My childhood friend and Wizarding World buddy, Katie, and I reunited again last week in the relaxing desert oasis of Palm Springs. Her parents rent a condo there every year and are generous enough to invite me along for part of their “spring break” retreat. I was also fortunate enough to stay with them a couple years back so this post will encompass some of the fun things we got to do then as well.

Similar to how I feel when I see the ocean, there’s something about the desert mountains and the palm trees that dot its surroundings that immediately puts me at ease. The sunny California town is not only great for sitting by the pool, but it it offers a diverse range of attractions: scenic hikes, a rich history in architecture that can be seen on a stroll about town, art, and an exciting food and drink scene. Plus, the sights at Joshua Tree National Park are just under an hour drive away! All of which can be seen and done in just a few days. Here is my list of things to do in Palm Springs (and its surrounding area) on your short to long stay. Enjoy!

Things to Do in Palm Springs (and Beyond)

Joshua Tree National Park – after visiting two other California National Parks over the past couple years (Yosemite and Pinnacles), Joshua Tree National Park presents a very different landscape from the two I’d seen before. Rather than being surrounding by towering trees and ginormous rock faces, Joshua Tree is a walk through beautiful desert flora and unique rock formations. What we found most interesting about our time there was how we could see hundreds of feet around us! Most hiking path views in California are shielded by trees. We only had a few hours in Joshua Tree and got to stop by Cholla Cactus Garden, Split Rock, Skull Rock, and Keys View. There is a lot to do there so I’d suggest going early!

Staring up at Split Rock at Joshua Tree National Park

Look up at the Cabazon Dinosaurs – just outside Palm Springs and down the highway from the Desert Hills Premium Outlets lies two massive dinosaurs. A great photo op!

Looking up at one of the Cabazon Dinosaurs

Self-guided architecture tour – Another free Palm Springs attraction! If you’re into architecture (or going for neighborhood strolls), then Palm Springs is the town for you. Beautiful mid-century modern homes with their famous colorful doors dot its palm tree lined streets. We explored the streets south of the Ace Hotel and The Saguaro Palm Springs.

One of the many cool houses we saw in Palm Springs

Trivia, bingo, or karaoke at the Ace Hotel – The very hip and popular Ace Hotel was just a short walk from our condo, which was fortunate since the hotel offers many reasons to go there throughout the week. Not only is it a great spot for a poolside drink, but they offer trivia and bingo on Monday nights as well as karaoke on Tuesdays. Be warned though – if you’re interested in bingo be sure to make a reservation a month in advance. We called the day of and were informed that they had been booked up for weeks already for their bingo! Show up for their 8pm trivia at least 15 minutes beforehand to get seats.

Poolside at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs

Explore downtown Palm Springs – this is a great area to spend all times of your day. We’ve had brunch, dinner, and late night drinks (and karaoke!) in downtown. After dinner, hit up Ice Cream & Shop(pe) for their delectable ice cream flavors. We lucked out by stopping by on their Two Scoop Tuesday, which meant that all two scoops were $3.75! The shopping has also expanded since I last visited (with construction still in the works).

Delicious scoops from Ice Cream & Shop(pe) in downtown Palm Springs

Take the Tramway Up San Jacinto Mountain – this was probably the highlight of our Palm Springs trip two years ago despite being painfully unprepared for how cold it was at the top of San Jacinto. Despite the heat experienced by most of Palm Springs, there is actually still snow up at San Jacinto’s peak during springtime and the temperatures are chilling (not surprising at 10,833′ elevation!). It was pretty cool walking on snow surrounded by a desert landscape. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up the mountain starts at $29.95 per person.

Bundled up at the top of San Jacinto Mountain

Other Hikes in Palm Springs – Through our research on hikes in Palm Springs, we actually found that most of them have entrance fees. Katie’s parents did, however, point us in the direction of one of the few free hikes in the area at Araby Trail. This hike is particularly unique because it gives you a view of Bob Hope’s house, other large estates, and a great view of the town. If you’re ok with paying to hike, here is a list of recommended Palm Springs hikes.

View of Bob Hope’s house from the Araby Trail in Palm Springs (house on the left)

Shopping – In addition to the trendy boutiques and shops in downtown Palm Springs, there are two large outlet malls just outside town. On this trip we went to Desert Hills Premium Outlets for bargain deals, but if you’re into high end designers then you might want to drive a bit south to The Shops on El Paseo in Palm Desert.

View of the mountains from the Desert Hills Premium Outlets

Other Things to Do in Palm Springs

There were a few things I’d love to check off my Palm Springs list next time I’m down there! We’ll hopefully be able to stop by the following attractions in the future (and hopefully you will too!):

• Palm Springs Art Museum
• Wexler Houses (if you’re into architecture)
• RoboLights (only open during the holidays)
• Coachella Valley Preserve
• Walk along the San Andreas Fault

More Pictures of Our Palm Springs Getaway

Typical sight of joshua trees at Joshua Tree National Park

A rock I thought looked like an ape at Joshua Tree National Park

One of the many split rocks at Joshua Tree National Park

A very round rock at Joshua Tree National Park

We didn’t actually see any bees at Cholla Cactus Garden

All the teddy bear cacti at Cholla Cactus Garden

The famous pink door in Palm Springs

The popular lions guarding this door in Palm Springs

A really nice property we came across in Palm Springs

Another yellow door in Palm Springs

A delicious Easter brunch at Lulu California Bistro in downtown Palm Springs 2 years ago

One of the many “bikes” in downtown Palm Springs

The punch bowl at Bootlegger Tiki Bar in downtown Palm Springs

Nice outdoor brunch seating at Jake’s Palm Springs

A cow in downtown Palm Springs

Thoughts or questions on Palm Springs? Let us know in the comments!

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