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I've lived in California for most of my life and I finally made it to Palm Springs earlier this year. I checked out some of the hot restaurants, fun activities and stayed at a fabulous air bnb. I'm excited to dive into my Palm Springs travel guide.
Palm Springs Travel Guide
WHERE TO STAY
Joe and I opted for an air bnb at La Quinta. We wanted something reasonably priced that wasn't party central. This was our second time ever staying in an air bnb and it was a great experience. The unit is on the La Quinta property, however, it's away from the main drag. It's in a neighborhood with other vacation homes and permanent residents. It was convenient to have our own little studio because we had a small kitchenette and close by parking. This community is much quieter than the main area on the property, however, we could still walk over to the restaurants and pools. It is about a 15 minute walk.
There were several pools right by the studio so we didn't feel the need to spend every second at the resort. In fact, our little studio was right next to a pool and hot tub. It was busy during the day but manageable (we were still able to get lounge chairs and relax).
WHAT TO DO
Lounge By The Pool
There are so many things to do in Palm Springs. We only spent a couple days there and stayed all the way out in La Quinta so I don't have a ton to share here. We spent our first full day exploring the La Quinta Resort and enjoying the pools. We started with brunch at Twenty6, which is a casual American restaurant on the property. They offer a brunch buffet and a la carte menu. After that we spent the day wondering around the property, lounging by the pool and had dinner at
Adobe Grill (right next to Twenty6).
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
On our second full day, we explored Palm Springs. Our main attraction was the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance online, however, you can also purchase them in person, even if tickets are sold out online. Note: you'll also need to pay for parking, which you can do upon arrival. The rangers directed us where to park then we took a shuttle to the base of the tramway. I believe we had to wait for an hour or so to take the tram (we purchased tickets onsite).
Taking the tram was absolutely worth the wait. The views are stunning. Once you reach the top, you can venture outside to do snow activities. We didn't exactly dress accordingly because we'd picked this activity relatively last minute. Even though it was 80F that day, we saw people in full ski/winter outfits and it probably served them well at the top. At least it felt that way when I quickly went outside (in a t-shirt!) to take some photos.
Since we weren't prepared to spend much time outside, we sipped cocktails at the bar and enjoyed the views. I believe they also have a restaurant but that definitely required a reservation. Once we had our fill, we took the tram back down. The ride down was even more enjoyable. Beautiful views and fun music blasting. Everyone sang along to Sweet Caroline.
Downtown Palm Springs
Palm Springs has a cute downtown. There are tons of shops and restaurants. We found the local boutiques so we could pick up souveniors. There are some fun photo opts as well, such as the Marilyn Monroe statue (pictured above) and the Desert Glow installation in front of Sephora. We spent an hour or so roaming the area while we waited for our dinner reservation.
WHERE TO EAT
Prior to visiting Palm Springs, I did a lot of research on restaurants. I want to give a lot of credit to this Palm Springs video from California Through My Lens. I found out about the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and several restaurant recommendations through Josh, who runs the YouTube channel and website.
BRUNCH
- Cheeky's: This is such a fun spot. So many people recommended this spot and I'm glad we checked it out. We wanted to try their world famous bacon and it didn't disappoint.
- King's Highway: We stopped here on the way out of town. It was easy to get a table and the food and service were good.
- Twenty6: We decided to try this spot last minute and I'm so glad we did. We had no idea they offer a brunch buffet (I have a strong preference for buffets). There were plenty of options and they have an a la carte menu as well. I'd definitely go back.
Other Recommendations (spots we want to try):
- Bluebird days (coffee)
- Elmer's
- Norma's
- The Tropicale
- Wilma & Frieda's
- 4 Saints (drinks with views)
DINNER
- Adobe Grill: This was another last minute reservation. Honestly we didn't feel like leaving the property for dinner after spending the day at the pool. The drinks and food were good, however, the service was a bit slow. I think they either overcommitted or were short staffed. For how slow it was, I'm not sure if it was worth the price, however, the food and (especially) the drinks were delicious.
- Morgan's in the Desert: This is another restaurant at La Quinta Resort. We visited on our first night. If you're looking for the perfect spot for a special occasion, this is a great option.
- Sandfish: This was our best meal in Palm Springs! The sushi was phenomenal. The drinks were delicious. We also had outstanding service. I highly recommend this restaurant and hope to visit again in the future. Note: this place is packed so make sure to get a reservation well in advance.
- Dessert: Great Shakes (epic shakes!)
Other Recommendations (spots we want to try):
And that wraps it up! I hope this gives you some ideas if you're planning to visit Palm Springs. Our trip was way too short and I'm really looking forward going back. Hopefully next year! If you check out any of these recommendations, please let me know. I hope you enjoyed my Palm Springs travel guide!
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