A Local's Guide to Palm Springs Exploring Palm Springs (and Coachella Valley)

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  • Palm Springs

  • Active Travel

  • California

  • City Travel

  • Outdoors

  • Sightseeing

  • Entertainment

Sunset view in Palm Springs with palm trees
Fora’s Take

Set at the foot of several mountain ranges, this modern and vibrant city is just a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. Palm Springs and Coachella Valley have always felt like a welcome oasis to generations including Old Hollywood. In addition to Palm Springs, other cities in the area include Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs. Sometimes referred to collectively as the Coachella Valley, The California Desert or The Palm Springs Metro area. Let's explore.

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Where to stay in Palm Springs

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Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel

Sleek property in downtown Palm Springs with chic rooms that offer views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

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  • $50 hotel credit.

  • Welcome amenities.

  • Breakfast daily.

  • Upgrade & late check-out whenever possible.

The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

Experience luxury and desert serenity at The Ritz-Carlton, where upscale accommodations, breathtaking mountain views, and world-class amenities create an exceptional stay in Rancho Mirage, California.

Fora Perks
  • $100 food / beverage credit.

  • Breakfast daily.

  • Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Sparrows Lodge

Once a popular resort getaway for the Hollywood elite, Sparrows Lodge is Palm Springs’ only ranch-style boutique hotel and has been beautifully restored with a modern rustic vibe.

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Things to do in Palm Springs

golf course with mountain range

Palm Springs manages to have both a relaxed and yet glamorous vibe that is completely restful and in a rush for no one. It’s about days playing in the sun and quiet evenings with good food and sound desert sleeps. Its known for its fabulous weather, hot springs, stylish hotels, abundant golf courses, tennis courts, spas and midcentury-modern architecture. Film and music festivals, tennis tournament, wellness retreats and so much more, like its core shopping district along Palm Canyon Drive, featuring vintage boutiques, interior design shops and restaurants. The surrounding Coachella Valley offers hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. Also just 45 miles from Joshua Tree National Park or Pioneertown and 1 hour from the mountain town of Idyllwild. Palm Springs has wonderful regular markets and events - Thursday Night Markets, PS Vintage Market, PS Farmers Markets, Vintage Car Shows, PS Film Festival and more. It also boasts wonderful vintage shopping and art museums - Iike the Palm Springs Art Museum - obviously the Coachella Music Festival, the Indian Wells Open / BNP Paribas Open, Modernism Week and has the Agua Caliente Casinos in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage or Cathedral City. Palm Desert also has a regular street fair and farmers market.

Day Trips

  • Joshua Tree National Park

  • Pioneertown

Places to eat & drink in Palm Springs

Burgers and other food on a table in Palm Springs, California.

Breakfast

These are all good options, but there are endless options for breakfast and a lot of good coffee shops (Ernest Coffee, Cartel Coffee, Café La Jefa and Koffi - many that brew the local Joshua Tree Coffee Company goods). Good classic diner breakfasts at Sherman’s or Kings Highway at Ace hotels too, and fantastic pastries at French-owned Peninsula Pastries or bagels at Townie Bagels.

Lunch/Dinner

There are so many tasty Mexican food choices around too, depending on what you are looking for. Also, if you love the burgers at Tyler’s but it’s just open for lunch, and for all things healthy, check out Palm Greens Cafe.

Happy Hour

This list is long, but we do enjoy Bootlegger Tiki a lot. Other good options include:

Snacks

Grab an açai bowl or green juice at Fruit Wonders or Açai Oasis. Date Shakes are also popular in these parts and there are local date farms with goods for sale.

Need to Know

For more travel tips, check out Fora Advisor Dan Howarth’s guide, Things to Do in Palm Springs: Mid-Century Heaven.

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This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to California.