The art scene. The music scene. The food scene. The place to see and be seen, Palm Springs is one of SoCal’s hottest of spots – whether you come for Coachella, ski season or spring’s sublime hiking trails. Make it part of a west coast road trip, or linger a little longer to really appreciate the epic landscapes, mid-century architecture and one-of-a-kind R&R in geothermal desert spas.
NATURE
Palm Springs puts outdoor adventures at your feet. It could be hiking the San Jacinto Mountains. Waterfall chasing in Tahquitz Canyon. Or seeing the desert from the slowly rotating Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Ride at dawn to witness the burnt-orange sun casting its glow over Chino Canyon. Then trek your way across the peaks, as 14,000 acres of State Park wilderness unfurl beneath you – speckled with mesquite trees, flowering cacti and bighorn sheep. The canyons around Palm Springs are the ancestral homeland of the Cahuilla Native American people and their story continues to unfold here.
CULTURE
If you have art studios, museum tours or world-famous music festivals on your radar, Palm Springs offers inspiration in every form. Get a fighter pilot’s perspective at the Palm Springs Air Museum, a fascinating insight into America’s aviation history – where warbird flights could see you going up in an original WWII plane. Experience Desert X, an extraordinary public art exhibition in the Coachella Valley. Then join locals at Village Fest, a Thursday evening mainstay on Palm Canyon Drive. Of course, stars of a different kind come out at Coachella, when the eyes of the music world turn to Indio.
LANDMARKS
There’s a definite ‘look’ to Palm Springs. One of the capitals of mid-century architecture, the well-preserved buildings here are defined by modern sleekness and simplicity of form – and a stroll around town will bring the masterpieces of this era to life. The Palm Springs Visitor Center is a great starting point, with the Kaufmann Residence an essential detour, before calling into Palm Springs Art Museum. Filled with inspiration, finish up at the Uptown Design District’s mid-century stores.
You might spot more than wildlife on Mt. San Jacinto trails. Some say you can see the bright lights of Las Vegas on a clear night
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