Sunday Manifest: Palm Springs
Best known for its cool mid-century modern architecture, world-class golf, and lovely tree-lined neighborhoods surrounded by mountain ranges, the city of Palm Springs is a sophisticated year-round oasis in the heart of the California desert.
Once the destination of choice for stars such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor—due to its proximity to Los Angeles—modern Palm Springs still maintains some of that old Hollywood glamour while welcoming guests with upscale luxury resorts, a thriving downtown district, and an eclectic art and food scene.
The Greater Palm Springs area actually encompasses multiple cities—each unique and worth a visit if you have the time. Explore the galleries and art installations in Cathedral City, relax in the mineral pools in Desert Hot Springs, tour the historic 200-acre Sunnylands Estate in Rancho Mirage, and check out the amazing food and live music offerings in Indio. For high-end boutique shopping followed by a sophisticated lunch, The Shops on El Paseo in Palm Desert can’t be beat.
Palm Springs’ landscape of mountains and desert filled with pockets of green space, makes it perfect for outdoor adventuring. Lace up your hiking shoes and hit the trails at La Quinta Cove, explore the mountaintop wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park, or take an exciting open-top, off-road Jeep tour of the San Andreas Fault Zone or nearby Joshua Tree National Park. These half-day excursions are an incredible way to take in the valley’s extraordinary scenery.
If golf is your game, Greater Palm Springs offers the opportunity to play some of the sport’s most popular courses. At the La Quinta Resort & Club, you can tee off on the Mountain Course or the challenging 72-par Dune Course, designed by Pete Dye. The nearby PGA West offers the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, the Audubon-certified Greg Norman Course, and the acclaimed Stadium Course, which is the home of the Desert Classic Golf Tournament and ranked one of the best courses in the world.
Of course, Palm Springs also offers plenty of activities for visitors who prefer the great indoors to the great outdoors. Stay cool in the air-conditioned comfort of the area’s many art galleries and museums, pamper yourself with luxurious treatments at Parker’s PSYC Spa or Spa La Quinta, shop the boutiques along Palm Canyon Drive (check out the Palm Springs Walk of Stars while you’re there), and enjoy fantastic meals from any of the chef-driven restaurants throughout downtown.
The Zagat-rated TRIO is a popular pick for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch. Roly China Fusion is the hip spot for modern Chinese dim-sum in a cool dining space. And the iconic Melvyn’s at Ingleside Inn or the grand Spencer’s at The Mountain are top choices for elegant dinners and evening cocktails.
Palm Springs is the perfect blend of nature and sophistication with a posh, laid-back vibe. With its landscape of palm trees, manicured green space, shops, and resorts set against a backdrop of desert and mountains, sunshine and low humidity in every season, and so much to see and do both indoors and out, it’s an ideal year-round vacation destination.
We’ve put together an incredible curated trip to Palm Springs, which can be found on our Experiences page. But if this beautiful California desert town isn’t on your vacation wish list, we’re always happy to create a custom trip for you wherever you’d like to go.