As all of you know by now, we absolutely adore visiting Palm Springs, so much so that we try to go at least once a year for a little vacation! It’s such a stark opposite from NYC, everything is quiet, the weather is dryer, and I don’t want to admit this one, but the people are friendlier. I always feel like my brain is on 100% of the time in the city and being in the desert calms me down a bit after stressful months.
A few years ago we made our very first guide to Palm Springs with an amazing printable map (here), and since we just got back from a much-needed vacation there, I thought that now would be a great time to update it! Since we made the first guide, we have found lots of new things, and every visit we discover even more to love. We’ve got lots of food, hotel, and activity recommendations, so let’s get started!
Wooo! If you don’t know by now, the Saguaro is my absolute favorite place to shoot in Palm Springs. It still has all the amazing rainbow walls and doors, and it now has a cool new mural by the pool too. Every part of the Saguaro is picture perfect and the tacos in the restaurant there are pretty great too.
Another standby for staying in Palm Springs, the Ace, has a cool mural that changes pretty often, and really good food options on site.
Though we have never stayed at the Parker, it is on our list of places to stay, not only because of the amazing decor and food, but also because it has an awesome garden on the grounds, and THREE different pools!
Last time we stayed in Palm Springs we used Airbnb to stay in an actual mid-century home! There are lots of great options for places to stay, from vintage air-streams, to mid mod homes! Plus the prices can be very cheap, which means more money for chips and guac!
El Jefe is the restaurant inside the Saguaro, and it is definitely one of our favorite place to eat, not just because of the convenience! It has delicious tacos and we really loved the chicken tortilla soup; it was amazing.
It’s not a trip to Palm Springs if we don’t stop at Norma’s for brunch! We love the fresh smoothies that they let you sample, and they are different everyday. If the weather isn’t too hot, you should definitely eat on the patio, and we both recommend the huevos rancheros!
Jake’s is a modern American restaurant in downtown Palm Springs, and it is super tasty. Last time we visited we had a romantic dinner here, and it was worth the 25 minute wait. It’s the perfect place to end an evening stroll around the downtown district.
King’s Highway is Kyle’s favorite place to eat in Palm Springs, because he is a huge fan of diner decor. It’s located in the Ace Hotel, and has loads of retro charm!
When I made our first guide to Palm Springs, I mentioned Birba, a cool pizza place where I had a fried egg pizza!
Another spot from the first guide, Koffi is a place famous for it’s cold brews! Although I’m not a huge coffee fan, I love matcha, and they have an amazing frozen green tea matcha drink!
Cheeky’s is a local and tourist favorite breakfast spot in Palm Springs! I haven’t been back since the first trip, but it is always packed, so that must be a good sign!
If you want to go straight to the top, the Tramway is where you should head! It’s got the largest rotating tramcar IN THE WORLD!!! and it takes you to the top of the San Jacinto State Park, which has a TON of hiking trails. Kyle really loved this, and there are some shorter nature trails close to the tram landing if you only want to do a short hiking trip.
Gypsyland has two locations in the Palm Springs area, and has tons of fun vintage clothing and decor items.
The name says it all! Iconic Atomic is a vintage store specializing in decor and items from the 1940-1960s, which means tons of mid-century modern fun!
I always make sure to check out The Frippery downtown if we’re there on a day they’re open. The shop is stocked with so many cute, retro florals. I got a beautiful 60’s floral skirt the last time we were there.
You can find so many gems here. In fact, I got the headscarf that I’m wearing for our elopement here, so it will always hold a special place in my heart!
Part of the Sunny Dunes Vintage row, and has lots of fun antique and vintage finds!
This is by far Kyle’s favorite place to visit when we go to Palm Springs, and it’s the home of two giant dinosaurs! We always take a picture on our way to Palm Springs from LA.
We haven’t had a chance to visit the Air Museum yet, but I know it’s on Kyle’s list for the next visit. If you’re big on museums or planes, then it will be a big one for you, since it’s one of the top aviation museums in the world!
This garden was originally started back in the 1930’s and is now a great place to see all the types of flowers and plants that grow in the desert! If you don’t want to hike all the way around Joshua Tree to see the sights, consider stopping here for a much shorter and more manageable desert experience!
For all the nature lovers out there, you’ll love Joshua Tree! It’s a huge national park that has lots of trails and desert stuff, plus if you are feeling lazy, you can drive the park loop road straight through the middle of it! All the desert fun, with the comfort of AC! Ha!
Phew! Talking about all the desert fun has got me feeling like we are back there! Did I mention it can get to 110 degrees there? Don’t worry, there are lots of places to stay cool, and since it’s so warm, it’s the perfect excuse to eat ice cream all day indoors. I hope you all enjoy these guides, and if there are any places you think we should visit next, or recommendations for Palm Springs we missed, let us know in the comments!
