Bucket List: Palm Springs
Forever Marilyn: Click the photo to find her on Google Maps.
Despite Covid travel requirements, family emergency, dead car batteries and mounting work stresses, we managed to fly directly to Sunny Palm Springs on the coldest day of winter. We accepted an early morning ride from my Dad to the airport, and waved goodbye to the thermometer reading -50 C. We arrived just in time for brunch and much needed bottomless mimosa’s!
Palm Springs is a haven for Mid Century Modern Design and Architecture. They are committed to preserving the historic design style, but also developing new things with the original spirit in mind. It’s where Hollywood goes on vacation. There is wonderful food influenced by Mexico, and it is sunny and warm! Located within the Cochella Valley, there are stunning mountains stretched out on either side. There are many beautiful hikes and national parks to visit, with fascinating desert vegetation and wildlife.
Read on to see if Palm Springs is a destination you would like, and find out about some of the things I did while I was there last February!
Eat & Drink
Coffee Spots
I still dream of Everbloom's Butterscotch Latte with housemade syrup. At Sixth Street we sampled the Horchata Latte + Honey Cinnamon Latte. It had a nice blend of spice and sweetness. The only shop in PS serving Stumptown is Ernest coffee. I hadn’t has Stumptown since I was in Portland, Oregon (read about that Bucket List trip here). They have a modern, eclectic atmosphere. I had the Toffee Walnut Latte! Cartel Roasting Co can be found at ARRIVE Hotel. Roasted in Rancho Mirage, Koffi is a local chain of coffeeshops with some seriously good roasts. Located in the town of Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree Coffee is a must try. I’m in love with their pink and blue branding!
El Jefe at The Saguaro Palm Springs
If I make it back to Palm Springs, The Saguaro Palms would be a fun place to stay. It’s a bright, colourful and happy place! We had the best cocktails of the trip, and some tasty tacos! My fave: OAX -> PSP (Rosaluna Mezcal, Aperol, Grapefruit, Lime, Agave).
Azucar
The atmosphere of this place is amazing. Unfortunately, their cocktails were on brand (The Spanish word “azucar” translates to “sugar” in English) - they were way too sweet (even for my sweet tooth).
Farm
We snagged one of the last tables for brunch, before they closed at 2:00. Cute and cozy courtyard patio, with decadent, Provencal-style food.
The Pool at ARRIVE Hotel
We stopped in for a ceviche snack and a drink to kick off the first day of vacation. Check out the Shop(pe) next door, and explore Palm Canyon Drive from there. This is another hotel that I would love to stay at!
Old Town La Quinta
Dinner at The Grill On Main, lunch & brews at La Quinta Brewing Company. There are many restaurants to choose from in this area.
Activities
Modernism Week
It was purely coincidence that we happened to be there during Modernism week - an annual celebration of midcentury modern design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. There are many cool activities going on during that time including House Tours, Pool Parties, and Vintage Car show. We were very excited to be able to get tickets to the Vintage Trailer Show, and pick up inspiration for our little 14 ft camper trailer. This year’s Modernism Week is over now (it ran during Feb 16-26), but they host events that happen throughout the year. Check the website for updates.
Bike Palm Springs
Rent bikes and cover more ground than you can on foot. We splurged on electric bikes and had no regrets, because that was SO FUN! We were able to see both the Colourful Door Tour, as well as the Las Palmas/Downtown loop, within a couple hours.
Moorten Botanical Garden
A small corner near the colourful door tour area and motel area, entry is only $5, and they have species of cacti from around the world! We walked to it from the downtown area, but that was a bit of a hike with not too much to see in between. You would be better off stopping in during your bike tour, or getting there by car.
Joshua Tree National Park
We went on a Saturday, and the park was very busy. We stopped by the road to see the Cholla Cactus and Skull Rock. We did the Hidden Valley trail, which was an easy 1.4 mile loop, with a few rock/stairs involved. We were looking for an easy hike, for knee/foot injuries, and this maybe wasn’t the best hike for that. We grabbed a late lunch in Yucca Valley, and browsed some cute shops.
Palm Springs Art Museum & Villagefest
You can reserve free passes every Thursday evening to the PS Art Museum. We checked out the main exhibits, and then went to the Architecture & Design Centre for an exhibit on the Modern Chair. Afterwards, we grabbed dinner at Villagefest, which is a streetfair that also occurs every Thursday evening. A stretch of North Palm Canyon Drive is closed to traffic, and is filled with local vendors and entertainment.
Tahquitz Canyon
On the land of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation. We took leisurely 2 hour hike, to a waterfall and back. We hiked slowly, looking for wildlife and stopping to look at the marked viewpoints. Go early before it gets busy and hot. We started our hike at 8:00 am, and only saw a handful of people.
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens
More suited to families, I still really enjoyed spending a few hours walking around here, especially wandering through the desert landscape replicas from around the world, and the butterfly garden, which was happily occupied by many birds, including hummingbirds. This non-profit zoo and desert botanical garden is focused on desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation. I left feeling like I had taken a trip around the world.
Aerial Tram
Overlook Palm Springs from waaaaay up, and enjoy the view as you ascend Mt. San Jacinto in the world’s largest rotating tram car. Uptop, you will find a restaurant and over 50 miles of hiking trails.
Vintage & Design Shopping
Rancho Relaxo - A short drive from Downtown Palm Springs, located in Rancho Mirage. Worth the trip! We stopped in on our way to the Living Desert Zoo.
You can’t go wrong wandering anywhere in the Uptown Design District, along North Palm Canyon Drive. We started at our day at Arrive, but you may want to work your way back from the Marilyn, and end up at Boozehounds or Bootlegger Tiki for the evening. Some keys shops to check out along the way: Bobo and Co (Awesome, locally designed stationary shop), The Trevor Wayne Pop Art Store and Gallery, Thick as Thieves. While you are in the area, grab a milkshake from the 50’s style diner Great Shakes.
Palm Springs Vintage Market
Held on the first Sunday of every month, browse rows and rows of vintage clothing and decor gems! We even spotted a few chairs from the Modern Chair exhibit at the Art Gallery.
That’s about it for this trip! If you have any questions or wanna chat, I would love to talk “PS” with you. Shoot me an email, or find me on Insta! And if you are planning a trip, pick up my FREE PS Printable Travel Bingo cards here.
P.S. for PS
If you try ONE thing from this post, you HAVE to get this Starbucks Palm Springs exclusive drink - a hibiscus refresher. Find it at the Starbucks on North Palm Canyon Drive, near Marilyn. Sit on the patio underneath the water misters to cool off from the desert heat.