Palm Springs, California — Where Retro Meets Chic | To-Do List
Palm Springs is a hotbed of world-class dining, art, and entertainment but with a kitschy, retro edge.
Palm Springs, California has been a favorite vacation spot and weekend getaway for millions of travelers and residents in the Southwest since the early 20th century. It’s a California desert oasis with style. Story by M.E. Law and Rick Schettino. Please follow us for more posts like this.
Palm Springs, California is a charming little city. This wildly popular desert oasis is famous for its arid landscape, gorgeous midcentury vacation homes, golf courses, five-star restaurant scene, and a timeless, laid-back air of sophistication.
Our November visit to Palm Springs was unplanned as we escaped from uncommonly heavy rains forecast for Del Mar on the Southern California Coast.
The intense heat in the summer months tends to slow down tourism considerably in Palm Springs. However, during November when the weather is close to perfection, we witnessed a vivacious street scene with thousands of sightseers taking endless selfies in front of iconic structures.
Palm Springs, with its numerous cultural attractions, stunning natural vistas, and fascinating, and opulent history, is a treasure-trove of tourism delights.
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Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum is a cultural oasis that has been in existence since the late 1930s. The museum is home to a wide array of contemporary sculptures, paintings, and glass from the collections of Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, and Henry Moore. There is also a section dedicated to West Coast artists such as Edward Ruscha, Mark di Suvero and Sam Francis.
In addition to the fine art, the museum features desert themes encompassing Indigenous American artifacts and craftwork, a natural science display of fossils and animals, touring collections, and a vast collection of American Western art.
The grounds of the museum boast two outdoor sculpture gardens in addition to the Annenberg Theater that regularly hosts musical, theatrical, and dance productions.
This beautifully curated museum is a wonderful place to visit for both adults and children.
Admission price: Adults are $16.00, Seniors (over 65) are $14.00. Free for children under 18, active-duty military and their family, and NARM and ROAM participants. Also, enjoy free admission on Thursdays from 5:00–7:00 pm compliments of the City of Palm Springs.
Address: 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway boasts the world’s largest rotating aerial tramcars suspended from cables. Enjoy breathtaking views from this high-flying gondola ride.
This spectacular 8,500-foot climb up Chino Canyon begins in a classic 1963 station. The trip to the top affords jaw-dropping panoramas of the entire Coachella Valley.
After ascending to the peak (it takes about ten minutes) you’ll notice a refreshing, much-appreciated double-digit temperature drop!
With appetites peaked, enjoy a delicious meal in the mountaintop restaurant, then take in the mind-blowing scenery from the Mountain Station observation deck.
Another option is to hike deep into the Santa Rosa or the San Jacinto Mountains on the 50 miles of trails running through lush pine forests. Campsites are also available.
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens
A mere two miles from downtown Palm Springs you’ll discover the Living Desert Zoo and Garden. The Living Desert Zoo and Garden was founded a half-century ago with the intention of preserving the raw Sonoran desert land in the midst of burgeoning development.
This popular Palm Springs attraction is divided into both African and North American environments and is home to some very big kitties and a vast array of other mammals.
This stunning sanctuary provides an opportunity to observe the surrounding flora and fauna as well as diverse ecosystems native to various deserts from around the world.
The Zoo is home to animals from North American and Africa, including mountain lions, raptors, foxes, badgers, wolves, giraffes, coyotes, camels, hyenas, gazelles, leopards, and many other species.
Guests can experience thrilling opportunities to work side by side with zookeepers with daily giraffe and camel feedings and grooming sessions.
Nature walks and wildlife shows are also available.
Admission price: $7.00
Address: 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, California
Sunnylands Estate
The Sunnylands Estate is a spectacular 200-acre plot of irrigated lush desert in Rancho Mirage. This historical landmark was originally designed as a winter retreat for the fabulously wealthy Annenberg family. For decades, Sunnylands was a favorite destination for U.S. presidents (including President Obama) and summit meetings.
Twelve acres of the resort are now dedicated to a public garden space and a visitor center. It’s also home to a rotating collection of artwork bequeathed by the Annenberg family.
The resort also has a nine-hole golf course for those seeking physical activity. Additionally, there are daily guided tours of the Annenberg mansion. Sadly we were not able to participate in the tour as it must be booked months in advance.
This astounding piece of property is worth checking out just for its sheer beauty and historical significance and is located about 25 minutes from downtown Palm Springs. The estate is closed for the summer.
Admission price: $48 per person. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online only.
Address: 37977 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage, Ca.
The Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway
A visit to Palm Springs wouldn’t be complete with a visit to the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway. At the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway, visitors can view all things Elvis, including tons of memorabilia and costumes. The house and the grounds are the real stars of this tour, however.
This kitschy, iconic home, originally called the Las Palmas Estate, was the dream home of Robert and Helene Alexander who tragically died in a plane crash in 1967.
Elvis Presley leased the home in late 1966 as a honeymoon retreat for his soon-to-be bride, Priscilla. Rumour has it that Lisa Marie was conceived in this stunning mansion.
The mansion itself is remarkable and resembles a 60’s style spaceship! Look magazine featured the home in an article titled “House of Tomorrow” in 1962. It has been extensively covered in other publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Marie Claire, Fodors, Time, and Architectural Digest.
The uber-modern home was famous for its lack of any square angles and was constructed in four concentric circles. The gigantic living room was home to a 64-foot built-in banquette sofa and had entire walls made from rocks. A dramatic stone staircase crosses over water before reaching the front door. There are two upstairs bedrooms dedicated to his parents called “The Vernon and Gladys Suites.”
Visitors can experience daily guided tours given by Elvis and Priscilla look-alikes, as well as an annual Elvis tribute concert.
This amazing piece of real estate was recently sold for a paltry $2.6 million. Tours are still available, but it’s wise to book in advance.
You will feel an inspired intimacy with The King as you tour this over-the-top mansion.
Admission price: $35 for adults, $15 for children.
Address: 1350 Ladera Cir, Palm Springs, CA
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Do we recommend Palm Springs?
We definitely recommend a trip to Palm Springs for anyone that enjoys fine dining, fine art, and desert vistas. There are numerous sights, sounds, and events to enjoy when vacationing in Southern California and the Southwest.
It would have taken several weeks for us to experience all this magnificent city has to offer. We hope to take another trip to Palm Springs someday when we have more time to explore what this desert oasis has to offer.
Tips for traveling to Palm Springs
Always carry a sweater or light jacket in the afternoon when in Palm Springs. The reason being the sun sets behind the mount in Mid Afternoon leaving the entire downtown area in the shade. And things can cool off rather quickly in the desert.
Also, the city hosts several special events throughout the year such as music festivals, hot air balloon festivals, film festivals, and much more. If your travel dates are flexible, take a look at the city’s events calendar and plan your stay around an activity you’ll remember for a long time to come.
