A Guide to Palm Springs

Here is my long-anticipated guide for what to eat, where to stay, and what to do in Palm Springs!

We took a 5-day family trip to Palm Springs to celebrate Charles’ 50^th birthday. I came with zero expectations and left with a heart full of new memories and a soft spot for this corner of the world. While we didn’t have a chance to do everything on our list, I was lucky enough to gather feedback from hundreds of my social media community which I have summarized for you here.

How to Get to Palm Springs?

We took a short 3-hour direct flight from Vancouver to get to Palm Springs, which is our preferred route of travelling. Honestly, we’ll take any chance we can get to start our vacation at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, and this was no exception. We drove down and parked our car at which point our vacation really started. They have the comfiest rooms with views of the airplanes taking off that the kids loved, a swimming pool, beautiful gym, and a fabulous restaurant, Globe. Order anything seafood on the menu: the Chilean Seabass was incredible, as were the fish and chips. Plus, you’re literally steps from your gate. Completely stress-free travel.

What to do in Palm Springs

There are so many things to do in Palm Springs and the surrounding area. We stayed in Palm Desert (more on that below) and found that the attractions were really spread out. Here is a list of things to do in Palm Springs with extra notes on the ones we had a chance to enjoy.

Living Desert (zoo)

This came highly recommended to us as a family activity, and I see why. The boys were able to see all sorts of African and South American animals including a cheetah, rhinos, zebras and even got to feed a giraffe for $10 each. Go early as it gets hot.

If you do go to the Living Desert and have a car, you can continue up Highway 74 into the mountains to experience what is called the switchback. It is an extremely windy road which is really cool to go on and there’s a lookout point at the top that you can see the valley. If you don’t want to spend the money to go up the tram, this is a great alternative.

Boomers

We didn’t get to go here but will next time. It was a bit tacky looking, but apparently a riot for the kids. Boomers is a family fun centre of mini golf, go-carts, arcade games, batting cages, bumper boats and a rock wall.

Take a Hike

This is a round-up of the top recommended hikes to take in the Palm Springs area:

Joshua Tree
San Andreas Canyon
Indian Canyons
Ladder Canyon Hike
Painted Canyon Trail
Salvation Mountain
Taquitz Canyon Hike
Bump and Grind
Split Rock (you actually drive through a rock)

Aerial Tram

One of the most recommended things to do was the Aerial Tram. Truth? As a Canadian, I didn’t come to Palm Springs to see snow in April. I’ve put it on my list for the future. Apparently, it’s beautiful and there’s a place to grab a bite to eat at the top as well. Dress warm and wear proper shoes.

Other Things to Do in Palm Springs:

Shopping on El Paseo
Street Fair Night Market (Thursday nights)
Sunnylands
Visit the Date Farm (and try a date shake)
Marilyn Monroe Statue
Elvis Presley and Pricilla’s honeymoon house is in a cool neighbourhood even to just cruise through looking at homes!
Waterslide Park
Surf Wave Park (it wasn’t open when we went)
Rent bikes
Night golf at Indian Wells
Children’s Museum
Watch a Polo Match
Saturday morning outdoor market
Thousand Palms Oasis Reserve. A stunning and easy hike/walk for all ages of the majestic and beautiful old palms that looks like Jurassic Park.

Palm Springs Day Trips:

Lal Holla (visit the beach)
Hot Air Balloon Ride in Temecula
Red Jeep Tour of San Andreas Fault
Salton Sea Beach
Bombay Beach
Salvation Mountain
Slab City
Old Town La Quinta (20 minute drive from Palm Springs)
Cabazan Dinosaurs (and outlets)
Joshua Tree (note this is a whole day activity)

Do you Need to Rent a Car in Palm Springs?

Yes. In my humble opinion. I was surprised at how spread out everything is in Palm Springs to be honest, and having wheels was essential to having the flexibility to take it all in.

Where to Eat in Palm Springs

The list was long, and our time was way too short. We did our best but need to go back to tackle the rest!

Wilma and Frieda

Oh my WORD! One of the best breakfasts of my life. Start with the homemade cinnamon bun (or try a homemade pop tart) and don’t miss the Churro Waffles. Any of the benny’s are incredible too. Great portions, incredible service… get there early to get a spot. It’s located on the second level of a shopping complex in the heart of busy El Paseo.

The Farm

This place came highly recommended. While they are known for their brunch we went for dinner. It was quaint with live music and a rustic yet upscale vibe. We literally ordered one of everything on the menu (which changes daily). Highlights included the Potato Leek Soup, Roasted Chicken, and Short Ribs. I would come back but without kids lol.

La Quinta Cliffhouse

This place was cool – built into the rock with a waterfall tumbling down at the entrance. The drinks were incredible: I highly recommend the Pear Martini and the Peach Blossom White Cosmo. Order the Poke Firecracker Nachos for an appetizer and The Pan Roasted Chilean Sea Bass which was served with a honey-soy glaze, ginger sticky rice, baby bok choy and a curry-coconut sauce. While it looked cozy inside, be sure to request a table outside for the best experience.

Okura

The food was tasty albeit not what I would consider traditional Japanese. The Marilyn Monroe roll was delicious, and the Shrimp-Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers were dynamite.

Top Recommended Palm Springs Restaurants

Tyler’s – apparently amazing and very casual! The best burgers and shakes, and on Fridays, they make Clam Chowder.
Bills Pizza – another casual spot for pizza – I wasn’t in love with it personally but many people have raved about it.
Palmina By Puglia – authentic and delicious Italian food.
The Ritz Carlton is a fab place for a cocktail at happy hour and a really beautiful resort.
Sherman’s– a NYC-style deli that is amazing! Go earrrrly, it gets really busy or just go for a piece of cake to go!
The Nest
Purple Room (happy hour)
Shields (for a date shake)
Tropicale Palm Springs
In-n-Out Burger (as a Canadian this had to make the list)
Las Casuelas Terraza
Lulu’s (lunch)
Norma’s at The Parker (breakfast)
Birba
Mama Gina’s
Miro’s
Pacifica: lovely patio with a great view of El Paseo
Tommy Bahamas (get a Mai Tai and the Coconut Shrimp)
Elmers (breakfast)
Spencer’s
Copley’s
Eight4Nine
Il Corso
Cheeky’s (breakfast)
Armando’s (for fajitas and margaritas on the rocks) – this came highly recommended.
Guillermo’s
Jackalope Ranch
Salsa’s
Pink Cabana
Lavender Bistro (La Quinta) – higher-end French fare
Rooster and the Pig
Workshop
Billy Reeds

Where to Stay in Palm Springs

We stayed at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, and really enjoyed our time. It was very kid-centric, but has pools for all ages. If you have younger kids it would be perfect. The lazy river and the slides are really well done. Charles and I took advantage of the great gym they have and my favourite part was enjoying our morning coffee on the beautiful patio with fire tables, surrounded by a sea of colourful snapdragons.

Other recommended places to stay in Palm Springs:

Hyatt Regency: Great family hotel with a huge water park and slide.
La Quinta Resort and Club: Lots of pools, nice cottages
The Parker Hotel
The O’Donnell House at the Willow: I was told this is a hidden gem looking over the entire valley of Coachella. It sits on the mountain in behind Palm Springs. They have the most gorgeous boutique hotel that is to die for and only has a handful of rooms.

P.S. We always book a photo shoot with Flytographer for every single trip to capture our memories: you can use the code FRAICHE50 for $50 off a shoot – highly recommend.

Tell me what I’m missing below! I hope this is helpful for any of you travelling to Palm Springs!

How to Get to Palm Springs?