Palm Springs is the kind of place where you can spend the morning looking at midcentury architecture, the afternoon in the mountains and the evening over a cocktail downtown. My husband, Cody, and I travel to Palm Springs two to three times a year. These are the places I recommend for a first visit or a return trip, based on the restaurants, bars and activities I visited in my many trips to the Coachella Valley.
Getting to Palm Springs
Which airport should you fly into?
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is an extremely convenient choice. It is only two miles from downtown, so you can get to a hotel or restaurant soon after landing. The airport’s open-air walkways give you a welcome dose of desert scenery before you’ve even left the terminal.
If you’re flying from Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP), check flights on Delta and Sun Country. Both airlines offer nonstop service to PSP.
Getting from PSP to your hotel
You can pick up an airport rental car, use a taxi or request an Uber or Lyft. Follow airport signs for the designated rideshare pickup area; taxis wait outside baggage claim. PSP’s transportation page also lists rental car companies and local bus options. Before paying for a rental car, check whether your hotel charges for parking.
If you’re staying downtown and plan to focus on restaurants, museums, shopping and nightlife, a taxi or rideshare may be all you need. A car is more useful if you plan to explore other Coachella Valley cities or make trips to Joshua Tree National Park and Desert Hills Premium Outlets.
Should you consider another airport?
If flights to PSP don’t suit your schedule or budget, compare Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Greater Palm Springs tourism estimates a drive of about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Ontario and about two hours from LAX; traffic can make the trip longer. Compare the total cost of the flight, rental car and extra travel time before booking a different airport.
Things to do in and around Palm Springs
Walk Palm Canyon Drive and stop at Peepa’s
Give yourself time to wander downtown Palm Springs rather than rushing between reservations. Palm Canyon Drive is a good place to browse shops, people-watch and get a feel for the city. Make a stop at Peepa’s for Palm Springs gifts and souvenirs.
Visit the Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum is an easy downtown stop when you want a break from the sun. The museum offers free Thursday evening admission.
Take a photo with Forever Marilyn
The towering Forever Marilyn statue is a quick downtown photo stop. Find it at Downtown Park near Museum Way. Pair it with the art museum or a walk along Palm Canyon Drive.
Explore the Palm Springs Air Museum
If you like aviation or history, leave room for the Palm Springs Air Museum. Its collection includes aircraft associated with World War II, Korea and Vietnam, with exhibits that give you more to do than simply walk past the planes.
Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs from the desert floor into the San Jacinto Mountains. Go in the late afternoon if you’d like to see the valley in daylight and after sunset, and bring an extra layer for the cooler mountain air.
Take a Palm Springs Historical Society bike tour
One of my favorite ways to learn about Palm Springs is on a Palm Springs Historical Society bike tour. A guide connects the architecture and neighborhoods with the people and stories behind them. Check the tour calendar and book ahead.
Visit VillageFest on Thursday night
If your trip includes a Thursday, walk through Palm Springs VillageFest, the outdoor street fair on Palm Canyon Drive with vendors, food and entertainment. Admission is free. Hours change seasonally, so check the schedule before heading downtown.
Shop Desert Hills Premium Outlets
For a shopping excursion, Desert Hills Premium Outlets has more than 180 stores. It is in Cabazon, not Palm Springs, so treat it as a separate stop on the way into or out of the Coachella Valley.
Make time for Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park deserves more than a quick drive-by. The landscape, rock formations and night sky are the draw, even if you do not plan a long hike. Plan on roughly an hour’s drive to the Joshua Tree area, plus time to travel within the park. Before you go, check park conditions, bring water and plan around desert heat.
Play a round of golf
Golfers have plenty of options in Greater Palm Springs! Compare tee times, prices and locations before choosing one, especially if you’ll be playing during the warmer months.
Palm Springs restaurants and bars to try
These picks cover breakfast, dinner and cocktails. I have grouped the places by the kind of outing they suit; check each business for current menus and reservations.
My favorite Palm Springs restaurants
- FARM: A garden setting and French-inspired food make this an appealing downtown breakfast or brunch stop. I’ve had great dinners there, too!
- The Colony Club: Dine at the Colony Palms Hotel & Bungalows when you want a stylish hotel restaurant with a Palm Springs feel. It’s an annual tradition for our group to eat here!
- Parker Palm Springs: The hotel has several distinct places to eat and drink, including Norma’s for all-day dining and mister parker’s for dinner. Make sure you sit at the bar in the lobby!
- Bar Cecil: An artful dining room and cocktails make this a strong choice for a night out. This is one of the hottest reservations in town. For a nightcap, head next door to Beaton’s at Bar Cecil, their cocktail lounge.
- Copley’s on Palm Canyon: An upscale dinner in the former guesthouse of Cary Grant, with indoor and outdoor seating. I highly recommend that you book a table outside.
- Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey: Go for modern sushi and the whiskey selection in Uptown Palm Springs. This restaurant blends Nordic vibes with Japanese fusion and I’ve introduced many people to their locations in Palm Springs and Phoenix, Arizona.
- Tac/Quila: A lively downtown option for Mexican food and cocktails. It’s listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
- Workshop Kitchen & Bar: A design-forward dining room and seasonal cooking make this a good special-occasion pick. I always book an outdoor table here, too.
- Bootlegger Tiki: A small tiki bar with a connection to the former Don the Beachcomber space. Consider a reservation.
- Tailor Shop: From the same owner as Sandfish Sushi, Tailor Shop is a more intimate stop when you want to settle in for a crafted cocktail and conversation.
How to put the trip together
Spend one day downtown: browse Palm Canyon Drive, visit the art museum, see Forever Marilyn and choose a dinner nearby. Save another day for the tramway or a historical society tour. If you have more time, give Joshua Tree its own outing; Desert Hills Premium Outlets also works as a separate stop during your drive. A Thursday visit lets you add VillageFest after dinner.
Before you go: Hours, reservation policies, museum programs, tour dates and tramway operations can change. Check the linked official sites when you make your plans.
If you want more recommendations, read this LGBTQ+ magazine travel feature I wrote after my first trip to Palm Springs in 2017.
This story originally appeared on Give Me the Mike and is republished here with permission.