Palm Springs Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Palm Springs
Palm Springs showing landscape views and a park
Palm Springs which includes a house, landscape views and fishing
Palm Springs showing landscape views, a lake or waterhole and mountains
Palm Springs

Once a swinging spot for Hollywood’s celebrities, today this Southern California city welcomes holiday makers from across the country to enjoy its warm weather.

Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra and others are perennially remembered in Palm Springs with streets bearing their names. Soon after World War II the city offered a luxurious getaway for an interesting mix of Hollywood celebrities and top politicians. Enjoy your own holiday getaway at today’s Palm Springs with golf and poolside relaxation at lavish resorts.

In one of the world’s most concentrated golf locations, select from more than 120 courses in and around Palm Springs. Get early morning tee times to beat the heat. Then gather floats or frosty drinks to cool off at the pool at your accommodation.

The area experiences very warm and dry conditions, making multiple daily trips to resort swimming pools common for visitors. For another cooling experience, ride on the rotating Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to enjoy views over the valley, noting green areas of civilisation amid the brown rocky topography. At the 8,516-foot (2,596-metre) summit, have lunch or hike on the 50 miles (80 kilometres) of trails through Mt. San Jacinto State Park. Temperatures here are much cooler than in the valley.

Hike or climb winding roads into the San Jacinto Mountains to look down at the oases of the city and see snow-capped mountains in the distance. The Indian Canyons feature additional vegetation varieties and artefacts from early Cahuilla people.

Come to Palm Springs in April for food, art and a range of musical acts at the Coachella festival in nearby Indio. Drive into Joshua Tree National Park to see the unusual spiky trees and nearly 750 other plant varieties growing in the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert.

Drive about 2 hours east from Los Angeles International Airport to reach Palm Springs or fly to the city’s small international airport. Stop at the Palm Springs Air Museum next to the airport to see numerous aircraft from World War II and beyond. Several miles west, the Palm Springs Art Museum features modern and contemporary artworks including Chihuly glass.

Where to stay in Palm Springs

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Downtown Palm Springs

4.5/5(38 area reviews)

Downtown Palm Springs is known for its popular shops, and with sights like Plaza Theatre and Agua Caliente Casino, you won't get bored spending a day wandering around this part of Palm Springs.

Downtown Palm Springs
Palm Springs featuring wild flowers

Baristo

3/5(1 area review)

While visiting Baristo, you might make a stop by sights like Plaza Theatre and Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center.

Baristo
Palm Springs featuring wild flowers

Midtown

If you're spending some time in Midtown, Agua Caliente Casino and The Spa at Se-che are top sights worth seeing.

Midtown
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Tahquitz River Estates

4.5/5(5 area reviews)

Though Tahquitz River Estates may not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium and Tahquitz Canyon.

Tahquitz River Estates
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Uptown Design District

4.5/5(12 area reviews)

Uptown Design District is known for its ample dining options, and you can make a stop by Las Palmas and San Jacinto Mountains while in the area.

Uptown Design District
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Warm Sands

When in Warm Sands, you can plan a visit to Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Plaza Theatre, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

Warm Sands
Palm Mountain Resort and Spa

Palm Mountain Resort and Spa

3 out of 5
155 S Belardo Road Palm Springs CA
Stay at this hotel in Palm Springs. Enjoy a fitness centre, on-site spa services and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,524 reviews)
Nice place. No breakfast/dining options a bit tough - plenty in surrounding neighborhood, but nice to have something on site.

Reviewed on 9 Jan 2026

Palm Mountain Resort and Spa
The Dunes Hotel

The Dunes Hotel

2.5 out of 5
390 S Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs CA
The price is ฿4,574 per night from 11 Jan to 12 Jan
฿4,574
฿5,237 total
11 Jan - 12 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Palm Springs. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,195 reviews)
The room was clean and well equipped, but was a bit small. Facilities on site were good with a nice pool, gym and gardens. Staff were friendly and helpful. Great location in downtown within easy walking distance of the main shopping area and a supermarket over the road.

Reviewed on 7 Jan 2026

The Dunes Hotel
Riviera Resort Palm Springs

Riviera Resort Palm Springs

4 out of 5
1600 N Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA
The price is ฿3,440 per night from 11 Jan to 12 Jan
฿3,440
฿5,300 total
11 Jan - 12 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa resort in Palm Springs. Enjoy 2 outdoor pools, a full-service spa and 2 restaurants. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their ...
7.6/10 Good! (334 reviews)
Great

Reviewed on 6 Jan 2026

Riviera Resort Palm Springs
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
7 Springs Inn & Suites

7 Springs Inn & Suites

2.5 out of 5
950 N Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs CA
Stay at this aparthotel in Palm Springs. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and 2 hot tubs. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (3,907 reviews)
It was nice

Reviewed on 4 Jan 2026

7 Springs Inn & Suites
Palm Springs Tennis Club

Palm Springs Tennis Club

3.5 out of 5
701 W Baristo Rd Palm Springs CA
Stay at this condo in Palm Springs. Enjoy free parking, 3 outdoor pools and 5 hot tubs. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9/10 Wonderful! (493 reviews)
Loved the area. beautiful setting against the mountains. Would have liked some shower gel instead of the bar soap that not only leaves a sticky residue, but is so wasteful for those only staying a few nights. Would advise to get the refillable dispensers most hotels have for body wash, shampoo, conditioner, ...

Reviewed on 3 Jan 2026

Palm Springs Tennis Club
The Cole

The Cole

3.5 out of 5
2323 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs CA
Stay at this aparthotel in Palm Springs. Enjoy parking (surcharge), concierge services and pillowtop beds. Popular attractions Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (317 reviews)
The room was pretty nice. Everything worked, including the sizeable that had Netflix and Prime. Shower was fully stocked with nice shampoos and toiletries. Only thing which was a little weird was there felt like, beyond the restaurant, there wasn’t anybody on staff at the hotel, but, to be fair, ...

Reviewed on 27 Dec 2025

The Cole
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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