Palm Springs has a little something for everyone, and since the weather is almost always nice (although hot in summer!), it’s a great destination for a little getaway any time of year. Just a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles and a 4-hour drive from Phoenix, this itinerary contains 4 days worth of activities, but you could easily cut out a day and make it a 3-day weekend. While summer in Palm Springs is hot, there are some options for beating the heat in this itinerary too. I’ve done Palm Springs three times – in November, March, and July – and with and without the kids. This itinerary pulls together the best of all three trips, and would be the perfect place for a girls trip too!
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DAY 1: AERIAL TRAMWAY AND HIKING MOUNT SAN JACINTO
First, where to stay? For families, I’d recommend staying at one of the larger resorts like Marriott’s Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert (20 minutes from downtown Palm Springs) or DoubleTree Golf Resort in Palm Springs. I’ve stayed at both resorts with my kids, and each have everything you’ll need to entertain the entire family. Note that many of the hotels in Palm Springs are for adults only, so be sure to check before booking. For a couple’s getaway, I’d recommend staying at one of the many boutique-style hotels downtown. My husband and I stayed at The Westcott (newly renovated), which had large rooms with small kitchens, a cozy vibe, and is in a great location for walking to restaurants downtown.
For Day 1, I’d recommend visiting the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, and taking it up San Jacinto Mountain. It’s about a 10 minute ride up 6,000 feet, and the tram slowly rotates as you ascend, so that you can fully appreciate all of the views. It’s really neat to watch the change in vegetation from desert to forest landscape as you move up the mountain. When you exit the tram near the top, you’ll immediately notice the temperature drop of 30-40 degrees (perfect for a summer visit), and you’re surrounded by large pines and possibly snow if you are there in the late fall or early spring.
There’s a lot to do at the top (technically the tram doesn’t go to the very top – you have to hike several more miles to get there); there’s a visitor’s center that has a video that describes the history of the tram and how it was originally built (pretty amazing to see), there are two restaurants, and several hiking trails to explore. The Long Valley Discovery Trail is just .75 miles and perfect for a family hike. If you’re looking to do a little more, we’ve also done the Round Valley Trail. If there is snow, be sure to ask the guides if the trails are clear to hike if you don’t have the appropriate footwear with you! The Aerial Tramway is a unique experience and a must-do in my opinion.
After a full day of exploring San Jacinto, if you still have time and energy, you could relax by the pool for a bit before cleaning up and heading to dinner. Some downtown restaurants I’d recommend are Il Giardino for scratch Italian, Trio Restaurant for a fun atmosphere and modern cuisine, or 1501 Uptown Gastropub for a cozy vibe, great drinks, and a fresh seasonal menu.
DAY 2: JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
If you’re in the Palm Springs area, making the hour drive to Joshua Tree National Park is definitely worth doing at least once. Be sure to bring snacks, water, and layers since desert temperatures can change quickly. Plan the day so that you arrive at the park late morning, and stop at the Subway outside the West entrance to the park and get sandwiches to take in to the park with you for lunch. There are no food stores or restaurants inside the park. Once inside the park, there are a number of picnic areas, scenic viewpoints, and hiking trails, so find a good spot to park and have a picnic lunch to kick off your visit!
There are a lot of options for hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty. We chose to hike Ryan Mountain, which is considered hard at 3 miles and 1,000 feet of elevation gain (I’d argue that this hike is more moderate than hard), but was fine for the family when my kids were 11 and 14. It’s a great hike and worth it for the views if you are up for it!
Joshua Trees are really intriguing…like something out of a Dr Seuss book. They are found in the deserts of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. If you find yourself in this area, it’s definitely worth a drive through the park, even if just for an hour or two to get some pictures with the Joshua Trees.
By the time you make the drive back to Palm Springs, you’ll probably be ready to relax (maybe in the hotel hot tub if it’s not too hot) after two days of hiking! This would be a good night to get some takeout from Bill’s Pizza and watch a movie in the room.
DAY 3: BREAKFAST OUT AND A ROUND OF GOLF
Assuming you had a quiet night on Day 2 and got to bed early, get up early on Day 3 and head to Cheeky’s in downtown Palm Springs for breakfast. They don’t take reservations and are typically quite busy (especially on weekends), so you’ll need to get there early and get on the waiting list. It’s worth the wait though…be sure to try their cinnamon rolls and bacon flight!
A trip to Palm Springs isn’t complete without taking in a round of golf! There are plenty of options there, but I’d recommend Cimarron Golf Resort with the kids. The Pebble Course is an executive course with plenty of short holes for golfers of all abilities, and has really beautiful views throughout.
If golf isn’t your thing, you can spend the day by the pool, or substitute with the Day 4 itinerary. Another great option that I haven’t had the chance to do yet, is to take one of the Mid-Century Architectural Tours that are offered. There are also options for self-guided tours if you want to set your own plan. I’m definitely going to do this on my next visit!
DAY 4: MORNING HIKE AND OUTLET MALL SHOPPING OR CELEBRITY TOUR
If you’re up for it, take one last hike on Day 4 in the morning after breakfast. We did the Araby Trail, which was 4 miles and 1,400 feet of elevation gain, and no joke! The views and photo ops were pretty amazing though (in the picture on the left you can see my daughter at the top of the peak), and you can get a birds-eye view of the mansion where Bob Hope once lived and entertained Hollywood Royalty back in the day. If you’re interested in celebrities and entertainment, sites like Trip Advisor, Viator, and Get Your Guide offer several options for celebrity tours like this Legends and Icons Tour or this bike tour that takes you by homes of Palm Springs’ most famous residents, including Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.
After your hike or tour and some lunch, head about 20 miles West to the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon. Don’t be scared away if you’re not a fan of outlets…this one is exceptional. It has a wide variety of “normal” brands, but also has many luxury outlets including Gucci, Balmain, Fendi, Givenchy, and more! Definitely worth a visit to see if you can find a bargain. My only recommendation is to avoid this mall during holiday shopping season…it can be a real nightmare!
Again, feel free to modify this itinerary to fit your preferences and time available. We really like the outdoors, so this one is heavy on hiking, but it can be a very relaxing and laid-back itinerary as well.
Thanks for the tip about the tramway! I had been to Palm Springs multiple times and had never even heard of it. We went today and had a wonderful time. There was quite a bit of snow even though the sun was shining and the temp was about 38. Kids were sledding, and we saw a lot of people hiking and snowshoeing. We really enjoyed learning about the tram and its development. It was a great day.
That’s so great Paula! We loved it too…it’s amazing how you go through the different climate / vegetation zones on the way up, and then it’s so fresh when you get out at the top!