Palm Springs was once the getaway for the Hollywood stars from Los Angeles. Present-day, this desert resort city is a great escape for golfing, relaxing, and hiking. Two Days in Palm Springs is the perfect weekend getaway, especially from Los Angeles and has a ton of cool photo spots.
US Ghost Adventures is an awesome company that offers a variety of guided tours and haunted experiences across different cities in the United States. Visitors can learn the compelling history and stories of the paranormal and the city’s darker side. Make sure to check out the variety of tours offered in Palm Springs here. They are very affordable too!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
Table of Contents
History of Palm Springs
The Cahuilla People were the first people to settle in the Palm Springs area over 2,000 years ago. In 1821, Mexican explorers arrived and visited the area during their expedition. 1876 brought the Southern Pacific Railroad to Palm Springs making the area more populated.
The early 1900s saw Palm Springs gain popularity, especially from the Hollywood crowd. More resorts began to open and people used Palm Springs as a “health” escape. Today, it has grown into a popular resort town and an escape for snowbirds. Almost 2 million people visit Palm Springs each year.
When to Spend a Weekend in Palm Springs
Palm Springs is the perfect winter and spring getaway. The weather is perfect and the sun is usually shining. You will want to avoid the summertime unless you plan to spend the entire day by the pool as the temperature usually averages above 110 degrees.
How to Get to Palm Springs
To get to Palm Springs, you will want to fly to Palm Springs International Airport. There are direct flights into Palm Springs from many places in the United States, primarily from the West Coast and Canada. You can also opt to fly into Los Angeles International Airport, but it is over a two-hour drive, so it is easier to fly into Palm Springs. Another option is Ontario International Airport, but again, Palm Springs is easier.
Transportation in Palm Springs
To get around during your two days in Palm Springs you will need a car. Public transportation is not easily available and some of the sites are just easier to get to with a car. I recommend renting one through Autoslash.
Where to Stay in Palm Springs
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Palm Springs hotels here!
Palm Springs is known for having a ton of amazing resort hotels. There really is not a bad location. Rather, you will want to look at the resort amenities or find a place that is the best deal. Some of the places I recommend for two days in Palm Springs include the following:
- The Saguaro Palm Springs
- Embassy Suites La Quinta
- La Quinta Resort
- Omni Rancho Las Palmas
- Ace Hotel Palm Springs
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Palm Desert
- DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Golf Resort Palm Springs
- Hilton Grand Vacations Club Palm Desert
- JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa
- Courtyard by Marriott Palm Springs
- Courtyard by Marriott Palm Desert
- Hyatt Palm Springs
Make sure to also check out Priceline Express Deals as you can usually find a good deal. You can also find some good Vrbo properties in Palm Springs.
What to do During a Weekend in Palm Springs
Palms Springs has a wide variety of things you can do during a weekend. From relaxing at resorts to amazing hikes, Palm Springs has something for every kind of traveler. If you have two days in Palm Springs, I recommend following this itinerary for a sampling of the various things to do.
Day 1
Today, start your day by heading to Palm Springs. If you drive into Palm Springs from Los Angeles, your sign that you are almost there will be the infamous windmills. These windmills produce a lot of wind energy. They were engineered in conjunction with NASA.
Palm Springs Tramway
Cost: $29
Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-9:30pm, Sat-Sun: 8am-9:30pm
The Palm Springs Tramway is the perfect way to start two days in Palm Springs. The tram will take you two and a half miles up the mountain. It is also the world’s largest rotating tramcar. On a clear day, you can see all around Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Chino Canyon.
Once at the top, which is at 8,516 feet elevation, there are two restaurants, observation decks, a natural history museum, and over 50 miles of hiking trails. You can opt to buy your tickets online ahead of time or at the station.
Moorten Botanical Gardens
Cost: $5
Hours: 10am-4pm, closed Wednesdays
Next, head to the Moorten Botanical Gardens. The Moorten Botanical Gardens is a small botanical garden with thousands of specimens from all over the world. It is such a fun thing to do during two days in Palm Springs. The one acre garden has the plans categorized geographically. Plan to spend about an hour wandering the gardens during your two days in Palm Springs. You can also opt for a guided tour if you book it ahead of time.
Palm Springs Air Museum
Cost: $20
Hours: 10am-5pm
This afternoon, head to the Palm Springs Air Museum. The Palm Springs Air Museum is a museum dedicated to World War II aircraft and some from Korea and Vietnam. As well as having aircrafts, the museum also has artifacts and artwork relating to the aircrafts. Several of the aircrafts are open for tours each day as well. For an extra cost, you can book a flight in some of the aircrafts.
The Tropicale
Cost: $$$
Hours: 11am-3pm and Sun-Thurs: 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat: 5pm-11pm
For dinner tonight, head to the Tropicale. This retro eatery serves fun tropical cocktails and delicious bites to eat, which makes it a perfect stop when spending two days in Palm Springs. They have a variety of dishes and many seasonal plates as well. The happy hour has tons of small plates if you do not want a full meal. Make a reservation ahead of time as the Tropicale can get quite busy during peak times.
Day 2
Indian Canyons
Cost: $12/person
Hours: 8am-5pm
Start your second of two days in Palm Springs with a visit to Indian Canyons. This hidden oasis contains several different hiking trails through several canyons. I recommend taking the Murray Canyon Trail. This 4.7-mile moderate trail is one of the more popular hikes. It takes you through several oasis and canyons to the Seven Sisters Waterfall.
If you want a shorter hike, opt for the 1.2-mile Andres Canyon hike. On this hike you can see a ton of fan palm trees and still pass through an oasis. Plan to spend a couple of hours at Indian Canyons.
Mid-Century Modern Houses
Cost: Free
Hours: Anytime
Palm Springs is known for having a ton of Mid-century modern houses. Many of them also have colorful doors. Take some time during your two days in Palm Springs to drive through the neighborhood to see the cool architecture and colorful doors. Make sure to be respectful of the residents when driving around.
Kreem
Cost: $
Hours: Wed-Sun: 12pm-8pm
After your hike and drive, head to Kreem for an afternoon ice cream snack. All of the ice creams are made in-house with organic and natural ingredients. The menu changes each day, so make sure to check online ahead of time.
Living Desert
Cost: $28
Hours: 8am-5pm
This afternoon, spend some time at the Living Desert, a zoo, and botanical gardens. You will want a couple of hours to walk around and see the different exhibits. The animals come from Africa, Australia, and North America. You even have the opportunity to feed a giraffe (for an extra cost). The Living Desert is the perfect activity to end two days in Palm Springs.
During the Holiday season, the Living Desert puts on Wild Lights, a cool zoo light display. You need separate tickets for this event. In the springtime, they also have a “Brew at the Zoo” event with local breweries.
El Paseo
Cost: Free to look
Hours: Varies by Store
After the Living Desert, you can spend some time browsing the shops at El Paseo. El Paso is a great stop for shopping lovers when spending two days in Palm Springs. This is a nice area to walk around. There are also some art galleries and restaurants in the area as well. Plan to spend a short time walking around if you are not a shopper.
Las Casuelas
Cost: $$
Hours: Sun-Thus: 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Las Casuelas. This Mexican place is a desert classic. There are multiple locations scattered throughout the desert, so choose whichever location is closest to you! I love their enchiladas and burritos. Their margaritas are delicious as well. This is the perfect place to end your two days in Palm Springs.
More Than Two Days in Palm Springs
If you have more than two days in Palm Springs opt to add these things to your Palm Springs itinerary.
Bump and Grind
Cost: Free
Hours: 24 hours
The Bump and Grind is a popular hiking trail in Palm Desert. This 4-mile loop trail offers great views of the valley and surrounding area. Make sure to bring lots of water as there is very little shade on their trail. It is not recommended to do it when it is hot out.
Desert X
Cost: Free
Hours: Varies by Exhibit
Every year or two in the early spring, Desert X comes to the desert. This is a series of contemporary art exhibitions spread out across the desert. Some of the exhibits require reservations to view, but all of them are free. Make sure to check the website for more information.
Day trip to Joshua Tree National Park
Cost: $30/car or free with America the Beautiful Pass
Hours: 24 hours/day
Joshua Tree National Park is about an hour’s drive from Downtown Palm Springs. You can easily spend an entire day in the park. The park has two different ecosystems: The Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert.
Make sure not to miss the Cholla Cactus Garden, Skull Rock, and Baker Dam. If you have time, opt to hike the Lost Horse Mine and drive up to Key’s View. Joshua Tree is the perfect place to spend a day if you have more than two days in Palm Springs.
La Quinta Brewing Co.
Cost: $5 and up
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 12pm-10pm, Fri-Sat: 12pm-12am
La Quinta Brewing Co is the perfect place to head to grab a beer after a long day of exploring the desert. There are several locations scattered around but the original location is in Downtown La Quinta. They always have some fun special edition beers and tons of other regular flavors.
Relax at a Resort
Cost: Varies
If you are staying at a resort, you can also build in some time to relax at the resort. If you are not staying at a resort, opt to book a day pass to a resort with Resort Pass. Top resorts include the Saguaro Palm Springs, Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort, and the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort.
Salvation Mountain
Cost: Free
Hours: 8am-5:30pm
Another fun thing to do if you have more than two days in Palm Springs is to take a day trip out to Salvation Mountain. This is a funky religious artwork located in the lower desert. It was created by Leonard Knight and made of adobe brick, discarded tires and windows and other automobile parts. It has a ton of murals and religious sayings painted on the mountain.
Along with a visit to Salvation Mountain, you can visit Bombay Beach, part of the Salton Sea, to see various other pieces of artwork and an abandoned community. Slab City, an art community, is also near this area.
Shields Date Farm
Cost: Free and Up
Hours: 9am to 5pm
Shields Date Farm is a classic desert experience if you have time to visit during your two days in Palm Springs. It is free to look around. You can opt to look around the shop, grab a date shake or other food items, walk around the garden or view the film on the life of a date. I definitely recommend sharing a date shake while walking around the gardens.
If you have more time, opt to head out to Phoenix or other places in Arizona, or head west towards Los Angeles. No matter what, two days in Palm Springs makes for the perfect relaxing getaway.
1 thought on “Two Days in Palm Springs: The Perfect Desert Weekend Getaway”
I love that you mention Salvation Mountain. It’s one of the coolest, weirdest attractions in Southern California.