Weekend: Palm Springs

With its sunny, dry climate and stunning desert backdrop, Palm Springs attracts travelers of all kinds year-round—but especially during the cooler months. Between November and March, the city’s population nearly triples as snowbirds, outdoor adventurers, and LGBTQ+ travelers flock to the Coachella Valley. It’s a sun-soaked destination with endless vibes

I’ve been coming to Palm Springs for over 20 years. Sometimes frequently, sometimes not—but always finding something new to explore. From mid-century design and world-class spas to queer-owned restaurants and relaxed (read: clothing-optional) poolside resorts, this city offers more than meets the eye. I usually skip the big party weekends (hello, White Party), but that’s the beauty of Palm Springs: you can make it as lively or low-key as you want.

Getting There

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is located right in the city and is served by major U.S. and Canadian airlines, though a connection might be required if you’re flying from a city east of the Rockies that’s not a hub. Once there, PSP is an easy taxi or ride share ride to hotels and resorts in Palm Springs (destinations elsewhere in the Greater Palm Springs area, such as Palm Desert or Rancho Mirage are pretty easy too, just a little more expensive). As a smaller airport, security is generally quick and easy, but at least until they complete renovations underway in February 2025, there are not a lot of on-site amenities to bide your time between check-in and departure. Major rental car companies are located on-site with their pick up and return areas immediately adjacent to the terminal.

Airfares direct to Palm Springs can get expensive, in which case Ontario International Airport (ONT) is just over an hour’s drive—without traffic, which could easily double the drive, depending on timing. Do not expect for a taxi or ride share drivers to be willing to make the drive.

Alternately, Los Angeles International (LAX) and San Diego International (SAN) airports may be better served by flights than Palm Springs or Ontario. LA and San Diego airports are each about a 2 to 2-1/2 hour drive from Palm Springs—without traffic.

Know Before You Go

Palm Springs is classified as a hot desert climate, literally. It boasts over 300 days of sunshine and less than 5” of precipitation annually. In contrast, my hometown of Portland, Oregon averages over 6” of rain just in the month of January. Now you understand why I escape to Palm Springs.

As summarized in Wikipedia, a majority of days in the winter months in Palm Springs reach at least 70°, and it’s not uncommon for January and February days to hit 80°. Then again, summers are H-O-T: Palm Springs breaks 100° for more than a third of the year and maxed out at 123° in 2021. Plan accordingly.

Palm Springs and the surrounding area host a number of major events. If that’s your reason for visiting, great! If not, be aware that event weeks and weekends will inevitably be much more expensive (and perhaps more chaotic) than other times. While neither a recommended nor a comprehensive list, a few significant events include:

• Modernism Week in February, featuring the area’s amazing mid-century modern architecture, lectures, tours, and more
• Dinah Shore Weekend in March is billed as the world’s largest queer women event. The lesbian-focused event started in the 80s with “loosely organized events with boomboxes and alcohol” (not my words) to coincide with the golf tournament Dinah Shore organized.
• White Party Palm Springs in March/April is made up of a series of gay pool parties, all-night DJ fueled dance parties, and other events with costume themes (lots of white, as you might expect).
• The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April is legendary. Music performances in 2024 include a reunion of No Doubt as well as Bebe Rexha, Bizarrap, the Deftones, Lana del Rey, and Sublime (just a few that caught my attention). Of course, Beyoncé’s 2018 performance probably tops the list of Coachella notoriety.
• Palm Springs Pride is usually held the first weekend in November. While hardly the only Pride event I’d frequent, this is one of the organized events in Palm Springs I’m most happy to join: street parties, drag shows, a hot mess of people having fun, plus a parade.

My one other know-before-you-go note is about transportation. If you’re staying in the downtown Palm Springs or Warm Sands neighborhood and most of your activities are also there, I’ve found little reason to rent a car. If you don’t mind doing some walking (and you’re visiting at a time the weather is conducive), most things are within about a mile and Lyft/Uber rides are easily available for those that aren’t.

If you’re not staying downtown, or your plans involve other areas of the valley such as Joshua Tree National Park, a car is a must (it is Southern California, after all). That said, parking is plentiful most everywhere. But especially if you’re staying in downtown with a car, pay close attention to hotel policies. Many downtown hotels get a premium for overnight parking fees.

Sightseeing Highlights

First off: do Palm Springs your way (insert Frank Sinatra lyrics here). Wanna eat and drink and brunch and be seen? Do it. Wanna get out of town to hike and camp? Do it. Wanna learn to drive like Charlize Theron in Italian Job? Read on. Wanna harvest date palms? You can do that too.

A few of my favorites are below. Travel + Leisure also has a good list. Feel free to take bits and pieces of my adventures alongside others’ tips to create your own perfect itinerary.

• Palm Springs Aerial Tram – book in advance online if you can. Yes, it’s super touristy. Yes, it’s still fun. Wear layers, it will be cold at the top! Allow time at the top for dining, hiking, selfies, or whatever else suits your fancy.
• Tahquitz Canyon, North Lykken and South Lykken Trails can be pretty hikes and depending on where you’re at, can have some lovely views. I was told in February 2024 that a number of bighorn sheep were visible nearby, but didn’t verify this personally (and am realizing I didn’t confirm which trail). As a bonus, the trailheads are close to downtown so you can stretch your legs without having to venture too far. Some routes are more strenuous than others, and do pay close attention to weather forecasts, especially for daytime heat and appropriate water needs.
• Just stroll around downtown (S. Palm Canyon Drive, specifically). Stop in wherever. Shop. Drink. Eat. People watch.
• Joshua Tree National Park – you could spend a day or lots of days in the park. I thought the cholla cactus garden was particularly fascinating, but step carefully. Those suckers hurt. Lots of good sights throughout the park.
  • If the timing works when you go, La Copine in Flamingo Heights is a super cute and delicious place to eat while you’re on your way to or from the park
• BMW’s Performance Driving School and the Mini Driving Experience in Thermal is a little ways outside of Palm Springs, but is a BLAST if you’re into revving engines, squealing tires, and learning skills to drive fast (such as the Italian Job reference, above). Book in advance and look for GroupOn deals that are sometimes available to help make it a little more affordable.

Eating and Drinking

Palm Springs has a little of everything. It’s Southern California, so there’s In n Out, which is one of my favorites, but it’s really not very convenient in Palm Springs. Fortunately, there’s a lot of good stuff that is really convenient, such as:

• Lulu California Bistro is right on S. Palm Canyon. Great people watching is what you’re paying for. I’ve had good experiences and underwhelming ones; set your expectations accordingly
• Las Casuelas Terraza has great patio and good mexican food. Or at least the food seemed good after the margaritas. lol. Don’t judge. They also put together great tequila flights of you want learn and explore. Service can be a little spotty if they’re busy, but generally is really attentive and friendly.
• Farm, as you might expect from the name, is a farm-to-table restaurant right in downtown Palm Springs. Their food is delicious, but without reservations, expect a bit of a wait, especially for weekend brunch.
• Go for weekend drag brunch. PS Air Bar has a fun one run by some guys who used to work for an airline—the dining room is set up like the inside of a plane. Yes, it’s very kitch. But still fun. Reforma also has great weekend drag brunches (among other events), including a bunch of fun themed ones like Taylor Swift or the Golden Girls.
• If you venture a little further down the road, the Ace Hotel has a great restaurant. In particular, I really enjoyed their breakfasts, but I suspect an afternoon cocktail there would be equally lovelym (see below).

Depending on where you’re at, or where you want to drive/Lyft to, some of the hotels are really cool and have great bars. The Ace Hotel is one. The Jonathan Adler-designed Parker Palm Springs is another (some folks might recognize it based on the “Welcome to the Parker” TV show). Obviously, you’ll pay for the design factor, craft cocktails, and see-and-be-seen venue, so plan accordingly.

In my experience in Palm Springs, craft beer tends to leave a lot to be desired (whether on tap at a bar or at one of the few local breweries). Stick to other drinks while you’re here in the desert.

Nightlife

Palm Springs definitely courts gay residents and vacationers (especially men), and it’s especially apparent in its nightlife. However, it’s also not a big club sort of destination in my experience, except for events.

The bulk of Palm Springs gay bars are on Arenas road between Indian Canyon and S. Calle Encilia, a little walk from the gay resorts in the Warm Sands area, but very close to most downtown hotels. Hunters is one of the oldest and often among the busiest. Chill Bar and Blackbook are also fun and sometimes get a little different crowd than Hunters or the other nearby bars that target either Levi/Leather or bear crowds. Blackbook actually has good food too if you need a little something to soak up the drinks. Streetbar is also on the same block (heads up, they’re cash only).

Outside of the Arenas area, Tool Shed (heads up: they’re cash-only!) is also pretty close to Warm Sands and downtown Palm Springs and targets a Levi/Leather crowd. It’s been pretty consistently busy when I’ve visited, with a bummer of a line on busy event weekends. Barracks, which used to have a vibe similar to Tool Shed, apparently closed in late 2024.

As noted in food and drink, Reforma hosts weekend drag brunches at their downtown location, but also hosts evening events. Oscar’s, a few blocks away, also does a Sunday drag brunches as well as Saturday evening parties and Sunday afternoon T-dances.

Depending on the timing, a few of the gay resorts also host events (typically pool parties). CCBC is the place I most often see hosting parties, though I’ve not been. If you want to dig deeper, the Palm Springs Guys has a list of a few of them from 2023 to use as a starting point and the Gay Desert Guide has a more current, though shorter, list.

Lodging

Oh wow. I’ve stayed in all sorts of places in Palm Springs. Clothing-optional resort. Hotel. Time share. RV park. Where to start?!

For starters, Palm Springs is one of the few places (at least in the U.S.) that has such a large and varied selection of gay—mostly men’s—clothing optional resorts. Resorts range from ones that are classy, high-end spots with sleek design and fancy linens to ones that resemble a bathhouse, but with private bathrooms. Several are located in the Warm Sands area and I really like this location because it’s walkable to downtown, a nearby Ralph’s grocery, and the Arenas bars (or Tool Shed, if you go the opposite direction). I’ve most recently stayed at Inndulge and Vista Grande, but over the years have also stayed at The Hacienda at Warm Sands and Santiago (very nice, not as walkable). I’d return to any of them depending on availability and price. Mood might also play into it: Vista Grande is probably the most lively. Hacienda is probably the fanciest of the four, followed by Santiago. Many resorts provide complimentary breakfast (often yogurt cups and Costco muffins, so set expectations accordingly), some also include or will deliver lunch you order.

As for downtown hotels, they’re fine. The downtown Hilton has been updated over the years and has pretty rooms and a nice pool (better for kids; not as relaxing if being around them isn’t fun for you). Note that parking is NOT free. The description and parking scenario are the same for the Hyatt. I’ve also stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott and as with most Courtyard hotels, once you’re inside, it’s hard to tell if you’re in Atlanta, Palm Springs, or Cincinnati. But it was a comparatively affordable option for us over Presidents’ Day 2023 when everything else was exorbitant or booked. There are some great design-focused hotels outside of downtown (generally the same ones with great cocktail bars mentioned above), but beware: the more interesting the place, the higher the price.

Palm Springs is also prime spot for a number of time share properties. Clearly, this either is or isn’t something you’ll be looking at, so the only comments I’d make relative to time shares is: if you have access to multiple properties in the area, consider location and vibe when you make your selection. I’ve stayed at a couple with family: one that was close to downtown but otherwise unspecial, and another that was in Palm Desert (and required a drive to anywhere) but was a beautiful property.

Palm Springs has a number of RV parks too. I love our little campervan, but damn! Driving up to one of these parks and you’d swear we’d chosen the most budget transport ever. Lots of people roll in here (or stay for a season or two) with luxury coaches that cost more than my house. As with time shares, choose what matches your preference for location and amenities. We’ve stayed at the Happy Traveler RV Park and it was perfect for us: walkable to downtown and reasonably priced. The spaces are super close to each other, but maintain a little privacy with the greenery that separates them. And there’s laundry and a pool and hot tub. All the basics.

The one place I don’t think I’ve stayed in Palm Springs is an AirBnB or other short term vacation rental. There are some awesome ones, and it’s one of the best options if you want to experience Palm Springs modern first-hand. But if a short term vacation rental is of interest, keep this in mind: vacation rentals here have been a subject of intense debate in terms of how they should be regulated. If your host here is more particular than you might expect, that’s probably why. Please don’t be the irresponsible partier who annoys the neighbors and ruins it for everyone.