Top 10 things to do in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram car and it ferries you up from the desert floor to the top of Mt San Jacinto for a bird’s eye view over the Coachella Valley.

The ten minute trip is inside sealed tram cars which rotate slowly, offering picturesque views of the valley floor below. Once you reach the Mountain Station — elevation 8,516 feet— enjoy two restaurants, observation decks, natural history museum, two theaters, a gift shop and over 50 miles of hiking trails.

Dine at the Peaks Restaurant for fine cuisine, get a snack at Pines Cafe or have a cocktail at the Lookout Lounge.

See Modernist homes & famous midcentury architecture

Want to see one of TWO Elvis homes? Modern Tours Palm Springs has you covered.

The desert modern architecture is one of the draws here, and it’s even got it’s own annual event – Modernism Week. It’s easy enough to see the homes and modernist buildings on your own by taking a self-guided driving tour in your own car. Modern Tours Palm Springs is one of the best do-it-yourself tour options around; whether you want to see Bob Hope’s house, Leonardo DiCaprio’s house or architectural icons like Edris House, Kaufmann House and more.

Whatever you want to see, modernism is definitely one of the Top 10 things to do in Palm Springs.

The Living Desert

About 20 minutes east of the city of Palm Springs is Palm Desert where you’ll find the Living Desert. Part botanical gardens, part zoo, this unique attraction is great for both adults and kids. Stroll the grounds and enjoy the plants, flowers, and cacti. Watch the desert animals and be sure to check the schedule at the gate for feeding times, and to see what’s on at the wildlife rehabilitation hospital. You might catch the veterinarians tending to a tiger with a toothache, a tortoise with a paw problem or just an annual checkup on previous patient.

El Paseo shopping district

During your visit to Palm Desert make time for El Paseo, the main shopping and commercial district in Palm Desert. It’s lined with high end designer stores from Vuitton to Tiffany but there’s also plenty for the budget shopper too. Walk the wide boulevard and find your way to Tommy Bahama where you’ll want to order a few appetizers and share them like tapas. The food is absolutely delicious and the service is impeccable. Plus the outdoor patio on the second storey lets you enjoy people watching and views.

Modern art at the Palm Springs Art Museum

Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert

With full bellies, it’s a nice 15-20 minute walk down El Paseo to the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert. Thanks to a donor, admission here is free, and the ever-changing art collection is interesting and fun. Don’t miss the sculpture garden out back with the cooling shade of palm trees and a waterfall. The collection is much different than the museum in Palm Springs, and the garden is a nice extra.

Palm Springs Art Museum

By some museum standards this one may be small, but there’s actually lots to see here. With exhibits ranging from modernism, to Native American, painting to sculpture and modern art too, there’s a great and surprising variety of art.

Located steps off the main road in downtown Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Art Museum‘s collection is loaned or donated by the area’s well-off residents. The museum’s collection rivals urban metropolitan museums, and includes works from Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Ansel Adams.

Desert Hills Premium Outlets

About 20 minutes west of Palm Springs is the Desert Hills Premium Outlets. For many visitors the amazing shopping experience here is definitely in the Top 10 Things to do in Palm Springs.

From experience I can say that spending 4-6 hours here is not unreasonable. There’s just so many stores. Pick a friend who’s as into shopping as you are and plan to spend at least half a day hopping from shop to shop. There’s a wealth of choice, and a whole section of premium luxury brands.

If vintage shopping is more your speed, read this guide to vintage shopping in Palm Springs.

 Coachella Valley Preserve /Thousand Palm Oasis

Thousand Palms Oasis

Tucked out in the desert north of Highway 10, this large grove of palm trees has cropped up around a watering hole that’s gurgled to the surface thanks to the San Andreas Fault.  Towering palm trees encircle the water, and while the ground is swampy in some places, boardwalks and pathways will lead you safely through.

The oasis is definitely a must-see in our Top 10 things to do in Palm Springs, and it’s an ideal visit on a hot sunny day, as the palm trees provide shade from the scorching desert heat.

In several places, the palms part to reveal vast expanses of desert sand. You’ll feel like Lawrence of Arabia traversing the Sahara in this gorgeous oasis which is free to visit. A small visitor center displays old photographs and artifacts, as well as some history of this place.

The oasis is about a 20-25 minute drive from Palm Springs. You can plan an hour-long visit just to see the oasis itself, or stay a little longer, and hike one of the numerous trails through the area.

Joshua Tree Park

This world famous park is known for its intense concentration of Joshua trees; which are found only in a few locales in the world; all of them in the  continental USA.

The Joshua tree looks like a cactus, a deciduous tree and some type of dead wood all merged into one outlandish plant.

There are a few ways to see the park. Stop at one of the visitor centers on either the north or south end and grab a map, then drive yourself. You can also ditch the car and hike or bike to any number of cool viewpoints, natural wonders, or even out to one of several abandoned mine sites.

Some of our personal favorite things to see in the park are Skull Rock. As the name suggests is a giant skull shaped rock formation that makes for excellent photos.  The Cholla Cactus Garden is an amazing (and short) quarter mile loop that will take you through a menacingly spiny field of cacti. Keys View is worth the drive to get a glimpse of the break in the earth known as the San Andreas fault line. On a very clear day, you might be able to see Mexico.

Another fun way to experience the park is with a guided small group hike. Read more about that here.

Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Canyon Drive is the ‘main drag’ in Palm Springs. Loaded with shops, restaurants and services, it’s a great place to stroll, shop and find a meal.

The area between E Vista Chino and Alejo is known as the Design District, and here you’ll find all kinds of furniture and designer shops, all with a mod twist.

South of Alejo down to Ramon is where the bulk of the action is.

Coachella Music Festival – Empire Polo Club, Indio

It’s the sight of the world famous Coachella Music Festival, and truth be told, there’s not much to see at the Empire Polo Club in Indio if the concert is not on. Unless of course there’s polo happening. You can see the massive site if you want to, though it’s probably better to come when the festival is on. There is a really great restaurant on site that’s open year round if you’re out this way.

MORE fun ideas?

There are so many more amazing sights in Palm Springs. If you have something you think we should add to this list, or otherwise share with visitors, let us know in comments below. You can also check out Redfin’s roundup of the Top Activities in Palm Springs, which we are featured in. Redfin shares 16 fun-filled activities that showcase the unique charm and diverse offerings of this desert jewel. So whether you want to rent an apartment in Palm Springs, CA, or purchase a home in the area, get ready to indulge in relaxation, adventure, and the sheer joy of the Palm Springs lifestyle.

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We’re part way down Boy Scout Trail in Joshua Tree National Park on an 8 mile or 13 kilometer trek across the desert. The ancient Joshua trees speckle the horizon and provide an otherworldly backdrop for our outing today.

While I’ve explored the Palm Springs area plenty, and even driven ‘J-Tree,’ as it’s also known, this trip is different; I’m on foot for a longer-than-normal distance, and there’s a guide showing us the way.

Palm Springs is a destination rich with culture, arts and amazing outdoor experiences. But this one is a new one for me.  I’ve contracted the services of Stout Adventure to guide us through the desert, since I’ve never hiked in this kind of extreme environment and am unfamiliar with the route, terrain, and what to expect, and I don’t want to end up like Aron Ralston.

Advantages of hiking with a guide

I’ve never considered a hiking guide before but there are numerous advantages; you get someone who knows where they’re going, meaning no wasted time from wrong turns. You get a buddy if you might be inclined to go it alone (safety in numbers). You also get local knowledge about flora, fauna and history, which makes the journey that much more interesting.

On this November morning, we meet Matt from Stout Adventure at the Palm Springs Visitor Centre and caravan the 70 minutes to Joshua Tree National Park. We begin our walk at the Boy Scout trailhead and are out in the desert in a matter of steps.

Matt has been guiding hikers for a long time, but he’s also trained in first aid and search and rescue and has attended numerous calls to help stranded or injured hikers, so I feel pretty safe venturing onto unfamiliar territory.

Matt’s warned us to bring lots of water and dress appropriately for the daytime heat. We’ll be camping the night in the Indian Cove campground, and we’ve been able to park a car with that gear and leave it at the site, near where we’ll end our trek.

As we strike out into the desert, the November heat is strong but manageable. The trail is quite hard-packed, but in places it’s swept with softer sand and can be challenging to slosh through. The trail Matt’s chosen for us is relatively flat and easy for most of its eight mile duration.

Starting at Keys West means we’re heading north with the sun at our backs, but it also means a major elevation change we’ll find closer to Indian Cove has us going downhill rather than climbing.

Learning the desert landscape

The desert landscape is awe-inspiring.  Joshua trees are everywhere, but there are also Mojave Yucca which are similar looking but with longer, flatter knife-like leaves.  Also here are many different types of cacti that I’ve never seen in person before. Matt knows about all the flora here and tells us the names of the plants and what they’re used for.

A few interesting ones we saw were the creosote bush and Cheesebush, both of which have strong odours (yes, Cheesebush makes your hands smell like strong cheese if you touch it).

We also spot lizards and rodents and Matt identifies numerous burrow holes belonging to other creatures in the desert floor.  It’s a fascinating walk, and it makes the time fly by.

Spotting ancient civilizations

Near the halfway point of Boy Scout Trail, we come to what looks like large terraces. Nearby, an old concrete trough is crumbling. Matt tells us this was likely an old homestead or cowboy outpost to water livestock, where water was collected as it flowed through the canyon during sudden storms. The history of this area is fascinating; from explorers to miners, cowboys and native Indians, many cultures and people have been through this part of the Coachella Valley. Indeed Matt tells us one can often find pottery shards or arrowheads or other artifacts abandoned along the desert sand. While it’s forbidden to remove them from the park, they make fascinating props for a hiking adventure.

Photo ops galore in the desert

The hike has numerous photo opportunities too, from bulbous rock piles, to gnarled dead trees frozen in place, their leaves long turned to dust.

Not long after passing the old trough, we begin to descend, and as we come out from a wide canyon, we reach an outcropping that gives us a spectacular view of the park and shows us exactly how high up we are here at the top of the trail. The descent is relatively easy but loose rocks and a sandy base mean care must be taken to keep our footing. After about 45 minutes of descent, we’re again on a flat, sandy trail, leaving the mountain behind us.

Camping at Indian Cove in Joshua Tree

By the time we reach our campsite at Indian Cove, we’re ready for some rest. Matt’s recommended a perfect campsite in among the giant boulders and it feels very Dr Seussian, or like we’re in an old episode of the Flintstones.

While we are experienced campers, others who are looking to try camping for the first time might find Matt’s services helpful too. He teaches camping, hiking and outdoor basics to neophytes and can even help get visitors geared up temporarily.

While Joshua Tree National Park is a great place to explore and learn, Matt can recommend other hikes much closer to his home base of Palm Springs, like Indian Canyons.

As the sun begins to set on Joshua Tree Park, we enjoy the warm desert air sitting beside a campfire, watching the fire cast colours onto the rocks, and begin planning our next trek into the amazing desert landscape that surrounds Palm Springs.

You can find out more about how you can have a desert adventure like we did by contacting Stout Adventure .

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Thousand Palms Oasis

I’ve been coming to Palm Springs for nearly 20 years, and it’s only just recently I’ve visited Thousand Palms Oasis for the first time. Tucked out in the desert north of Highway 10, this large grove of palm trees has cropped up around a watering hole that’s gurgled to the surface thanks to the San Andreas Fault.  Towering palm trees encircle the water, and while the ground is swampy in some places, boardwalks and pathways will lead you safely through. The oasis is an ideal visit on a hot sunny day, as the palm trees provide shade from the scorching desert heat. In several places, the palms part to reveal vast expanses of desert sand. You’ll feel like Lawrence of Arabia traversing the Sahara in this gorgeous oasis which is free to visit. (Donations welcome)
A small visitor center displays old photographs and artifacts, as well as some history of this place.
The oasis is about a 20-25 minute drive from Palm Springs. You can either plan an hour-long visit just to see the oasis itself, or stay a little longer, and hike one of the numerous trails through the area.

Joshua Tree Park

This world famous park is known for its intense concentration of Joshua trees; which are found only in a few locales in the world; all of them in the  continental USA.
The Joshua tree looks like a cactus, a deciduous tree and some type of dead wood all merged into one outlandish plant.
There are a few ways to see the park. Stop at one of the visitor centres on either the north or south end and grab a map, then drive yourself. You can also ditch the car and hike or bike to any number of cool viewpoints, natural wonders, or even out to one of several abandoned mine sites.
While you could get in and out of the park in just a few hours, do yourself a favor, pack a lunch and some cold drinks, and plan to spend the day here. There are no amenities in the park, so coming prepared will help you enjoy your visit.

Some of my personal favorite things to see in the park are Skull Rock, which as the name suggests is a giant skull shaped rock formation that makes for excellent photos.  The Cholla Cactus Garden is an amazing (and short) quarter mile loop that will take you through a menacingly spiny field of cacti. Signs warn not to touch these sharp little plants, and you’ll want to avoid temptation. If you’re heading south along this road, keep going and have a look at the weirdly otherworldly Ocotillo Patch.

Keys View is worth the drive to get a glimpse of the break in the earth known as the San Andreas fault line. Also, on a very clear day, you might be able to see Mexico.

Taquitz Canyon/Taquitz Falls

The unexpected beauty of a waterfall in the middle of the desert is a novelty not lost on many. While getting to the canyon and the falls does require paying an admission fee of $12.50, the stark desert landscapes and craggy rock cliffs make for stunning photos and beautiful views.

The park is owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and you’ll find yourself learning about the native history and unique legends of this area while you’re here. There’s very little shade in the park, so come prepared with water and a hat.

Mt San Jacinto State Park

The peak of the second highest mountain range in California towers more than 10,000 feet above sea level. One of the easiest ways to visit Mount San Jacinto is to take the Palm Springs aerial tram to the top of the mountain, where you can either enjoy dinner, or just sip cocktails and marvel at the sunset views. Of course, a ride in the rotating tram car, which clambers 6000 feet into the sky on massive steel cables is all part of this park’s unique experience and one not to be missed.
Hiking is also popular from the top of the mountain.  You can take in the craggy granite rocks, or sub alpine forests and meadows via one of the trails once you get to the top. But be warned, winter weather is quite common up this high and it can be cold and snowy compared to the scorching temperatures on the desert floor far below.

 I’ve recently begun blogging for the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. It’s a place I can share my love of all things Palm Springs. This month I posted about some amazing Natural Wonders in the Palm Springs area. Click here for some of my other blog about Palm Springs, like the Best Gardens to Visit in Palm Springs, How to live large in a cool modern hotel lobby bar, and How to live it up in Palm Springs with a low Canadian dollar.

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