How to Spend Less Than 48 Hours in Palm Springs (& Get the Most Out of It!)
Everyone knows Palm Springs is the epitomic icon of mid-century art and architecture, a hidden treasure of the desert. A last minute vacation to Los Angeles gave us to opportunity to make a quick under-48 hour trip to the desert oasis, and I’m so glad we did because it truly was a place like no other. Get ready to embark on an adventure like no other as I share how to get the most out of your time if you only have one or two days to spare in the desert!
Escape to the Enchanting Desert Oasis of Palm Springs
With this travel guide, we'll reveal the enchanting allure of Palm Springs. This desert oasis is a must-visit whether you’re an art lover, an architecture/design nerd, a golfer, or a spa diva. From breathtaking landscapes to exquisite architecture, this city has it all. To give you a general sense, here are some of what’s to be explored - scroll down to see how we decided to spend our time to get the most out of the city.
Outdoor Escapes: Discover the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park, hike the Indian Canyons, or take a refreshing dip in the Tahquitz Falls. Palm Springs offers a playground for outdoor enthusiasts.
Architectural Marvels: Marvel at the mid-century modern architecture that defines Palm Springs. Visit the iconic Kaufmann House, explore the Living Desert Museum, or take a tour of the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway.
Cultural Delights: Immerse yourself in the vibrant art scene of Palm Springs. Explore the Palm Springs Art Museum, wander through the colorful street murals of the Backstreet Art District, or attend a live performance at the McCallum Theatre.
Pampering and Relaxation: Indulge in the rejuvenating experience of the numerous world-class spas and wellness centers in the city. From mineral-rich hot springs to luxurious treatments, Palm Springs offers the perfect escape to unwind and recharge.
Day 1 AM: getting to palm springs
We arrived at LAX early morning (our favorite time to fly) to allow us to get in a rental car and drive ~2 hours to the desert oasis, making it in time for lunch. If you plan to visit just Palm Springs, Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is right near downtown and most major airlines fly there. We experienced pretty much no traffic because traveling as a couple allowed us to use the HOV lane most of the way, as we saw the temperature on the dashboard increase steadily from 80F to 95F.
Not used to such blazing sun, we quickly dashed indoors and had lunch at Farm, a French eatery tucked away behind their to-go storefront, housed in an old French country maison with an attached courtyard - for a second, I thought we may have been in the Loire Valley! The interior was tastefully decorated with vintage oil paintings - I absolutely loved the ambiance.
I got crepes (jambon gruyere of course) with a housemade watermelon lemonade, which was much needed after a long drive.
Farm is open for breakfast/lunch from 8am to 2pm and accepts walk-ins only, no reservations.
Day 1 PM: POOL TIME + ART MUSEUM
Accommodations were aplenty in downtown Palm Springs - we chose to stay at Triada Palm Springs, Autograph Collection (part of the Marriott Bonvoy family). It was close enough to walk or hop in a quick 3 minute Uber/Lyft to get to wherever you want to go downtown. Triada was in a Spanish-style hacienda, with little casitas around two scenic outdoor pools. We were lucky and got upgraded to a Queen casita suite, which not only faced one of the pools, but also had a full kitchen, dining room, and living room (thank you Marriott!). Even if you weren’t in a suite though, you’ll be close to the pools and outdoor bar, really convenient to just have a chill afternoon lounging and enjoying the water and sun (and maybe a drink).
For dinner the original place we wanted to go to was closed, so we opted for a last minute quick bite at Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar (yes it’s the clothing store Tommy Bahama but they apparently have a chic cafe/bar attached to it here!). Super casual, the Marlin Bar offers light fare, cocktails, and organic soft-serve ice cream. There’s indoor and outdoor seating - if you are down for some live music and people watching right on the downtown strip, sit outdoors while the mist fans cool you down.
After dinner, we strolled to the Palm Springs Arm Museum nearby while checking out the Wednesday night Palm Springs Village Fest. There were lots of artisanal goodies and noms - we spotted some jerky vendors, lots of nuts, art, etc.
I’ve been looking forward to the Palm Springs Art Museum for a while now given its focus on mid-century design and contemporary art. Thursday nights are free between 5-8pm, but you need to register the week before. There’s also live music Thursday nights. It’s the perfect size for a post-dinner activity, since it’s not too big and you can easily see everything in an hour (unlike let’s say the Met or MoMA). My favorite at the museum was the "80" Great Rhombicosidodecahedron" by artist Anthony James which was like a mini infinity room but all enclosed in this perfect geometric object.
Next time I hope to visit the other building of the Museum which focuses on architecture.
Day 2 AM: WORLD CLASS GOLF + ARCHITECTURE TOUR
Palm Springs is known as one of the best places in the world to golf, so of course we made sure to include a round of 18 in our short itinerary. Before heading to golf, we stopped by the cutest breakfast spot in town (right across the street from Triada), Cafe La Jefa, a modern and chic coffee house with delicious specialty coffee drinks and breakfast/brunch food. I loved my morning iced americano and walnut scone.
Onto the best part of the day - 18 holes of par 3 golf at the Pebble Course at Cimarron Golf Resort. A par 3 course is perfect for novices and ensured we didn’t have to endure the desert heat for hours. We booked a very early tee time of 8:30 to beat the heat. The course is close to downtown, very affordable ($29 for 18 holes) in the summer and includes a cart. The view all around was spectacular - you are nestled in the mountains but there was plenty of desert flora and fauna. We also saw some coyotes on hole 11 - be on the watch out! Even if you don’t golf, I recommend doing 9 holes just for fun - there was a family in front of us and only the dad knew how to golf so it can be a fun family activity.
After a morning in the heat, we opted for some in-car aka in-AC time and did a driving tour of the city and its famous mid-century modern architecture. I studied architecture in undergrad so this was particularly interesting, as there are some pretty famous houses both designed by renowned architects and lived in by celebrities. We followed this guide for the most part since it offered a nice route and focused on the neighborhoods closest to downtown.
Day 2 PM: SHOPPING + IN-n-out(!)
Lunch on this day was at L'Atelier Café Palm Springs because I wanted crepes again. It’s walkins only, and open until 2pm. The staff was very friendly and it seemed like a lot of locals frequented the cafe.
For our last couple of hours, we checked out some shops and galleries on the downtown strip. There were lots of nice vintage/antique shops, furniture (with a focus on mid-century modern of course) shops, and art galleries. A few of my favorite shops are:
back where Cafe La Jefa is, are a bunch of cute boutiques and shops in what’s called the Flannery Exchange. My favorite shop was bobo design studio - they offer stickers, pens, markers, journals, prints, cards and so much more.
a bit closer to downtown is Mojave Flea Trading Post, a mix of different local/artisan vendors under one roof. They sell hats, body care, clothing, flowers, home goods, etc. Don’t let the word “flea” mislead though, it’s not a flea market. It’s all new items (some are a bit pricy) but from independent sellers.
And that concludes our less-than-48 hours exploration of Palm Springs! It’s the perfect little visit because we got to do a bit of everything - golf, shopping, art, scenic drive. If you have been wanting to go to Palm Springs - do it! It’s worth the drive/flight!
BONUS: if you haven’t been to California, then why not try In-N-Out on the drive back to LA. That’s exactly what we did. We finally were able to compare In-N-Out with Shake Shack… overall verdict may be controversial but we think Shake Shack wins overall however I did very much enjoy the Shake Shack burgers (I like thin patties).
Stay tuned for my LA itinerary next!