Top things to do in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is an oasis in the desert, easily accessible from Los Angeles and well worth a weekend (or longer!) visit

Palm Springs has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ resorts anywhere in the world. You can choose from men-only and clothing-optional retreats, women’s resorts, and stylish boutique hotels that welcome everyone. The calendar is just as impressive. The Dinah draws women from around the world each fall, Palm Springs Pride fills the streets every November, and Modernism Week celebrates the city’s mid-century design each February. Palm Springs is also known for the White Party, one of the most famous circuit parties in the world.

But what is there to do between the parties? A great deal. You can stay in exquisite properties, eat very well and fill your days with hiking, shopping, art and architecture. Here is our pick of the best things to do in Palm Springs.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

One Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Trams run throughout the day. The tramway closes for annual maintenance each September, so check pstramway.com before you go.

Board the world’s largest rotating tramcar for a breathtaking ride up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon. The journey takes about 10 minutes, rising from the Valley Station at 2,643 feet to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. As the car turns, you get a full 360-degree view of the desert floor falling away beneath you.

At the top, you step into Mount San Jacinto State Park. It can be 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the valley, so bring a layer. More than 50 miles of hiking trails wind through pine forest and granite peaks. In summer, free guided nature walks run on Sundays. You can also stay for dinner at Peaks Restaurant and watch the sun set over the valley.

Uptown Design District

North Palm Canyon Drive, between Alejo Road and Vista Chino

Uptown is the place to shop for mid-century style. This stretch of North Palm Canyon Drive is lined with vintage furniture dealers, modern design stores, consignment shops and independent galleries. You will find original Eames-era pieces, retro lighting, art and homeware, plus fashion boutiques and some of the best restaurants in town. Go in the late afternoon, when the heat eases, and stay for dinner.

Backstreet Art District

2600 S. Cherokee Way, just off S. Palm Canyon Drive

The Backstreet Art District is one of the most interesting art destinations in the desert. Stroll through a dozen artist-owned galleries and working studios showing original contemporary work by nationally and internationally recognized artists. Expect painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry and ceramics. Visit on the first Wednesday evening of the month for the Art Walk, when galleries open late and you can meet the artists.

Rich and Famous Tour

Palm Springs has been the playground of Hollywood since the 1930s. Studio contracts once required stars to stay within two hours of Los Angeles, and Palm Springs fit the bill perfectly. A guided celebrity tour takes you through neighborhoods such as the Movie Colony and Old Las Palmas, where you can see the former homes of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Liberace. The area is made up entirely of custom homes, so you also see a remarkable collection of architecture, including some of the finest mid-century modern houses in the country.

Palm Springs Walk of Stars

Palm Canyon Drive and surrounding streets, downtown Palm Springs

Hundreds of stars line the sidewalks of downtown Palm Springs, much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They honor film stars, musicians, architects and local heroes who shaped the city. Walk the route at your own pace and stop at the cafés and boutiques along Palm Canyon Drive.

Full Moon Hike

For something unforgettable, join a guided full moon hike. Local outfitters lead small groups into the foothills around Palm Springs to watch the moon rise over the valley and the city lights below. Guides share stories about the desert’s plants, wildlife, geology and history as you walk. Tours usually include flashlights, water and snacks. Book ahead, as dates follow the lunar calendar and spaces are limited.

VillageFest

Every Thursday evening on Palm Canyon Drive, downtown Palm Springs. Free entry.

Spend a Thursday evening at VillageFest, a free outdoor street fair in the heart of downtown. Palm Canyon Drive closes to traffic and fills with around 200 stalls selling art, handmade crafts, fresh produce and street food. Live music plays along the route. It is a relaxed way to see the town and mix with locals.

Indian Canyons

38520 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Entry fee applies. Opening days are reduced in summer, so check before you go.

The Indian Canyons are the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Here you can walk among the largest natural fan palm oasis in North America. Palm Canyon stretches for around 15 miles, with streams, rock formations and shaded groves of towering California fan palms. Andreas Canyon and Murray Canyon offer shorter trails, with Murray Canyon leading to the Seven Sisters waterfall. Start early in the day, wear proper shoes and carry plenty of water.

To learn more about the Agua Caliente people, visit the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum downtown. It sits alongside the Spa at Séc-he, built over the natural hot spring that gave Palm Springs its name.

Mid-Century Architecture Tour

Palm Springs is often called the Mecca of Modernism. In the 1950s and 1960s, architects such as Albert Frey, Richard Neutra, E. Stewart Williams, John Lautner and William Krisel transformed the town. They designed glass-walled homes, butterfly roofs and breeze-block screens that now define the Palm Springs look.

A guided architecture tour is the best way to see it. Expert guides take you past landmarks such as the Kaufmann House, the Frey House II, the Elrod House and the Alexander homes of the Twin Palms neighborhood. If you prefer to explore on your own, pick up a map at the Palm Springs Visitor Center. The building is itself a design icon, a former gas station designed by Albert Frey with a dramatic swooping roof. Visit in February for Modernism Week, when private homes open their doors for tours.

Jeep Safari to the San Andreas Fault

Take an open-air jeep tour into the desert to stand on the San Andreas Fault. Expert guides drive you through the Indio Hills, where the shifting of two tectonic plates has created dramatic canyons, folded rock and natural palm oases fed by water forced up along the fault line. You will learn how earthquakes shaped the Coachella Valley and how the Cahuilla people survived in this landscape. Tours run year-round, with morning departures best in summer.

Palm Springs Art Museum

101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Check psmuseum.org for current opening days and hours.

The Palm Springs Art Museum is housed in an architecturally significant building designed by E. Stewart Williams at the foot of Mount San Jacinto. Inside, you will find 28 galleries, two sculpture gardens and the 433-seat Annenberg Theater. The permanent collection includes more than 55,000 objects, with a focus on art of the Americas and 20th-century California art. Highlights include modern and contemporary painting and sculpture, Western American art, Native American and Mesoamerican art and artifacts, contemporary studio glass and photography.

Design lovers should also visit the museum’s Architecture and Design Center on South Palm Canyon Drive. It occupies a beautifully restored former bank, also by E. Stewart Williams, and hosts rotating exhibitions on modernist design.

Day Trip to Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs. Here, two deserts meet. The lower Colorado Desert covers the eastern side of the park, with natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo and cholla cactus. The higher, cooler Mojave Desert to the west is home to the twisted Joshua trees that give the park its name. The park covers nearly 800,000 acres and became a national park in 1994.

Do not miss the giant boulder piles of Hidden Valley, the strange shape of Skull Rock, the Cholla Cactus Garden at golden hour, and the view across the Coachella Valley from Keys View. Five fan palm oases dot the park, marking the rare places where water rises naturally and wildlife gathers. Joshua Tree is also a certified International Dark Sky Park, so stay after sunset for some of the clearest stargazing in Southern California. Bring plenty of water, as there is very little inside the park.

Desert Hills Premium Outlets

48400 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA 92230. About 20 minutes west of Palm Springs on Interstate 10.

Stop at Desert Hills Premium Outlets on your way out of town. It sits next to Morongo Casino, with well over 100 designer and brand-name stores offering discounted prices. It is a good place to pick up a bargain before your flight home from Los Angeles.

Where to Stay in Palm Springs

Palm Springs has so many wonderful resorts that choosing a favorite is almost impossible. For mid-century glamour, consider The Riviera Palm Springs, with its retro style, poolside cabanas and lively atmosphere. For a classic desert escape, La Quinta Resort & Club offers Spanish-style casitas, dozens of pools and championship golf. If you want design-led luxury, The Parker Palm Springs is a playful, art-filled hideaway set in lush gardens.

Our travel experts know Palm Springs inside out. Talk to us about the right resort for you, whether you want an adults-only LGBTQ+ retreat, a full-service luxury resort or a private villa with your own pool.

Palm Springs also pairs beautifully with other destinations. Combine your stay with Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon for the ultimate Southwest adventure.