Beyond golf: 25 unique activities in Palm Springs
The golf scene in Palm Springs may be on par with the world’s best, but this California gem offers so much more. Discover our favorite activities in Palm Springs and the surrounding areas, where relaxation and adventure meet. Nature and scenery Among the more popular things to do in Palm Springs, the aerial tramway gives you a chance to beat the heat. Take a scenic 10-minute ride in a rotating tram car up to Mt. San Jacinto State Park and enjoy the cooler mountain air and stunning views from over 8,000 feet above Coachella Valley. At only one acre, it may be small, but the Moorten Botanical Garden is mighty. This private arboretum and popular Palm Springs event venue boasts an ever-changing landscape with over 3,000 different plants native to the desert. Located on the Cahuilla Indian Reservation, Tahquitz Canyon and Indian Canyons have beautifully maintained hiking trails, including a two-mile loop that leads to a magical 60-foot waterfall. Fifteen acres of public gardens await you at Sunnylands Estate, the site of several presidential summits. Tour the lush gardens, sprawling mansion and seasonal exhibits for a tranquil and enriching experience. With rare wildlife, native plants and several palm oases, Coachella Valley Preserve is a pristine 20,000-acre wilderness ideal for hiking, horseback riding and birdwatching. About an hour outside of Palm Springs is Joshua Tree with its unique desert ecosystems, massive rock formations, vast desert landscapes and its quirky namesake trees. Spend the day hiking, rock climbing, or simply strolling through scenic desert gardens. Art, architecture and fashion Designed as a gas station in 1965, this space-age building has been repurposed as the landmark Palm Springs Visitors Center, and it’s worth visiting for the architecture alone. If you’re in the market for something unique or couture, the shops and galleries along the palm-lined Palm Canyon Drive provide a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Stop by on a Thursday to enjoy VillageFest, a lively outdoor street fair. The Palm Springs Art Museum features contemporary artwork, paintings and sculpture centered around the many layers of desert culture, including Indigenous Americans and the American West. Home to several Mid-Century Modern architectural gems, the Historic Tennis Club and Old Las Palmas neighborhoods of Palm Springs are rich in design history. Plan your own tour to check out the Palm Springs Tennis Club, the Del Marcos Hotel and Elvis’s Honeymoon Hideaway, or schedule a guided tour to hit all the Palm Springs architecture highlights. With a focus on conservation and ecological responsibility, the nonprofit Living Desert Zoo & Gardens is home to over 500 animals representing more than 150 species. Be sure to stop by the giraffe enclosure to hand feed these magnificent animals. Rated as one of the best in the world, the Palm Springs Air Museum not only offers visitors an up-close look at decommissioned aircraft, but also wheels-up flights in several historic planes, including the T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer and PT-17 Stearman. If you’ve ever spotted those giant white turbines towering above the desert and wondered how they work, you’ll find the answer at a Palm Springs Windmill Tour. The private wind farms in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley offer both self-driving tours and bring-your-own-bike tours. Be sure to add the iconic roadside Cabazon Dinosaurs to your list of things to do in Palm Springs. Dinny, a brontosaurus replica, and Mr. Rex, a tyrannosaurus rex, can be seen from Interstate 10, and their prehistoric attractions include a gift shop, fossil dig and a museum with a unique take on Earth’s natural history. Brought in from Africa and the Middle East in the 1800s, dates have since become the main crop of this desert region. The sweet, dried fruit is blended with ice cream and made into a milkshake. You can find these sweet treats at almost every ice cream shop in the area. You’ll feel like you’ve crossed the state border when you enter the Las Vegas-esque 24-hour Agua Caliente Casino. When you need a break from flirting with Lady Luck, enjoy live entertainment and cocktails at the Cascade Lounge. If you have an adventurous spirit and a penchant for puzzles, Escape Room Palm Springs has six escape room experiences for you to try. Be transported back to Palm Springs’ golden era when Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin crooned onstage at the Purple Room and Supper Club at the Club Trinidad Hotel. The club continues the tradition of live entertainment ranging from comedy shows to jazz. Tiki culture in Palm Springs dates back to 1953 with the opening of the region’s first Tiki Bar. Today, there are four well-known establishments that pay homage to Polynesian culture through iconic tiki drinks, food and island décor – Bootleggers, Tonga Hut, The Reef and Toucans which offers a wide range of entertainment and performances. This 26-foot-high metal statue of Marilyn Monroe makes her truly larger than life. Inspired by the emblematic photograph from the filming of With a vibrant array of colors adorning the exterior and a majestic mountain backdrop, this lively hotel is one of the most photographed in Palm Springs. Add in a sparkling pool and a cocktail in hand, and you have one picture-perfect day in the desert. Take a pic with some of the most famous names of years past – Ginger Rogers, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and more – at the Palm Springs Walk of Stars as it winds its way through downtown. This beloved resort features stunning mountain views, towering palms and native plants across its 450 acres. Take a sunset boat ride on the man-made lake or snap a selfie with the flock of Chilean flamingos that grace the entrance of the resort. Perched on the edge of a fountain in beautiful downtown Palm Springs, Sonny Bono’s statue will have you singing, “I got you, babe,” as you snap a selfie at this memorial to the music icon and former Palm Springs mayor. If you love Lucy, be sure to stop by and grab a selfie with her likeness cast in bronze on Palm Canyon Drive. Say, “cheese” – or better yet, “Vitameatavegamin!” If the charm of Palm Springs has you itching for more of its sunshine and intrigue, check out Pacaso’s Palm Springs listings and learn how Pacaso’s co-ownership model can help you own a luxury hideaway in this desert oasis.
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