A weekend in Palm Springs is such a perfect getaway! It’s somewhere where the trip can be whatever you’re craving (adventure, relaxation, culture, cute insta-worthy shots, fast pace, slow pace, etc.).
It’s also the best place to go in the fall/winter/spring when other areas of the country are getting way too cold, and you’re craving some shorts weather.
Things to do in Palm Springs
Brunch/Eat/Drink – for real, this deserves its own section. See below 🙂
Moorten Botanical Garden – home to the world’s first cactarium. (I honestly didn’t know what a cactarium was or how much I needed one in my life until we went, but can we talk about how cute it is??)
Palm Springs Door Tour – okay, this isn’t like an official tour that I’m aware of, but it’s super fun to rent bikes and do a self-guided tour of the modernism architecture & the colorful doors. Plus, they make for great Insta-worthy backdrops (so much so that the pink door has its own hashtag #thatpinkdoor)! Pro-tip: for the best pics, go like 20 min before sunset
Aerial Tram – fun fact: it’s the world’s largest rotating tram car. You may feel like a sardine in it, but you get some gorgeous views of the area, and you can get food/drinks at the top!
Chill By A Pool – louder for the peeps in the back..! Honestly, if you did nothing but chill by a pool the whole weekend in Palm Springs, you’d be doin’ it right.
Photo ops – I mean, who doesn’t love a vacay spot that has ample of these #doitforthegram. Our fav was the retro Palm Springs Sign (in the Amtrak station parking lot) and at Shield’s Date Garden!
Things we didn’t get to but are on our list to hit next time we visit!
- Joshua tree – only 45 min away!
- Salvation Mountain
- Cabazon dinosaurs
- Indian Canyons
- Oh, also, golf. You know, that little thing the area is known for.
Where to eat in Palm Springs
Let’s be real, the #1 thing we did in Palm Springs was EAT. A LOT. Every place we went to was incredible, and I’m pretty sure we gained 20 pounds.
In-n-out: Can you have a trip to California without having In-N-Out at least 5 times?
The Pink Cabana – seriously, we couldn’t get over this place. The food was delicious, but even better was the decor. ALL. PINK. EVERYTHING. Sometimes we couldn’t tell if we were in Morocco or California. Def an insta-worthy brunch!
Shield’s Date Garden – okay, no joke Date Shakes might have snuck into our top 10 sweet treats, and we had no idea they existed before this trip. The biggest mistake we made the whole trip was splitting one when we each could’ve had 4 to ourselves.
Lulu California Bistro – you can’t miss this super cute & delicious bistro if you’re walking on the main street in PS!
Las Casuelas – absolutely incredible, authentic Mexican food on the main street in PS, and the vibe is so fun with live music and folks dancing on the outdoor patio.
Sherman’s Deli – honestly, Scott thought the Reuben was a bit overrated (and has nothing on Katz in NYC), but the OREO CHEESECAKE. B-O-M-B.
Where to stay in Palm Springs
Luckily, we have family in the area, so we’ve yet to stay at a hotel on our trips to Palm Springs. But from what friends have said and just from bopping around to different hotels in the area for food, happy hour, etc., these are the ones we’d recommend looking into!
Sands Hotel & Spa – super precious with every detail influenced by Moroccan culture (which you know we loved!). This is in Indian Wells, about a 20-minute drive outside of downtown Palm Springs & is also home to the Pink Cabana restaurant!
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel – super trendy & right in the middle of downtown PS with a killer rooftop pool & bar. Killer sunset views, too!
The Parker Palm Springs – a little higher end and super eclectic, designed by Jonathan Adler. If you don’t stay there, you should at least pop by for a drink and a pic in front of the famous wall!
The Saguaro Palm Springs – this super colorful spot is apparently a great place to check out
I’m sure there are also super cute Airbnbs that you could rent and bring a whole crew with you for the weekend!
Quick tips
- Rent a car to really maximize what you can do in your getaway weekend! We haven’t been super successful with Uber in Palm Springs, especially the surrounding towns, and things are relatively spread out throughout the numerous little cities.
- It does get chilly at night, so make sure to pack a sweater!
- You can fly into Ontario or the Palm Springs airport, but the Palm Springs airport is about an hour closer
- Nov – Apr are the best times to visit since the summer months are 100+ degrees – no thank you!
Overall, whether it’s a quick getaway weekend or part of a longer trip to Southern CA, Palm Springs is definitely worth spending a few days in!
