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Palm Springs is certainly one of my favourite locations to go to within the US. The climate is almost all the time heat and summery, the airport is shut downtown and you may’t assist however really feel upbeat and relaxed with all of the palm timber and colourful buildings. If you’re in search of a sunny trip spot the place you possibly can overlook all of your troubles, order a cocktail or two and calm down on a pool float, that is it!
Palm Springs has a singular resort really feel, combining old-fashioned Hollywood glamor and laid-back California hippie vibes. The surroundings is gorgeous, with dreamy mountain backdrops and palm timber just about in all places you look.
On your Palm Springs weekend getaway you’ll uncover a number of mid-century trendy structure, colourful doorways, stylish accommodations, artwork galleries and superior eating places. And for those who’re into golf, town is commonly named the Golf Capital of the World, boasting among the world’s greatest and most lovely golf programs.
Read on to find what to do in your weekend in Palm Springs. This itinerary covers all the most effective sights, plus locations to eat and drink!
A Brief Intro to Palm Springs
Located in southern California throughout the Sonora Desert, Palm Springs is a desert oasis grew to become a well-liked playground for Hollywood Stars within the Twenties and Nineteen Thirties. With its secluded desert location only a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles, town was the perfect spot for celebrities to flee the highlight and unwind.
Over the years increasingly more celebrities bought properties there, together with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Liberace, Kirk Douglas and Cary Grant, to call only a few. The metropolis additionally attracted Hollywood starlets equivalent to Marilyn Monroe, Luciel Ball and Elizabeth Taylor.
Today town is fashionable with retirees and winter snowbirds who need to escape the cruel climates of the northern states. It’s nonetheless visited by celebrities, particularly throughout Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Where to remain in Palm Springs
Luxe
ARRIVE Palm Springs – Boutique lodge with 32 visitor rooms and a poolside restaurant and bar. The light-filled rooms have king beds with Egyptian cotton bedding, plush robes, and marble-accented loos with rain showers. The pool is tremendous cute with black and white striped parasols.
Parker Palm Springs – The most luxurious lodge in Palm Springs, The Parker options vibrant and colourful mid-century trendy decor. If you’re keen on design and also you’re prepared to splash out on your weekend in Palm Springs, that is the place to remain. Amenities embrace three swimming pools, tennis courts, a health heart and a wide range of bars and eating places.
Mid Range
Ace Hotel – This is the place I keep once I’m in Palm Springs. I really like Ace Hotels usually as a result of they’re often fairly enjoyable and hip. The Ace Hotel Palm Springs is dog-friendly and canine are even allowed by the pool space. Amenities embrace a diner-style restaurant known as King’s Highway, a dimly lit bar known as The Amigo Room and a spa.
The Saguaro Palm Springs – With its multi-colored exterior, The Saguaro is without doubt one of the most Instagrammable accommodations in Palm Springs. Pool view rooms characteristic Amigo Modern furnishings, temper lighting and customized artwork items.
Budget
Caliente Tropics Resort – Affordable island-themed lodge on Palm Canyon Drive with pool or mountain-facing rooms and free Wi-Fi. The lodge options an expansive pool space with yellow solar chairs, plus an on-site restaurant serving meals and drinks in a tiki setting.
Sonder | The Cole – Budget-friendly lodge on the north finish of Palm Canyon Drive with a laid again pool plus restaurant and bar. Guests can hire bikes from reception to discover the city on two wheels.
Palm Springs Itinerary: 2 Days
Day 1
On day 1 of your Palm Springs 2 day itinerary you’ll be discovering the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and among the principal sights on Palm Canyon Drive.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram automotive and a must-do in your weekend in Palm Springs. Start your day by driving the tram alongside the cliffs of Chino Canyon to Mt. San Jacinto State Park. The journey takes roughly 10 minutes and the tram automotive rotates slowly so you may get a 360-degree view of the attractive surroundings.
You’ll disembark the tram at Mountain Station, which boasts two eating places, commentary decks, a pure historical past museum, two documentary theaters and a present store. If you’re feeling adventurous you possibly can go mountaineering on certainly one of a number of mountaineering trails.
Ticket costs: Adults $28.05; Children (ages 3-10) $16.95; Seniors (65+) $26.95.
Brunch at Lulu
LULU California Bistro on Palm Canyon Drive is fashionable for weekend brunch, providing 3 programs for $19.99 (plus tax). Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays 9am until 2pm and contains a wide selection of dishes together with bacon and eggs, scrambles, eggs benedict, Belgian waffles, buttermilk pancakes, sandwiches and salads. Order champagne or mimosas with refills and also you’ll get 3 glasses for $7.99.
Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Canyon Drive is town’s principal thoroughfare, lined with boutiques, artwork galleries, eating places and bars. It’s value spending a few hours simply strolling alongside the road and looking all of the retailers and galleries. On Thursday nights the road is closed to site visitors for VillageFest, which is a avenue honest crammed with distributors.
Moorten Botanical Garden
At the south finish of Palm Canyon Drive you’ll discover Moorten Botanical Garden, which is an arboretum devoted to abandon crops. Established in 1938, the backyard is crammed with timber, crops and cacti from around the globe.
The species are organized geographically, taking guests to terrains such because the Baja California Peninsula, the South African-Succulent Karoo, the Mojave Desert and Mexico-Gran Desierto de Altar.
The couple who created Moorten – Chester and Patricia Moorten – had been really employed by the likes of Walt Disney, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby to create backyards at their desert properties. As you enter the backyard you’ll be capable of catch a glimpse of the couple’s household dwelling, nicknamed Cactus Castle.
Admission prices $5 for adults and seniors, or $2 for kids aged 15 and underneath.
Chill by the pool
Part of the enchantment of visiting Palm Springs is its resort vibes. So take a few hours to put by the pool, learn a ebook and look out on the lovely desert panorama. I stayed on the Ace Hotel, which has two swimming pools. But for those who’re not staying in a lodge with a pool, there are a number of accommodations the place you should purchase day passes.
I often test Resort Pass to ebook day passes, or contact the lodge straight. Expect to pay wherever between $25 and $60 for a cross. Palm Springs accommodations providing pool day passes embrace:
- The Saguaro Palm Springs
- Ace Hotel
- Skylark Hotel
- Desert Riviera Hotel
- The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa
- Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa Oasis
- The Good House
- and lots of extra…
Dinner and Drinks on the Town
After stress-free by the pool it’s time to seize dinner. There are a number of nice eating places in Palm Springs. I’d recommend one of many following:
Once you’re finished with dinner, spend the night exploring among the greatest bars and golf equipment in Palm Springs:
Day 2
Sunny Cycle
I had a lot enjoyable on Sunny Cycle! It’s mainly an enormous buggy/bike that seats a number of individuals and also you all peddle it together with your toes. We cycled across the neighborhood taking within the sights and stopping at varied restaurant companions alongside the way in which. If you’ve an enormous group of pals you possibly can ebook the entire bike, or you should purchase particular person seats and also you’ll be paired with different individuals. Individual seats value $35 per seat.
Palm Springs Air Museum
Located on the north aspect of Palm Springs Airport, Palm Springs Air Museum paperwork the function of the United States Air Force in preserving American liberties, with a selected concentrate on how the U.S. pilots and fight plane helped to win WWII.
The museum homes 4 hangars, a present store, analysis library, simulator and schooling heart. Inside the 4 hangars guests can see over 70 reveals of plane from WWII, Korea, and the Vietnam Wars. You may even climb up and look within the cockpits of a few of them.
Robolights Palm Springs
This quirky sculpture backyard is a colourful assortment of robots and scrap gadgets which are reworked into mild shows. Launched in 1986 by artist Kenny Irwin, Robolights attracts hundreds of vacationers annually who come to take images with the wacky sculptures. It’s type of like science-fiction meets Christmas; uncommon, however cool! (Update: Robolights has closed down however there are plans to open a brand new set up in Desert Hot Springs).
Hunt for Colorful Doors
Palm Springs is crammed with mid-century trendy structure and homes with colourful doorways. If you’re keen on doorway searching, you’ll discover loads of cool doorways on this metropolis. Loads of them are positioned within the Indian Canyon neighborhood, so have a wander spherical and see what you could find! Just be respectful and hold your distance; #thatpinkdoor now has a “no photography” signal on the garden as a result of the homeowners had been uninterested in influencers standing in entrance of their dwelling.
Parker Palm Springs Hotel
Even for those who’re not staying on the lodge, it’s 100% value testing. The lodge’s monumental breeze block entrance is fashionable with influencers as a result of it’s simply so Instagram-worthy. Inside the lodge the interiors are actually cool, with superior mid-century trendy interiors that jogged my memory a bit little bit of Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion.
If you’re feeling hungry, cease on the Norma’s contained in the Parker for a late brunch. This brightly coloured open-air restaurant serves breakfast all day and has lovely views of the lodge gardens. On the menu you’ll discover dishes equivalent to Chocolate Decadence French Toast, Light and Lemony Griddle Cakes, Seared Maine Lobster and Asparagus Omelet and Normalita’s Huevos Rancheros.
Palm Springs Art Museum
Half means down Palm Canyon Drive you’ll discover Palm Springs Art Museum, which includes a everlasting assortment of contemporary and modern artwork, plus rotating exhibitions. The museum additionally homes a library catalog, an structure and design assortment, and a group devoted of Native American artwork. Spend your afternoon exploring the artwork and cease for refreshments within the museum’s bistro.
If you’ve extra time…
If you intend on spending an extended weekend in Palm Springs and you’ve got three days (or extra) then you possibly can enterprise out a bit and uncover some sights within the surrounding space.
Cabazon Dinosaurs
This free highway aspect attraction options two gigantic dinosaurs named Dinny the Dinosaur and Mr. Rex, which appeared within the film Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Dinny the Brontosaurus was accomplished in 1975 whereas the T-Rex was accomplished in 1986. Have your photograph taken with the dinosaurs, that are repainted a number of instances per yr.
Adults $13 Ages 13-55; Children $11 Ages 3 – 12; Seniors & Military $10
Joshua Tree
About an hour east of Palm Springs lies Joshua Tree National Park, which is understood for its arid desert panorama dotted with prickly Joshua timber and cacti. The surreal panorama makes for some nice images and there are a variety of hikes you are able to do within the space. Straddling two deserts – the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert – the park covers 429,690 acres of designated wilderness.
Tahquitz Canyon Waterfall Hike
If you’re feeling adventurous, strive mountaineering the Tahquitz Canyon Loop Trail, which is a well-liked 1.9 mile loop path with a 60-foot waterfall. It’s appropriate for all ability ranges and the views are value it! Don’t overlook to convey a water bottle and your sneakers or mountaineering sneakers. Entrance price is $15.
Wind farm
For one other cool photograph alternative, go to the The San Gorgonio Pass wind farm, which is positioned within the desert in North Palm Springs. If you’re driving in from California, you might simply cease by the wind farm in your option to Palm Springs because it’s proper of the I-10.
Address: 64200 twentieth Ave, North Palm Springs, CA 92258
How to Get to Palm Springs
To get to Palm Springs you’ll need to fly into Palm Springs International Airport after which both catch an Uber to your lodge or hire a automotive from the airport. To test flight costs I all the time use Google Flights or Kayak.
If you’re driving, these are the driving instances from close by locations:
- From Joshua Tree: 50 minutes, 35 miles
- From Los Angeles: 2 hours, 105 miles
- From Orange County: 1.5 hours, 95 miles
- From San Diego: 2.5 hours, 140 miles
- From Death Valley: 4.5 hours, 230 miles
How to Get Around Palm Springs
Palm Springs is small and compact, so no must hire a automotive until you’re going to Joshua Tree or mountaineering. You can simply get round on foot and by ordering Ubers – it’ll work out cheaper than a automotive rental.
If you do must hire a automotive in Palm Springs, search costs on Hotwire, Kayak or Rentalcars.com. If you don’t want a automotive for the complete weekend, you might simply rent one for the day from the airport, because it’s so shut.
Your FAQs About Palm Springs, Answered
Palm Springs is called the Golf Capital of the World. It’s additionally recognized for its palm timber, mid century trendy structure, swimming swimming pools and desert resort vibes.
sunshine and heat climate, it’s a terrific place to go to any time of the yr, nevertheless it’s particularly good to go to when the remainder of the nation is freezing chilly.
Palm Springs experiences yr spherical sunshine and heat climate so any time is an effective time to go to. If you don’t like the warmth a lot, then you might need to keep away from the summer time months between June-September when temperatures attain triple digits. The winter months between January and April can be greatest, when temperatures are often within the mid-70s/80s in the course of the daytime. If you do go to throughout summer time, plan to do most of your actions within the early morning or late afternoon and spend the remainder of your time on the pool.
Yes, Palm Springs is small and fairly walkable, particularly for those who primarily stick Palm Canyon Drive. However, if you wish to discover sights such because the Aerial Tramway, the Parker Hotel and the Palm Springs Air Museum, you’ll must hop in an Uber. You’ll want to rent a automotive if you wish to discover Joshua Tree and the encircling areas.
I wouldn’t describe Palm Springs as a celebration city per se. It has a enjoyable vibe and is sweet for boozy brunches nevertheless it has a relaxed, sluggish paced vibe. It’s the type of place you go to to calm down, unwind and do some day consuming, then rinse and repeat the following day. There are undoubtedly bars, cocktail lounges and nightclubs within the metropolis nevertheless it’s not tremendous rowdy like Nashville, Las Vegas, New Orleans or New York.
Most nightlife shuts down at 2am. That being stated, Palm Springs turns into a celebration city throughout Coachella and there are some good pool events with DJs on the accommodations in Palm Springs. You’ll need to test the lodge calendars to see what’s on. There are sometimes pool events on the Ace Hotel and there’s a well-known summer time pageant known as Splash House that occurs annually.
Palm Springs has some respectable nightlife, though bear in mind the nightlife ends at 2am. You’ll discover fairly a couple of cocktail bars, a few golf equipment and a 24/7 on line casino known as Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
If you need to go dancing, I’d recommend heading to Copa Nightclub, Hunters Palm Springs or The Village Palm Springs.
You fly into Palm Springs International Airport.
Yes! Palm Springs could be very canine pleasant. Many of the accommodations, together with the Ace Hotel, enable canine. Just test to see if there’s a pet price earlier than you ebook. Since Palm Springs experiences year-round heat climate, lots of the eating places have patios so you possibly can convey your furry pal together with you.
2 days in Palm Springs is an effective period of time however three is best. If you ebook an extended weekend in Palm Springs then you can too go to Joshua Tree too.
A Final Word
A Palm Springs weekend journey makes you are feeling such as you’ve gone again in time to the mid 1900s. It’s a terrific place to go to for a calming weekend getaway while you don’t need to do a lot touring round.
The metropolis is small, so it’s straightforward to get round on foot or by Uber. And regardless that it’s not close to a seaside, it has stylish swimming pools the place you possibly can cool off from the desert warmth. If you’re into foods and drinks, artwork or golf, I’m certain you’ll take pleasure in your weekend in Palm Springs. Definitely pack some retro sun shades and colourful swimwear for the pool.
