projects. The effort paid off and Cathedral City now often appears on lists of America’s most livable communities.

Indio

The largest city of Greater Palm Springs in terms of population, Indio has become famous in recent years as the location of the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival—simply Coachella, to many attendees. There are, however, many other events throughout the year in this self-described “City of Festivals.”

Rancho Mirage

Many Rancho Mirage residents live behind the gates of private communities, but the city does include a few stops of interest to travelers. Foremost among them is the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands, a beautifully designed conference center that is open for tours.

When to Visit Palm Springs

The population of Greater Palm Springs is decidedly seasonal. By some estimates there are four times as many residents in January compared to August. This is with good reason: Daily highs in July and August are usually above 100°. When the temperatures soar that high, the fact it is dry heat isn’t much of a consolation. In December and January, on the other hand, they are typically in the low 70s. Winter is undeniably more appealing though also more expensive. (Rain is not an issue in any season—this desert region typically receives less than two inches of precipitation each year.)

Food + Drink

Remember that many of Palm Springs’ visitors are coming from Los Angeles, where diners accustomed to farm-fresh produce prepared by celebrated chefs, and the excellence of the area’s culinary offerings makes sense as Palm Springs resorts and restaurants are in an ongoing competition. Finding a memorable meal is an easy task. Some currently popular options where you’ll want to reserve a table are Workshop Kitchen + Bar, in a repurposed 1920s movie theater; King’s Highway, a retro diner attached to the Ace Hotel; and the adventurously creative Sandfish by Engin Onural.

Culture

Architecture dominates the cultural scene here. A variety of tours of mid-century modern sites are offered—the Visitor Center can lead you through options. The Palm Springs Art Museum has speaker and film series in addition to exhibitions. If you plan on attending Coachella, in late April, make your plans far in advance, but don’t overlook other events from the Stagecoach Country Music Festival (also in April) to the mouth-watering International Tamale Festival in December.

Getting Around Palm Springs

For a small city, Palm Springs is surprisingly well connected with the rest of North America. In the high season, there are non-stop flights from Boston, Chicago, New York, Toronto, and other northern cities with residents looking to flee the cold. From Los Angeles, it’s less than two hours by car. While there are public buses, their limited schedule and routes mean they are not ideal for exploring the area and may want to rent a car. Uber and Lyft, as well as local taxi companies, operate in the city, including at the airport.

Practical Information

Incidents of valley fever, a disease with flu-like symptoms caused by a fungus in the soil in parts of the Southwest (including Palm Springs), have been increasing in recent years. Travelers over 60, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems may want to discuss it with their doctor.

Local Resources

  • The bookstore Just Fabulous has an extensive selection of guidebooks to the area, as well as coffee-table volumes of photos of mid-century modern buildings.

The Best Places to Stay

  • Palm Springs Airbnbs
  • The Best Luxury Hotels and Accommodations in Palm Springs and the Desert
  • Search Airbnb for Palm Springs vacation rentals

The Best Things to Do

  • Where to Go Off the Beaten Path in Palm Springs and the Desert

The Best Restaurants

  • Where the Locals Eat and Drink in Palm Springs

>> Next: 7 Classic California Road Trips to Drive in Your Lifetime

The Ultimate Palm Springs Travel Guide (2024)

FAQs

How many days is enough for Palm Springs? ›

THREE DAYS. Length of stay really depends on how much exploring you want to do in the surrounding region. If Palm Springs, Salvation Mountain, Joshua Tree and Indian Canyon are all a part of the itinerary, I suggest a minimum four-night stay to give you three full days in the region.

What is the best month to go to Palm Springs? ›

October - December

The back end of the year is (perhaps not so secretly) the best time to visit Palm Springs. It has the preferable average temperatures of January - March (33 degrees in October, 21 degrees by December) but without as much of an influx of tourists and visitors.

Is Joshua Tree worth the drive from Palm Springs? ›

Joshua Tree is only about an hour outside of Palm Springs, and is more than worth the trip. We recommend starting at the West entrance into the park, and continuing through the South entrance, before heading back to Palm Springs.

What is the nicest part of Palm Springs? ›

Vista Las Palmas is an exquisite neighborhood of lovingly restored Mid-Century homes. With homes dating back to the 1950s, the architecture is stunning. Here one can find a full range of mid-century modern design options from Swiss Miss A-Frame to iconic butterfly roof houses.

Is it better to stay in Joshua Tree or Palm Springs? ›

Visitors will usually find more to do in Palm Springs than Joshua Tree National Park, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Palm Springs is better known for its museums, food, nightlife, resorts, and shopping, while Joshua Tree National Park is more popular for its hiking and impressive beauty.

When not to go to Palm Springs? ›

Fall's temperatures are almost as nice, but unless you love the heat, we wouldn't recommend visiting in the summertime when daily highs regularly reach the triple digits.

What is the rainiest month in Palm Springs? ›

Annually, Palm Springs sees only an average of 75mm of precipitation, with over half of that amount falling in January and February. Still, that's only about 3 to 4 rainy days per month compared to 3 for the entire summer.

Is it expensive in Palm Springs? ›

The cost of living in Palm Springs, CA is 13% lower than the state average and 20% higher than the national average. Palm Springs, CA housing is 44% more expensive than the U.S average, while utilities are about 7% pricier.

Is Mojave or Joshua Tree better? ›

Pick Mojave National Preserve over Joshua Tree: Twice the size, a quarter the visitors, all the beauty. Joshua Tree is popular for a reason: It's a unique sensory and visual experience. Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California contains an array of stunning landscapes, dotted by its namesake oddly shaped plants.

Why is Joshua Tree so popular? ›

Joshua Tree National Park is also home to the famous San Andreas Fault, where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet. It's a fascinating spot for geology enthusiasts, along with the numerous mines scattered through the area.

Can you do Joshua Tree in a day? ›

Good news: it's completely doable to visit Joshua Tree with just one day. In fact, this park is a super popular day trip destination from Palm Springs, as Joshua Tree is just under an hour drive. It's also a great day trip from Los Angeles and San Diego for those that can handle all that driving in one day!

Where do the Kardashian stay in Palm Springs? ›

Kourtney made her next big real estate move in 2021 when she shelled out $12 million for a Palm Springs getaway. The property is located in the La Quinta neighborhood at the Madison Club, an exclusive golf club and gated community that's a celebrity hotspot.

Where do celebrities hangout in Palm Springs? ›

The swanky Parker Palm Springs hotel is often a go-to spot for celebs when they come to the desert. It also just happens to be the location of Variety's annual 10 Directors to Watch brunch on Friday.

What is the most famous street in Palm Springs? ›

Where you'll find all the shops, galleries, restaurants and attractions that make Palm Canyon Drive a wonderful and memorable experience.

Is Palm Springs affordable for a vacation? ›

Greater Palm Springs is one of the best places to travel on a budget. With the combination of ideal weather and low prices, traveling to the Southern California oasis during value season is a must! Plan an exciting vacation without spending a fortune on places to stay.

Is it worth going to Palm Springs? ›

It's a city everyone should explore, and our experience here was wonderful. We didn't want to leave. Whether you're a traveling as a family or a couple, this city has a lot to offer. Any local will tell you what makes it special is the fantastic nightlife and spectacular resorts.

How many days is it over 100 in Palm Springs? ›

This year brought 151 days of 100°+ temperatures to the Palm Springs area, earning the city the number one spot in the record books. The longest consecutive triple digit temperature stretch was 71 days. Palm Springs also recorded more 110°+ days than any other year (66 days).

What is the big deal about Palm Springs? ›

Palm Springs, California, is known as a resort city with a luxurious and laid-back lifestyle. The Palm Springs area has long been a destination location and second home/vacation destination for people all over the world.

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