There are lots of attractions and things to do in palm springs, which makes that place a popular weekend getaway with just 3 hour’s drive from San Diego and a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles. It is situated in the Sonoran Desert surrounded by four mountain ranges.
Why visit Palm Springs?
This place is famous for several things, among those things championship golf courses, mid-century modern style, the city, warm weather, fun and welcoming vibe, also the surrounding community which is known as Coachella Valley and is a famous winter destination. Also other than the swimming pools and golf resorts, there are other things to do in this place and lots of places to visit. When you are visiting this place you can choose your favourite among the activities like shopping, dining, exploring the surrounding desert and canyons and mountains.
What is special about Palm Springs?
Normally when the temperature is going down in the northern part of America, it is the tourist season for Palm Springs. Normally this happens from November to March time and when it does the place is getting crowded with tourists and snowbirds. This city is home to several Hollywood celebrities during the Palm Spring Film festival in January. Also in addition to that in February there is a week called Modernism week and in that time lots of architecture and design fans come to this place. Also, the city is getting crowded during the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals which are held in Indio a place 30 minutes away from downtown.
These are the top-rated attractions and things to do in palm springs
01. Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Mountain San Jacinto is in the Palm Springs desert and it is about 10 000 ft. high from the desert floor, the mountain top can be accessed by the scenic tramway. Also when the desserts get heated the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway provides a quick getaway from the heat of the dessert.
Palm Spring tramway has the world’s largest rotating areal team cars and it was opened in 1963. The cables are mounted on the towers on top of the mountain and the cars are suspended on those cables. When you are on the way to the bottom from the top the view is beautiful and the refreshing cool air is also better. Normally the refreshing air can be 30 – 40 degrees of Celsius which is lower than the temperature of the desert floor. And when the winter time occurs there is snow at the mountain top.
The tram will take you up on the Chino Canyon in less than 10 minutes and it is about 8500 ft. high. The top of the tramway is called the Mountain Station and it has two restaurants, an observation deck, videos of the construction of the tramway and historical displays. There is a 50-mile hiking trail that runs through the pine forests of the San Jacinto mountains national monument and Santa Rosa. In addition to that you can camp in the park area.
In Palm Springs it is fun to go swimming due to the heat of the desert and also go to the top of the mountain using the tram and play with snow within one hour’s time.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs. One Tram Way, Palm Springs, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: pstramway.com
2. Visit the Palm Springs Air Museum
This museum has a vast collection of military planes that still fly. In this place planes from Vietnam, Korean and World War 2 are displayed. It is a wonderful place to visit and most of the docents who are guiding you when you are touring around the museum are veterans. Some of them have personal connections to the aircraft they are talking about.
In this place, the aircraft is on a static display and you can get a tour inside some of the aircraft including the massive B17 bomber. Most of the aircraft are on a display in an air-conditioned hangar so it is a better place to visit in case you are looking to escape from the extreme heat around this place.
This Palm Springs Air museum is located in the Palm Springs Airport and is 10 minutes away from downtown Palm Springs. In case you are interested to go up in the sky in one of these air birds, the Palm Springs Museum offers it to them.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs. 745 North Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: palmspringsairmuseum.org
3. Take a Canyon Hike to a Waterfall
The Indian Canyon is a popular and protected nature sanctuary that has three different Canyon environments located at the south end of Palm Springs. This place is a great place for hiking and exploring the beautiful sceneries of the desert and the area is a part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation.
The Palm Canyon is a 15-mile-long one that has creeks, waterfalls and lines of palm trees. Also, this place is home to the world’s largest grove of California fan palms. In addition to that, this place is popular for hikers with ranging difficult paths for them. This Indian Canyon park has a trading post for selling Indian traditional artefacts like souvenirs, art and tribal items.
Andreas Canyon, this canyon place is famous for its birds. Also in the same place, there is the canyon called the Murray Canyon which has fewer hikers around this place and more space for wildlife to move around and get spotted by visitors. Also, there are lots of hiking trails around this park and all of these can take you to different canyons.
Tahquitz Canyon this canyon is also a protected, tribal area but is located near the indicant canyon area. In this place, there is a 60 ft. tall waterfall and there are lots of hiking trails. Also, there is a visitor centre in this place that shows hiking information, documentaries and displaying artefacts.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs.
4. Play Golf
Palm Springs and the closer cities like Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Most of the city’s facilities are available to anyone. This city is popular as a golf destination due to its clear weather throughout the year. Normally this place is crowded during the winter months for the golf courses. In the summer because the temperature is high, golf matches are organized in the morning time only.
Other than the competition while playing the golf matches you can benefit from the scenery and the dessert backdrops. When you are playing golf you can enjoy the view of the surrounding area well.
The most popular golf courses that are playable in this area include Indian wells golf resort, PGA West, Indian Canyon golf resort and Marriott’s Shadow ridge.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs.
5. Visit the Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Spring arts museum has several categories of art. Among those categories, natural history, performing art and fine art are on top. This museum is mainly focused on dessert subjects and arts since it was founded in the 1930s and then over the years its focus changed to modern contemporary art including Native American arts.
The museum has a large collection of native American artefacts and craft works in addition to the fine arts. This place has a natural science collection of fossils and animals that makes this place more attractive to families and younger generations.
There are two outdoor sculpture gardens in this museum. Most of the items in the permanent collection of this museum include photography, paintings, pottery, glass, architecture and pottery designs with a focus on American western artists and arts. In this museum, there are touring and temporary exhibitions and shows that you can access or participate in.
The museum’s large Annenberg theatre hosts several events that include dance, theatre productions and performances and music as a wide range of programs all year long.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs .101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: psmuseum.org
6. Explore the Coachella Valley Preserve
This is a protected outdoor area that spread around 13,000 acres of raw desert with landscapes that have mountains. In this place, the management of the natural environment has been carried out with the partnership of the federal state and private landowners.
The Coachella Valley preserve is a known place for a variety of wildlife that is located east of Palm Springs. There are 3 different preservation areas in this place. Among the other areas, the best one is Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve which is situated near the Palm Dessert. In this place, there are 30 miles of hiking trails.
The availability of guided hikes with volunteer docents allows the tourists an excellent knowledge of the area and gives a perfect overview of the place.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs.
The official website of this place is: coachellavalleypreserve.org
7. Moorten Botanical Gardens and Cactarium
The most popular Moorten Botanical Gardens and Cactarium are located just past downtown Palm Springs. In this place, they have a unique display of cacti and desert plants ranging from small plants to well-grown ones. Also in addition to that when springtime comes and the desert is less hard to live in and the trees are getting green, this is the ideal time for this garden to visit.
This garden is open all year long but in the cooler months, the visitors can have a free guided tour all around the garden until springtime comes.
In addition to all of the above things in the garden this Moorten Botanical garden is not just a garden it offers you to buy the plants you like during the visit.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs. 1701 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: moortenbotanicalgarden.com
8. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
50 years ago this land has preserved to separate it from outside development and now has become a world-famous zoo. Also, the zoo and the nearby Palm desert offer much knowledge to its visitors about its echo systems and all the desserts around the globe.
This zoo is home to some of the native animals to America and Africa. Such animals are coyotes, camels, foxes, wolves, mountain lions, badgers, zebras, raptors, leopards, hyenas, giraffes etc.
When you are visiting this place morning is the best time to visit because most of the animals are active in the morning. Whenever you are visiting this place you need to refer to the daily schedule they offer and go along with guided tours and other events on the zoo premises.
Among the visitors, the giraffe feeding is a highlighted event and the visitors can feed them by being in one of the feeding towers. Normally this event is on every morning in the summer and the whole day in the other months. In addition to that, you can participate and watch some of the events including the giraffes with their caretakers.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs. 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: livingdesert.org
9. Check Out the Village Fest Weekly Street Party
Every Thursday in downtown Palm Springs, there is a village fest for the visitors to enjoy with nearly 180 vendors and it is like a street party along the main street. During this, even the streets are closed to vehicles because the streets are crowded with people and booths along the streets.
In this Village Fest, you can buy crafts, jewellery, arts and other things you like and also you can have a good dining experience with the local restaurants. In addition to that you can enjoy beautiful music and other entertainment events while you are enjoying the above-mentioned things.
Normally it starts around 6 pm and it goes until 10 pm.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs.
The official website of this place is: villagefest.org
10. Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center
In Palm Springs, there are lots of mid-century modern buildings you can watch. With modernism week the city celebrates the design moment every February. From all over the world design and architectural fans come to visit this place and there are many events for them in this place. Such events are film screenings, home tours and open houses in significant structures.
If you are interested in architectural items, then the Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Center of Palm Springs is the best place for you to visit. This place is situated in a 1960 mid-century bank building and it is similar building to the others once around it and it is also a protected historic site.
This architecture design centre holds a temporary collection of architectural items and it also displays it to the public by rotating with the permanent collection it has.
This museum operates a house called the Ferry House II which is built by Albert Ferry for his family and this can be visited with only docent-led tours.
According to the above details, this place is one of the top-rated attractions and things to do in Palm Springs. 300 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California is the address of this place in case you want to visit this place in the future.
The official website of this place is: psmuseum.org/architecture-design-center
Frequently Asked Questions
What do people go to Palm Springs for?
Mainly this popular town is famous for its goals courses, hotels and restaurants and warm climate. Also, this is a home place for most Hollywood stars.
How many days should you stay in Palm Springs?
It depends on how much you want to explore this place. But typically any visitor might need four days of staying in this place to visit all the major tourist attractions.
What is the nicest area in Palm Springs?
Among the other places, downtown is the best place to be. Because there are lots of things you can explore and enjoy in this place.
How far is Disney from Palm Springs?
The distance from Palm Springs to Disneyland is about 100 miles. Normally on a weekday, it takes 2 hours for you to drive. But at the weekends it may change with the traffic.