Palm Springs Weekend Getaway: 3-Day Itinerary
Three days in Palm Springs is the perfect amount of time to see the most iconic sights, explore the surrounding nature, and enjoy the year-round warm weather.
It’s a popular spot for a weekend getaway in Southern California with bachelorette parties, groups of friends, couples, and even families! Whether you’re looking for a party weekend or an outdoor desert adventure, Palm Springs has it all.
I’ve explored most of California throughout my lifetime of living here, but there’s truly no place like Palm Springs. The eccentric culture, mid-century modern architecture, and blazing hot weather can make a weekend in Palm Springs feel like a fever dream.
Palm Springs has a defined tourist season, with summers being the low season due to wildly high temperatures. Outside of summer, most people you come across are likely other tourists.
The full-time residents here are mostly retirees, and an estimated 50% of residents are LGBTQIA+! The friendly, welcoming community embraces everyone, as long as you’re also a kind human.
Three days in Palm Springs is just enough to enjoy the city, take a day trip, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture.
When to Visit Palm Springs
The hot desert heat turns Palm Springs into a ghost town in summer; most people visit between late fall and early spring.
Winter: The warm winters in Palm Springs attract snowbirds (people who travel from Canada and other cold areas to warm places). It’s also when the annual Film Festival and Modernism Week take place.
Tourism peaks in mid-winter, so expect more crowds and busier activities starting around January. Though rare, there is a chance of a day or two of rain each month from December through March.
Spring: As other places are just starting to defrost from winter, Palm Springs is already hot once spring rolls around, with temperatures in the high 80s and 90s°F (around 30–35ºC).
Spring is the most popular time to visit — everything is open, the weather is perfect for days by the pool, and festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach draw in millions of visitors for two weeks in April.
Summer: This is the off-season in Palm Springs, when temperatures are well over 100ºF, and the city becomes somewhat of a ghost town. Many things are closed on weekdays, including museums, restaurants, and shops. Some places even close completely from June to August or September.
If you want to brave the summer heat and escape the crowds, read my tips for visiting Palm Springs in summer before you book that trip!
Fall: The intensely hot weather continues through fall, though it starts cooling down by November. Tourists start to visit again as the weather becomes more tolerable, and visitor numbers grow, leading up to peak season in winter.
Hikes and outdoor activities are easily doable with cooler morning temperatures, and the hot mid-afternoons are ideal for poolside lounging.
Where To Stay in Palm Springs
As with most destinations, the off-season can be significantly cheaper than the high season. If you want to go for a budget trip and don’t mind braving the heat, visit in the summer.
These are a few of the most iconic places to stay in Palm Springs!
Luxury
Terra Palm Springs: Adults-only 5-star hotel with a spa, sauna, 24-hour pool, outdoor fireplace, and sun terrace. Relax in this tranquil desert escape with views of the surrounding mountains.
El Noa Noa: Adults-only boutique hotel with an adorable pink-rimmed pool, spacious suites with spa baths and kitchens, and close to downtown. This is a fun stay for couples or friends!
Mid-range
Casa Palma Hotel & Bungalows: Mediterranean-style accommodations with white plaster exterior, bright rooms, and a large pool and jacuzzi. Stay here for a luxurious desert getaway surrounded by the picturesque mountains and palm trees.
Hotel California: Is there a better name for a hotel? Hotel California is a well-known place to stay in Palm Springs with a Spanish-style facade and rustic yet modern interiors.
Budget
The Saguaro Palm Springs: This hotel is famous for its rainbow exterior and rooms that look out to the central pool. They offer a free transfer service to both downtown Palm Springs and the airport, so no need to worry about car rentals or rideshares.
The Cactai: Adults-only hotel with a terrace, garden, and outdoor pool. The rooms are bright and clean with a charming property in a peaceful neighborhood.
Inn at Palm Springs: A colorful, simple inn with free bikes to ride during your stay, a pool to cool off in, and breakfast.
What To Pack For Palm Springs
Sun protection: Do not visit Palm Springs without sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect your skin from the UV and heat. The UV is lower in the winter, but it’s still important to protect yourself at peak hours.
Electrolytes: When it’s hot, you’ll lose lots of electrolytes through your sweat. In addition to hydrating with water, it’s also important to replenish your electrolytes. I love LMNT after hard endurance (like a hike) and Liquid IV for daily electrolytes.
Fun & colorful clothes: That colorful outfit you love but feel too “loud” wearing? Palm Springs is the perfect place to wear it! You don’t have to dress up by any means, but I love to pack a suitcase full of funky, colorful, and loud clothing when I visit Palm Springs.
Swimwear/pool attire: Don’t forget a swimsuit! I also always bring a Turkish towel when I travel, despite most hotels in Palm Springs providing towels at their pools.
Hiking shoes/clothes: Bring a pair of hiking shoes if you want to explore more than just downtown Palm Springs. There are awesome trails and excursions where you’ll want a good pair of trail shoes. The New Balance women’s trail shoes are my go-tos.
3-Day Palm Springs Itinerary
Day 1: Heart of Palm Springs
Assuming you arrive in the afternoon and are ready to explore, the first day in Palm Springs will be spent exploring the heart of downtown and checking out the mid-century modern architecture that’s synonymous with Palm Springs.
Lunch at Chef Tanya’s
My absolute favorite restaurant in Palm Springs is Chef Tanya’s. It’s all completely vegan, but you would never know. Everyone loves Chef Tanya’s, whether they’re vegan or not!
Chef Tanya’s food is outstanding. Her burgers are my favorite go-to orders, but she also offers sandwiches, salads, sides, snacks, soup, and desserts. The gooey, flavorful vegan cheese is made in-house, along with the fresh tempeh and seitan.
Even if you aren’t vegan, I highly recommend having at least one of your meals in Palm Springs from Chef Tanya’s.
Relax Poolside
My top tip for visiting Palm Springs is to stay somewhere with a pool. Taking a mid-day dip is one of my favorite ways to cool off on hot days while still having a quintessential Palm Springs experience.
If you’re looking for some relaxation after lunch, head back to your hotel and enjoy the pool, lounge chairs/cabanas, and maybe a drink or two (just be sure to also stay hydrated!).
Many hotels around Palm Springs offer day passes to the pools for non-overnight guests if you want to check out the other pools or don’t have one at your accommodation.
Architecture Tour
One of the things Palm Springs is most famous for is their incredible mid-century modern architecture. Take yourself on a tour of the neighborhoods to admire the gorgeous houses.
If you have access to a bike (some hotels and airbnbs provide them to guests), these neighborhoods are fun to explore via bike. Don’t have a bike? You can rent one from Big Wheel Tours, then book the Modernism Architecture & History Bike Tour.
If you want to tour homes of famous people (like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe), you can take a Legends and Icons tour by car or a Celebrity Homes tour in a golf cart!
Palm Springs Art Museum
If you have time and enjoy art, the Palm Springs Art Museum is home to an excellent display of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts.
You don’t even have to go inside to see incredible art — the giant Marilyn Monroe statue and upside-down car are two outdoor displays that are free to visit, just in front of the museum.
It’s also an opportunity to get a break from the heat and check out some local art.
Downtown Shops & Photo Ops
Palm Springs has some incredible local shops downtown for you to peruse, in addition to larger stores like Sephora, Free People, and West Elm.
My favorite places to shop in Palm Springs:
The Shag Store for some classic Palm Springs art.
Peepa’s for amazing gifts, art, clothing, and jewelry.
Big Bud Press for incredible clothing, including their famous jumpsuits.
Windmill City Super #1 for incredible souvenirs from small businesses, like candles, clothing, and art.
There are also a couple of fun photo ops downtown:
“Wings” Mural: Collette Miller painted this mural as part of her Global Angel Wings Project, started in 2012. This beautiful wing mural in Palm Springs is easily spotted downtown at 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way.
PS ♥️U sign: Adjacent to the wings mural are large, bright red letters spelling out “PS ♥️U” standing on the pavement, with space for you to stand where the “I” would go.
Dinner at The Front Porch
The Front Porch is an intimate restaurant with delicious, healthy food made with local ingredients. I loved the Hawaiian Ahi! Their outdoor patio is a charming spot for a nice dinner.
They also offer cocktails with photos printed on them! You send them a photo of your choice, order your cocktail from their delicious drink menu, and it arrives with your photo printed on the top.
Day 2: Joshua Tree & Pioneertown
While there is a lot to see and do just in Palm Springs, the surrounding areas also have tons to offer! For your second day, take a half-day trip to visit Joshua Tree National Park (one of California’s nine national parks) and Pioneertown.
Joshua Tree Half-Day Trip
Visit Joshua Tree National Park on a half-day trip from Palm Springs. It’s just an hour away, making it an easy drive from downtown!
Joshua Tree has stunning rock formations, sprawling desert views, and otherworldly landscapes. The surrounding area offers a variety of activities and attractions, including outdoor art, cool shops, and delicious restaurants.
Explore the national park, have breakfast or lunch in Twentynine Palms, then explore the eccentric town filled with unique, outdoor art.
Read my full Palm Springs to Joshua Tree Day Trip Itinerary for all the details!
Pioneertown
On your way back to Palm Springs, make sure to stop in Pioneertown! Pioneertown is a real-life town built in 1946 for use in movies and TV shows with cowboy/western settings. Since its creation, hundreds of movies and shows have been filmed here.
Some people actually live here, so be respectful as you explore the buildings, shops, and restaurants.
Walk around, take some photos, grab a bite to eat, and head back home. You could spend a couple of hours here if you eat at the restaurant in town, but otherwise, it was about a 20-minute stop for us on the way back from Joshua Tree.
Spider Sculpture and Wind Farm
Depending on how long you spend in Joshua Tree and Pioneertown, you may still have a few daylight hours to fill when you arrive back in Palm Springs. There are a few stops along the way I recommend making before you reach downtown.
The spider sculpture is a 28-foot-tall sculpture that sits in front of an old auto shop along the desert highway heading into Palm Springs.
Robert Miner ran this now-closed auto shop from the 1970s to the 1990s, during which he created this car-spider hybrid. Though the auto shop is no longer operational, the gigantic sculpture continues to guard it.
Palm Springs has a large windmill farm where you can actually take tours! You can take a self-guided tour in your car or sit back and enjoy a guided tour on a golf cart.
You’ll see it right after you pass by the spider sculpture. If you just want to take some quick photos (that’s what I did), you can park at the train station and get a great view from the lot.
Trixie Motel
Still have more time before dinner? Check out the Barbara Bar at the fabulous Trixie Motel! This Barbie pink hotel is owned by the famous drag queen Trixie Mattel. Each room has its own maximalist theme, designed by Dani Dazey.
Even non-guests can indulge in snacks and drinks at the stunning bar until 8pm weekdays and 9pm on weekends. Make a reservation on OpenTable before you go!
Dinner in Palm Springs
Enjoy a delicious dinner in downtown Palm Springs at the popular Tropicale restaurant. Ask for outdoor seating to take in the tropical ambiance as you dine on fish tacos and sip on a delicious drink.
This place can book up in advance — I recommend making reservations to ensure you can be seated.
Day 3: Outdoor Sights, Hikes, and Adventure
Your final day in Palm Springs will be spent exploring the surrounding canyons, mountains, and hiking trails. You don’t need to be a professional hiker to enjoy the trails or visit the mountain peak!
Brunch at L’Atelier Café
Start your day with brunch (or breakfast if you’re an early riser) at L’Aterlier Café in downtown Palm Springs. It’s a lovely Parisian-style restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.
They have delicious paninis, eggs Benedict, and omelets! It’s the ideal spot if you have enough time in the morning to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.
If you’re in a rush to eat before heading out for the day, stop by one of the Koffi locations for coffee/tea and a quick bite.
Hike or Fault Tour
Your first activity for the day can either be a hike in one of the canyons or a jeep tour of the San Andreas Fault.
I love the easy two-mile round-trip hike to the waterfall at Tahquitz Canyon. It’s best to get there early on hot days since there’s not much shade along the trail. For a longer hike, head to Indian Canyon to hike one of its many trails.
The San Andreas Fault is 250 miles long, running almost the entire length of California and crossing through Palm Springs. For a more adventurous activity, take a Red Jeep Tour of the fault zone to see the unique landscape created by fault activity.
Back to the Hotel (Optional)
If you’re hot/sweaty after the hike, head back to your accommodation to shower and rest before continuing with the day’s activities.
On especially hot days, it’s good to give your body time to cool back down, rehydrate, and rest instead of pushing through. You don’t want heat stroke or dehydration to ruin your trip!
Moorten Botanical Garden
Palm Springs has a small, family-run botanical garden with an Instagram-famous succulent/cactus greenhouse. It’s not a large garden, but it has a surprising variety of desert plants.
There’s a $7 fee per adult to enter, paid at the entrance when you first walk in. Many of the plants here are cacti and other desert plants, categorized geographically in different exhibits.
It’s pretty close to Tahquitz Canyon and not far outside of downtown Palm Springs. You don’t need more than an hour or so to explore the garden.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway & Lunch
Take the aerial tramway 2.5 miles up to the peak of the San Jacinto Mountains for a unique experience!
This is one of my favorite things to do in Palm Springs since you can go from the hot desert to snowy mountains in less than 15 minutes. Temperatures at the top are often 30ºF cooler than Palm Springs; bundle up with a warm coat and shoes with socks.
Once you reach the top, enjoy lunch at the cozy lodge with aprés ski vibes. The food isn’t fancy, but it is tasty and fun to eat at the top of a mountain.
Book tickets online in advance to avoid long wait times at the station. Tickets can sell out — the earlier you book, the better. They don’t look giant from afar, but each tram holds up to 80 people! In my experience, they truly do fill up on busy days.
Downtown Palm Springs
To end your final day in Palm Springs, head downtown for a taste of the Palm Springs nightlife.
Splurge on a fancy dinner at one of the high-end restaurants downtown, like Copley’s on Palm Canyon, Workshop Kitchen & Bar, or Tac/Quila. If you’ve got an early morning departure, you can end the night after dinner.
Alternatively, check out the Agua Caliente Casino, try an escape room, get drinks at one of the bars or clubs, or just walk around and enjoy the ambiance and warm evening weather.
Planning Your Weekend in Palm Springs
I hope you have the best time in Palm Springs, experiencing all the whimsy and desert magic it has to offer! These are a few resources I recommend to help you plan and book your trip:
Booking.com for booking your accommodations.
Viator for booking your fun activities.
Show Me Your Mumu for colorful, funky outfits.
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