Set in the Coachella Valley of Southern California, part of the scenic—and, in places, downright otherworldly—Colorado Desert section of the larger Sonoran Desert, Palm Springs has long been one of the Golden State’s most alluring getaways. Within two hours of Los Angeles, the city became an escape for stars of the silver screen as well as the performance stage during Hollywood’s Golden Age, and classic images of its Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, palm-ringed swimming pools and mountain-backed golf courses remain woven into the national consciousness—and, in fact, are still easy to track down today.
But in this place boasting millennia of human history—the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have their reservation here and remain an integral part of the Coachella Valley cultural fabric—and some really spectacular natural history and scenery right on its doorstep, there’s a lot more to delve into on a trip to Palm Springs than just the poolside sun chairs and spa treatment cabanas. In the following Palm Springs travel guide, you’ll learn useful details about getting around, when to visit, what to see and do, where to stay and eat and much else. Let’s get started!
How to Get Around Palm Springs
What’s the best way to navigate your way in and around Palm Springs? Well, it depends on your travel plans, personal preferences and the timing of your visit.
By Car
You don’t necessarily need your own vehicle on a trip to Palm Springs. The downtown is quite walkable, and alternative transportation options such as bicycling and public buses make exploring other parts of the Coachella Valley possible without your own set of wheels.
But depending on where else you want to go, visiting in your personal vehicle or a rental car might well be the way to go, at least for part of the vacation—certainly if you’re interested in day-tripping to some farther-afield destinations (more on possibilities for those later in this guide to Palm Springs). And summer visitors are likely going to really appreciate an air-conditioned car.
Rental cars are most easily procured at the Palm Springs International Airport.
By Taxi/Rideshare
A number of cab companies service the Palm Springs area (including the Palm Springs International Airport), such as Yellow Cab of the Desert, City Cab, Coachella Valley Taxi and Palm Springs Taxi Service. You’ve also got Uber/Lyft and other rideshare options ready at hand.
By Public Transit
Regional public transportation is available via the SunLine Transit Authority, which runs multiple routes in Palm Springs and connects the city to other Coachella Valley communities—and, on a seasonal basis, out to San Bernardino. Adult fares start at a dollar.
SunLine also runs the SunRide “microtransit” service, which you can request via an app. SunRide Vehicles give riders affordable lifts between stops along the SunLine network.
On Foot
As mentioned, it’s easy to get around on foot in Downtown Palm Springs. That is, indeed, generally the best way to do it—except, that is, on a roasting summer’s day.
By Bicycle
Biking is another great, zero-emissions way to get around Palm Springs. The city includes an extensive network of cycling corridors, including designated Class 1 Bike Paths fully separated from traffic and exclusively open to cyclists as well as pedestrians, plus marked bike lanes and mixed-use bike routes. There are five designated bike loops in the city—the Citywide, Deepwell, Tahquitz Creek, Indian Canyons and Las Palmas loops—in addition to the Gene Autry Bikeway and the Whitewater Trail.
And you’ll find free bike-repair stations at several convenient locations: the Palm Springs Visitor Center (2901 N. Palm Canyon Dr), the Palm Springs Public Library (300 S. Sunrise Way) and Demuth Park (4200 E. Mesquite Ave).
Best Time to Visit Palm Springs
Defined by 300-plus days of blazing sunshine and an overall average annual temperature smack dab in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, the subtropical hot-desert climate of Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley is a major draw much of the year—and a bit of a turnoff at other times.
The warm desert winters here—we’re talking average highs of 70 degrees or more in January and February, with lows only in the mid- to upper 40s—explain the strong snowbird appeal of Palm Springs. January through April is generally the peak tourism season here, and you can accordingly expect more crowds, higher rates for accommodations and airfare and more competitive restaurant reservations and tee times.
April sees a particular spike in visitation, given that’s the month of both the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and its sister event, the Stagecoach Festival. You may well be coming to the area for one of those world-renowned music extravaganzas—we’ll talk more about them shortly—but if they’re not on your to-do list, you’ll probably want to avoid April and the amped-up traffic, booked-up hotels and pricier travel that define a good chunk of the month.
From May to September, rapidly rising summer temperatures quiet things down in Palm Springs. This is the low season, the torrid heat—commonly in the triple digits—keeping many visitors away and making outdoor activities from late morning through late afternoon unpleasant and even (for the unprepared and poorly hydrated) dangerous.
However, this presents something of an opportunity for the budget-minded traveler. You can snag great deals on Palm Springs-area lodging, transportation and entertainment/attractions during the summer, and the lack of crowds is its own pleasure. You just want to plan your itinerary responsibly so you’re staying comfortable and safe in the swelter: Avoid the teeth of the heat by getting outside in the early morning (for, say, a stroll through downtown) or the evening (ideal for patio dining, with misters commonplace at restaurants and bars). Take advantage of the ubiquitous swimming pools as well as indoor attractions such as museums, art galleries and shops.
The nearby high country of the San Jacinto Range and San Bernardino Mountains offers another escape valve for summer visitors dodging 100-plus-degree mercury readings.
Fall, meanwhile—especially mid- to late October onward—promises some of the best weather of the year in the Coachella Valley. And ahead of the midwinter start to the high season, you can still enjoy smaller crowds and reasonable rates while relishing sunny days in the 70s and 80s (and comfortable nights in the upper 40s to low 60s).
Top Things to Do in Palm Springs
From shopping and museum-hopping to soaring up into some glorious mountainscapes, a Palm Springs itinerary can cover quite the territory.
Explore Palm Canyon Drive & Downtown Palm Springs
The heart of Downtown Palm Springs is Palm Canyon Drive, an iconic main drag that comes loaded with stores, restaurants, cafes, galleries—and, yes, no shortage of palms! This is the first stop for retail therapy, with emporia such as The Shops at Thirteen Forty Five, Destination PSP, Canyon Rose Boutique, The SHAG Store, Palm Springs Treasures, Crystal Fantasy, Just Fabulous and Palm Springs Vinyl Records drawing shoppers.
Palm Canyon Drive and nearby sections of Museum Way and Tahquitz Canyon Way play host to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, which commemorates hundreds of Hollywood celebrities and other icons: from Shirley Temple, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor to Ronald Reagan, Liberace and (former Palm Springs mayor) Sonny Bono.
Speaking of, Mayor Bono launched a still-lively Downtown tradition: VillageFest, which goes down each Thursday evening along a temporarily pedestrian-only Palm Canyon Drive between Amado and Barista roads. Diverse street vendors, live entertainment and other fun make this weekly street fair its own sightseeing attraction.
Downtown Palm Springs also includes some of the city’s top-draw museums, not least the Palm Springs Art Museum (101 Museum Dr). It opened back in 1938 as the Palm Springs Desert Museum, mostly focused on natural science and archaeology, and gradually evolved a greater emphasis on visual and performing arts and design. Its associated Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture & Design Center (300 S. Palm Canyon Dr) is also well worth checking out to learn more about the area’s rich architectural heritage, including the Mid-Century Modern style with which Palm Springs is so associated as well as the Desert Modernist look of the building itself, designed by influential Southern Californian architect E. Stewart Williams.
And absolutely don’t miss a visit to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum (140 N. Indian Canyon Dr), part of the new, thoughtfully designed Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza in Downtown Palm Springs. Here you can learn more about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, whose reservation overlaps with the city. Highlights include a 12-minute-long, 360-degree animated presentation of the tribe’s creation story, ancient Native artifacts found on the site and the ethnobotanical display of the Education Garden.
Head Up San Jacinto Peak
Palm Springs lays claim to one of the great signal peaks of any U.S. city: the grand, 10,834-foot loom of Mount San Jacinto, high point not only of the San Jacinto Range but the entire Peninsular Ranges of Southern California and Baja California. The peak’s dramatic rise above San Gorgonio Pass (the deep cut separated the San Jacintos from the San Bernardino Mountains to the north) and the Coachella Valley make it among the most topographically prominent mountains in the country, and its high-elevation subalpine mixed-conifer forest contrasts strikingly with the desertlands far below.
The iconic way up San Jacinto Peak’s slopes is via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s longest rotating tram ride, which climbs about 2.5 miles from the valley floor up Chino Canyon to about 8,500 feet at the upper Mountain Station. The views dazzle during the 10- to 12-minute tramride, and all the more so from the Mountain Station observation decks, where sightlines can extend better than 200 miles and encompass everything from Mount Gorgonio (“Old Grayback”) and the Salton Sea to faroff Great Basin mountain ranges of Nevada. Besides a couple of restaurants, a museum and other visitor facilities, the top of the tram provides access to Mount Jacinto State Park and better than 50 miles of trails, including the gentle one-mile Long Valley Discovery Loop as well as the fabled Pacific Crest Trail.
Speaking of hiking, there’s another, vastly tougher way up Mount San Jacinto: the legendary Cactus to Clouds Trail, which sees you ascend some 10,400 feet from Palm Springs to the summit. Considered one of the toughest dayhikes in the nation, this is something only well-conditioned hikers ought to tackle—and not any kind of good idea during the summer months.
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
First held in 1999, the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival has grown into one of the biggest and best-known music festivals in the world. Held over consecutive April weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California—less than an hour from Downtown Palm Springs—Coachella attracts the biggest names in music across a broad swath of genres: Past performers have included Beyoncé, Radiohead, Outkast, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Beck, Kendrick Lamar, Nine Inch Nails, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar and Prince, to name but a few. The onstage tunemaking is, of course, the heart of proceedings, but the entire Coachella experience—the art installations, the people-watching, the festive desert vibes—is a “trip.”
(Coachella, by the way, comes immediately followed up by its country-music cousin, the Stagecoach Festival, which has, over the years, drawn such similarly superstar-status acts as Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, John Fogerty, Sheryl Crow, Dierks Bentley, Merle Haggard and The Avett Brothers.)
Hot Springs & Spa Resorts
Edged by the San Andreas Fault, the tectonically active Coachella Valley supports many hot springs, which humans have exploited for thousands of years. Soaking in thermal and mineral springs and blissing out at the numerous spa resorts and day spas in the Greater Palm Springs Area remains a signature activity here. From the “Spa City” experience of Desert Hot Springs—a community that sprang up around the natural oases of Seven Palms, Two Bunch Palms and Willow Hole—to the Spa at Séc-he (200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way), managed by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians at the site of a time-honored hot mineral spring in Downtown Palm Springs (and part of the Agua Caliente Cultural Center), health-and-wellness opportunities abound.
The BNP Paribas Open
So beloved by players and fans alike is the tennis tournament at Indian Wells that the BNP Paribas Open, held in March, is often termed the “Fifth Grand Slam”—spoken of nearly as reverently at this point as Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the Australian Open and Roland Garros. Backdropped by sharp, steep-rising mountains and cast in ethereal desert light, it’s surely one of the most beautiful settings to watch the sport (or any sport). Whether attending the whole shebang, grabbing a ticket for one of the finals or joining the spectators at a practice session, this hardcourt tournament—part of the “Sunshine Double” with the Miami Open that follows—provides a great opportunity to see the biggest tennis stars in both the men’s and women’s games up close.
Where to Stay in Palm Springs
From boutique inns to sprawling golf resorts, Greater Palm Springs includes a broad spectrum of AAA- recommended accommodations. Here are some of the best!
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel
- Address: 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
- Diamond-designation: Four Diamond
- Best for: Upscale amenities, views
Many of the 150-plus guestrooms at the luxurious Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel feature mountain views, also a hallmark of the rooftop pool: the only one of its kind in town. Great dining awaits at the top-floor 4 Saints Restaurant.
The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa
- Address: 71-333 Dinah Shore Rd., Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
- Diamond-designation: Three Diamond
- Best for: Golf, luxury R&R
Unfurling across 360 paradisal acres and alluringly clad in Spanish/Moorish-influenced architecture, The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa is one giant desert oasis, complete with gardens, pools, pickleball/tennis/volleyball/basketball courts and a Pete Dye-designed championship golf course that’s earned the property a place on more than a few lists of America’s best golf getaways. Other on-site amenities include a luxury spa and fitness studio and multiple eateries.
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
- Address: 74-855 Country Club Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
- Diamond-designation: Four Diamond
- Best for: Varied all-ages amenities
From its dramatic central staircase to the man-made lakes plied by flamingos and swans, the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa is a showstopper. Enjoy a pair of Ted Robinson-designed championship golf courses, the top-of-the-line courts of the Tennis Center, no fewer than five outdoor pools and the family-friendly fun of the JW Entertainment Zone—not to mention the first-class blandishments of the Spa at Desert Springs.
Villa Royale
- Address: 1620 S. Indian Tr., Palm Springs, CA 92264
- Diamond-designation: Three Diamond
- Best for: History, charm, ambience
Opened in 1947 and quickly becoming a cherished getaway for Hollywood stars, the Mid-Century Modern Villa Royale continues to offer some of the Greater Palm Springs Area’s most delightful accommodations. More than 50 commissioned large-format oil paintings decorate the place, which serves up poolside elegance and mountain vistas.
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa
- Address: 44400 Indian Wells Ln., Indians Wells, CA 92210
- Diamond-designation: Four Diamond
- Best for: Families, location
Another stunningly lavish Coachella Valley spread, the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa encompasses tennis and pickleball courts, a 36-hole golf course, Spa Esmeralda, the Desert Glow Entertainment complex, multiple restaurants and the largest pool in the area. The guest rooms and suites here show off a regionally appropriate Mid-Century Modern influence.
Where to Eat in Palm Springs
Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley feature some great and wide-ranging cuisine—best enjoyed al fresco style! Below, find some of our top AAA-recommended restaurants in this foodie-friendly desert.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar
- Address: 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262
- Diamond-designation: Three Diamond
- Type of Cuisine: Californian
Situated within the creatively remodeled 1926-built El Paseo building, Workshop Kitchen + Bar earned a 2015 James Beard Award for “Best Restaurant Design.” The seasonally informed cuisine of Chef/Owner Michael Beckman—which includes seafood sourced from the Newport Beach Dory Fleet, sustainable farm-fresh poultry and dairy products and the fruits of the restaurant’s own herb gardens and pickling, fermentation and dry-aging projects—backs up the award-winning setup.
Las Casuelas Nuevas
- Address: 70-050 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
- Diamond-designation: Approved
- Type of Cuisine: Mexican
Established in 1973 and going strong under the steady leadership of the Delgado family, Las Casuelas Nuevas is a Coachella Valley institution. Expect first-rate Mexican fare whatever meal of the day you’re here for. Live mariachi music enhances weekend dinner service and the Sunday champagne brunch, and misters keep the patio nice and cool for year-round dining.
Wally’s Desert Turtle
- Address: 71775 Hwy. 11, Rancho Mirage, CA
- Diamond-designation: Four Diamond
- Type of Cuisine: Californian/Continental/Contemporary American
Another honest-to-goodness institution, Wally’s Desert Turtle continues to serve creative, French-inflected modern Californian cuisine under third-generation family ownership, keeping alive the spirit of founder Wally Botello, with original signature dishes such as the mushroom soup and the Dover Sole still featured on the menu. Five-star fine dining under chandeliers comes enhanced by nightly live music, and the restaurant now offers a daily happy hour.
Le Vallauris
- Address: 385 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
- Diamond-designation: Four Diamond
- Type of Cuisine: French
Refined French cuisine interpreted by Chef Jean-Paul Lair distinguishes the menu at Le Vallauris, located inside a historic home in Downtown Palm Springs and serving such winners as Roasted Rack of Lamb, Beef Filet, Vegetarian Ravioli and Sautéed Maine Lobster.
Cork Tree Restaurant
- Address: 74950 Country Club Dr, Palm Desert, CA 92260
- Diamond-designation: Three Diamond
- Type of Cuisine: Californian
A robust wine list featuring many superb Golden State labels and vintages accentuates the Californian cuisine on offer at the elegant but unpretentious Cork Tree Restaurant, serving up delicious dishes such as Grilled Cauliflower Steak, Jidori Farm Free Range Chicken and Seared Chilean Sea Bass.
Palm Springs Photo Spots
- Forever Marilyn Statue: This 26-foot-tall statue at Museum Way and Belando Road—honoring Marilyn Monroe in an iconic pose and her long association with Palm Springs—is a downtown landmark.
- Palm Springs Aerial Tramway/Mountain Station: The sweeping views of the Coachella Valley, Salton Sea, Inland Empire and many mountain crests at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway on Mount San Jacinto are as Instagram-worthy as vistas come.
- Gene Autry Statue: Head for the intersection of Gene Autry Trail and Ramon Road to pose with Gene Autry, America’s Favorite Singing Cowboy.
- Parker Palm Springs Hotel Facade: There’s no telling how many times the breeze-block exterior and orange doors of the Parker Palm Springs Hotel, one of the classic tableaus of Palm Springs, have been photographed.
- Moorten Botanical Garden: A desert dreamscape awaits you in the celebrated Cactarium greenhouse at the Moorten Botanical Garden.
Day Trips From Palm Springs
1. The Salton Sea: This saline lake, well below sea level in the Salton Trough, presents some of Southern California’s trippiest vistas. From Slab City and the International Banana Museum to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, its long shoreline is well worth day-tripping to when traveling to Palm Springs.
- Distance: 45 miles
2. Joshua Tree National Park: The otherworldly yucca woodlands and wild rock formations of Joshua Tree National Park form a fantastical landscape on the borderline of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.
- Distance: 50 miles
3. Idyllwild, CA: This little mountain town up in the San Jacintos is a classic getaway out of Palm Springs. offering great rock-climbing, hiking and mountain-biking—and a bit of relief from valley heat.
- Distance: 50 miles
4. Big Bear Lake: Another convenient high-country escape, Big Bear Lake offers boating, fishing, snowsports and mountain-forest ambience at close to 7,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains.
- Distance: 90 miles
5. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Among the biggest state parks in the country, Anza-Borrego is a Sonoran/Colorado Desert wonderland, home to stark badland wilderness, rare organisms such as desert bighorn sheep and elephant trees and the periodic, much-sought-after flushes of wildflower “superblooms.”
- Distance: 70 miles
6. Santa Monica, CA: Work in some Southern California beach time during your desert odyssey with a getaway to Santa Monica’s Pacific sands.
- Distance: 120 miles
Visiting Palm Springs on a Budget
Sure, Greater Palm Springs has its share of glitzy resorts and pricey spas, but there’s no reason you have to break the bank while enjoying this desert retreat. Here are a few tips for making a trip to Palm Springs a bit lighter on the pocketbook!
- Come During the Summer: As covered earlier in this guide to Palm Springs, summer is the low-tourism season in these parts, and attractive deals can be landed when it comes to travel expenses—just be sure to stay smart about the desert heat!
- Go Car-Free (or Mostly So): Walking or biking your way around Palm Springs costs nothing, and public transit can get you to a lot of places for cheap.
- Use Your AAA Membership to the Fullest: Being a member of AAA means you can take advantage of some fabulous deals and discounts on hotels, tickets/admission, rental cars and more.
- Get Out & About on Thursdays: Thursday’s got a lot of potential in the money-saving department in Palm Springs, from the VillageFest street-fair bustle to Free Thursday Night admission from 5 to 8 PM at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
- Do Some Self-Guided Sightseeing: From the Palm Springs Walk of Stars to the Moorten Botanical Garden, many top attractions in town either cost nothing or are yours to enjoy at a nominal fee.
Plan Your Trip to Palm Springs With AAA!
Join the over a million people who are AAA members and start planning your trip to Palm Springs today. Dream up the perfect trip with our Trip Canvas research tool and use your membership to get the best discounts on hotels, rental cars and entertainment tickets.