Having visited countless times, gotten married in and owned a home in Palm Springs, I’d say we’re pretty well versed in the best places to eat, shop and visit while you’re there. Today, I’m sharing all of those with you, including a downloadable version at the bottom if you’d rather save or print it that way!
Whether you’re going with your kids, with friends, for a bachelorette, work or a wedding, you’ll definitely find our favorite spots to hit in the area. Have fun!
Where to Stay in Palm Springs
There are TONS of hotels and rental homes to stay at in Palm Springs. I’m including a few here that we have personally stayed at or know someone who has.
Airbnb and Natural Retreats are both full of gorgeous homes, which is a fun option for friends or families. If I’m going just for a quick weekend or a couples trip, I prefer a hotel.
- Harlow House – This house is beautiful, we stayed here and had a great time.
- “That Pink Door” House – One of the most famous Palm Springs house and you can stay there!
- La Chureya – Where we got married but also available as a vacation rental!
- Ace Hotel – Great pool, yummy restaurant, unique rooms.
- The Parker – Beautifully designed, luxury hotel. We stayed here for a mini moon after our Palm Springs wedding.
- Saguaro Hotel – Fun and colorful, we love their restaurant and they have lawn games which our son loves. It does tend to be more on the lively/party side, especially during festival season so keep that in mind!
The Best Palm Springs Coffee, Breakfast & Brunch Spots
Here’s a list of our favorite places to grab coffee or breakfast before the temps heat up!
CHEEKY’S
Our favorite breakfast spot. Lines get long so send someone in your group to get in line early! Famous for bacon flights but everything is delicious.
CAFE LA JEFA
Great coffee you can grab and go, and good food if you want to sit down instead! Cute spot.
GABINO’S CREPERIE
If you don’t want a sit down, grab some crepes! Sweet and savory.
ERNEST COFFEE
Good coffee and pastries and a nice cool, indoor place to sit and work if you need to, (but hopefully you don’t have to).
NORMA’S
At the gorgeous Parker Hotel. Pricey but delicious. Famous for their pancakes. Reservations are required!
TOWNIE BAGELS
Pastries are good, bagel sandwiches are fine if you aren’t from the NJ/NY tri-state area.
KOFFI
Cinnamon Vanilla Cold Brew Fusion is a favorite. Also have breakfast sammies and other quick breakfast items to pick up! Don’t recommend the pastries though.
JAKE’S
You go for the brunch but you stay for the giant and incredible slices of cake. Get a slice to go if you’re too stuffed from breakfast. Just do it.
FRUIT WONDERS
Delicious smoothies & acai bowls! Berry Greatful and Bleutiful are our family’s faves. Acai bowls are awesome except tell them to hold the oatmeal and get extra granola instead.
ELMER’S DINER
Listen, the food isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s your regular ol’ classic diner with a big menu and they have fun kid’s menu activities and also give them super hero masks. Sometimes that’s just what you need!
THE PINK CABANA
A cute spot with Mediterranean cuisine, decked out in pink and green and inspired by tennis clubs of the 1950s!
KING’S HIGHWAY
At the Ace Hotel, casual and unique diner-style meal!
WILMA & FRIEDA
Churro Waffle and California Benny, plus lots of build-your-own options. Crowd pleaser and YUMMY!
BOOZEHOUNDS
Gorgeous restaurant. Go for the yummy menu, stay for the cute dogs running around the patio.
Our Favorite Lunch and Dinner Restaurants
WORKSHOP KITCHEN
Really cool environment and incredible cocktails. Menu changes frequently, but everything we’ve had is 10 stars. Reservation recommended.
THE SANDWICH SPOT
Our favorite sandwiches in the desert! They’re all good, you can’t go wrong. Highly recommend the Dutch crunch bread. Eat in or take out!
CHICKEN RANCH
Lunch spot right in town, rotisserie chicken sandwiches, salads, and more. Good deals at happy hour, too!
SANDFISH SUSHI
Great sushi all around. Eat in (but make a reservation) or take out.
1501 UPTOWN GASTROPUB
If your crowd wants to catch a game, this is the place to post up and watch. Bar food, and some outdoor games for the kids!
THE REAL ITALIAN DELI
Great sandwiches inside this Italian market, so you can pick up some delicious pasta and goodies to cook with, too!
BIRBA
Delicious fancy pizza in cozy outdoor environment. Great for large groups, get a bunch of pizzas so you can try them all, but make a reservation!
MR. LYON’S
Old school, upscale, dark and moody steak house for a nice dinner out.
ROOSTER & THE PIG
Awesome Vietnamese food, no reservations (walk-ins only) and gets busy so plan accordingly!
BAR CECIL
If you want a fancy night out, go here. Gorgeous environment and delicious upscale food.
GIUSEPPE’S
Classic Italian restaurant with a big menu with pizza, pasta and more to please everyone!
KING’S HIGHWAY
At the Ace Hotel, nice spot for casual, American fare with a twist.
NATURE’S HEALTH FOOD & CAFE
Vegan-friendly market that has a wide selection of veggie & vegan sandwiches, wraps, burgers and even a vegan date shake.
FELIPE’S
Family-owned Mexican restaurant with all the staple dishes you want & need!
BILL’S PIZZA
Your standard pizza joint. Perfect to take out for a pizza night at home!
Palm Springs Sweets & Treats Guide
ICE CREAM & SHOP(PE)
Unique ice cream flavors you’ve gotta try, plus a cute little gift shop attached to it too!
PALM SPRINGS FUDGE & CHOCOLATES
If you ask me, no vacation is complete without a trip to the old school fudge and chocolate shop!
GREAT SHAKES
The greater Palm Springs area is known for their famous Date Shakes and you can grab one of those here, along with a ton of other delicious milkshakes!
FRUIT WONDERS
We tend to take an afternoon break from the pool and grab some smoothies and acai bowls to cool down. Berry Grateful and Bluetiful are family favorites.
SWISS DONUT
Classic donut shop, make an early morning run and surprise your group with some California donuts!
OVER THE RAINBOW
This cupcake shop is the same shop who makes the cakes at Jake’s. They sell cupcakes at their shop, and take specialty cake orders, too. We had their cake at our wedding and it’s the best cake I’ve ever had! If you’re going for a special occasion, definitely consider ordering a cake ahead!
My Favorite Shops In and Around Palm Springs
MOJAVE FLEA TRADING POST
A warehouse-sized vintage and antique store with a unique point of view!
THICK AS THIEVES
A well-curated shop of handmade goodies and unique clothing, accessories and home goods
MARKET MARKET
Our favorite shop in Palm Springs. Filled with clothing, kid, home decor, floral and more featuring different small, independent and local brands.
ANTIQUE GALLERIES OF PALM SPRINGS
This two-story antique mall is fun to walk through, with different rooms featuring all different styles of finds.
SANDY DUNES ANTIQUE MALL
Right next door to Antique Galleries, this shop also has lots of fun finds, especially great for anyone who loves retro or tiki items, but they’ve got a little bit of everything, too.
THE FINE ART OF DESIGN
Beautifully curated vintage clothing shop, a bit further out in Palm Desert.
VICTORIA’S ATTIC ANTIQUE MALL
A bit further away, but this antique mall is inside an abandoned mall that looks like it hasn’t been touched since the 80s. It’s a strange place, but has some good finds for those of you who like to dig!
DESERT HILLS PREMIUM OUTLETS
If you love a good outlet mall, this one and the Cabazon outlets next door are a fun half-day trip to hit!
THE FRIPPERY
A colorful vintage clothing shop with the most fun dresses!
Things to Do in the Palm Springs Area
THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS
This zoo is incredible. You can get up close to the animals, there’s a kids play zone and a huge model train set up. It is a MUST DO with kids!
PALM SPRINGS AIR MUSEUM
For any history buffs or vehicle lovers, pop over to the Air Museum for a history lesson and to see many aircrafts on display.
PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
Great art museum with a vast permanent modern art collection, rotating exhibits and architecture and design features. Free admission on Thursdays from 5pm-8pm!
ARCHITECTURE TOURS
The Palm Springs Historical Society hosts many walking tours throughout the city to see the historic homes and learn about the people who built and lived in them.
PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY
Catch a break from the heat and hop the gondola up to the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. Spectacular views of the valley, plus you can eat, hike and explore at the top.
PALM SPRINGS VINTAGE MARKET
A vintage market that happens on the first Sunday of each month, fun to walk around and explore!
ANDREAS CANYON TRAIL
An easy two-mile hike on the Cahuilla Indians Reservation through the trees. Great for kids!
PALM CANYON TRAIL
An easy one mile loop, pretty flat with the most other-worldly trees to see! Perfect for the whole family.
ARABY TRAIL
A more challenging five-mile trail with beautiful views of the city and the famous Bob Hope estate.
TAHQUITZ CANYON LOOP TRAIL
Just under two miles, this hike has a hidden waterfall in the middle of the loop. There are some steep steps, but it’s generally great for the whole fam!
PALM SPRINGS FARMER’S MARKET
Every Saturday, pop by this farmer’s market if you’re planning to do any cooking while you’re here!
BOOMERS
If your kids want to mini golf, go kart or play in an arcade, this is your spot! (Right next to a Target and Trader Joe’s if you need to run any errands!)
PIONEERTOWN
Take a drive up to Pioneertown and explore an old Western movie set that’s super fun to wander. Check out one of our favorite shops, Soukie Modern, plus Xeba Botanica for great skincare finds, and eat at the institution that is Pappy and Harriet’s.
MOORTEN BOTANICAL GARDENS
Tour this home and gardens featuring thousands of desert plants and cacti. Fun fact: Walt Disney tapped the founders to create the foliage for Frontierland at Disneyland!
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Make a day trip to Joshua Tree National Park to hike or explore. I have a Joshua Tree travel guide as well, check that out if you plan to do this day trip!
Printable Palm Springs Travel Guide
Prefer to have a printable version of this guide? Download and print it at the link below!
Have fun!
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