The 12 best things to do in Palm Springs

Most of Palm Springs’ postcard-worthy views are from poolside, looking up towards the mountains. But if you want the ultimate view? It’s obviously the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, a huge rotating gondola ride (the largest of its kind in the world) built in 1963 that connects the Coachella Valley with San Jacinto Peak. Jump on the tramway and—after about 10 minutes and a double-digit temperature drop—stop off for lunch at the top of the mountain, or use it as transport to get you deep into the hills for a magnificent hike.

Time Out tip: Wait times can easily top out at a few hours during peak season, so secure a reservation in advance.

Address: 1 Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Hours: Sept–May: Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, last tram down at 9:30pm; Sat, Sun 8am–8pm, last tram down at 9:30pm. May–Sept: Mon–Thu 10am–8pm, last tram down at 9:30pm; Fri 10am–9pm, last tram down at 10:30pm; Sat 8am–9pm, last tram down at 10:30pm; Sun 8am–8pm, last tram down at 9:30pm.

Price: $36.95, kids 3–10 $20.95, seniors 65+ $33.95

Flowing water in the middle of the desert? Indeed, this two-mile loop leads to a 50-foot waterfall tucked into Tahquitz Canyon. The falls are located within the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation, so you’ll need to pay an admission fee. On the plus side, the cost keeps the trail impeccably maintained, unlike the sometimes-trash-and-graffiti-filled waterfalls in nearby Los Angeles.

Time Out tip: Want to learn more about the surroundings? Free (with your paid admission) ranger-led hikes are also available (Oct–June at 8, 10am, noon, 2pm; July–Sept at 8am).

Address: 500 W Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Hours: Oct–July: Daily 7:30am–5pm (last entry at 3:30pm). July–Sept: Fri–Sun 7:30am–5pm (last entry at 3:30pm).

Price: $15, kids 6–12 $7

You can barely walk a block along Palm Canyon Drive without stumbling upon an eye-catching gallery, antique or furniture showroom. Palm Springs and mid-century modernism go hand in hand, and you’ll find plenty of galleries (notably a showroom from retro-inspired artist SHAG) and furniture stores dedicated to the jet-setting aesthetic. The northern stretch of the street is a bit more design-forward than the touristy but highly walkable downtown section to the south.

Time Out tip: If you’re visiting during the summer, make sure to brush up on seasonal shop hours: Some spots will shutter mid-week or reduce their afternoon hours.

Address: Along Palm Canyon Drive

The Palm Springs Art Museum houses a vast collection of contemporary art—from paintings to glass and sculpture—but often with a desert theme. You’ll find pieces of Native American art and Modernism, plus plenty of others inspired by the American West, laid out in a stone-colored complex on the edge of town.

Time Out tip: There’s an architecture-focused sister site a few blocks away in the middle of downtown (a general admission ticket grants you access to both locations), plus occasional access to the stunning Frey House II.

Address: 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Hours: Thu noon–8pm, Fri–Sun 10am–5pm

Price: $25, seniors 62+ $23, students/teachers $17

Craggy peaks, climbable boulders and those beloved yuccas are barely an hour’s car ride away. Joshua Tree National Park is a popular destination for overnight campers, but you can explore plenty in a single afternoon, from an easygoing hike around Hidden Valley to vistas from 5,000 feet up at Keys View.

Time Out tip: If you’re coming from Palm Springs, you’ll want to approach from the northwest entrance in Joshua Tree; if you’re staying farther east into the Coachella Valley, you can use the south gate, but it’ll put you—for better or worse—in a more desolate area that’s farther from the park’s main attractions.

Address: 74485 National Park Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

Hours: Open 24 hours

Price: $30 per car, $15 per person without a vehicle

Even if you don’t need any information from the official Palm Springs welcome center, this distinctive spot is worth a stop to admire its treasured architecture; the Space Age structure opened in 1965 as a gas station, but when Albert Frey and Robson Chambers’s retro design was slated for the wrecking ball in the ’90s, it was saved and turned into a visitors’ center.

Time Out tip: The city’s tourism bureau operates a second location out of the Welwood Murray Memorial Library (100 S Palm Canyon Dr), right in the middle of town.

Address: 2901 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Hours: Daily 10am–5pm

Price: Free

This air museum primarily showcases World War II and combat aircraft from the wars in Korea and Vietnam. You’ll find more than 40 flyable and static planes across three warehouses, from the B-17 flying fortress to the F-4 fighter jet, and a couple of aircraft on the tarmac, like the C-47 and PBY Catalina Flying Boat. The museum also offers limited high-priced flights aboard a half-dozen warbirds, including the C-47 Skytrain and P-51 Mustang.

Time Out tip: Swing by on Saturday mornings (10am–noon), when you climb into the cockpit of a different vintage aircraft each week. Souvenir photos ($5) are also available. 

Address: 745 N Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Hours: Daily 10am–5pm

Price: $25, seniors 65+ $23, teens 13–17 $23, kids 12 and under free; warbird rides $249–$4,995

Though only an acre in size, this botanical garden is packed with prickly varieties of cacti and other desert plants. The family-owned park dates back to the 1930s and harbors more than 3,000 specimens of desert plants from around the world, grouped by region.

Time Out tip: There’s also a nursery if you want to take some plants back home with you—a lively souvenir if you ask us.

Address: 1701 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Hours: Oct–May: Thu–Tue 10am–4pm. June–Sept: Fri–Sun 9am–1pm.

Price: $7, kids 5–12 $3, kids under 5 free

True to its name, this zoo looks just like a living slice of the Sonoran Desert. Located a couple of miles outside Palm Springs, the primarily outdoor locale is broadly split into North American and African environments. Explore the grounds to find an assortment of wild cats and hoofed mammals. You can also feed the giraffes ($10), which is an experience and a half.

Time Out tip: Go early to avoid the heat and have a better chance at seeing more animals active. It’s pretty much your only choice in the summer, as the zoo closes in the afternoon.

Address: 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260

Hours: Oct–May 8am–5pm, June–Sept 7am–1:30pm

Price: $44.95, kids 3–17 $34.95, kids under 3 free

Sunnylands (the former winter retreat for the wealthy Annenberg family and a popular summit space for decades of U.S. Presidents) resides on a 200-acre plot of irrigated desert in Rancho Mirage. A nine-hole golf course occupies most of that space, but 12 acres are dedicated to public gardens and a visitor center with a rotating selection of artwork from the Annenberg collection. Just note that Sunnylands is closed between June and September.

Time Out tip: Tours for the upcoming month go on sale the 15th of the current month and regularly sell out (some same-day tickets may become available). Alternatively, keep an eye on the estate’s events calendar for some other ways to explore.

Address: 37977 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Hours: Sept–June: Wed–Sun 8:30am–4pm.

Price: Outdoor-only $28–$30, mansion tour $58

Palm Springs is brimming with gorgeous mid-century modern homes. Remember that most of these are private abodes, so you can’t exactly knock on the front door. But cruise around some notable neighborhoods, from Tennis Club to Araby Cove, and you’ll spot plenty of architectural gems along the way. Highlights include the Del Marcos Hotel and the Edris House.

Time Out tip: Visit Palm Springs puts together a pretty thorough self-guided itinerary of the standout spots that you can actually see from the street (the Palm Springs Modern Committee also makes a $5 map and app).

Two more inaccessible John Lautner–designed ones worth trying to sneak a peek at: the Elrod House, quite literally a Bond-worthy home that was featured in Diamonds Are Forever, and the Bob Hope House, a volcano-shaped mansion commissioned by the late comedian. Both reside on the private Southridge Drive, which makes seeing them a bit of a challenge; the Elrod House is easily spotted from Araby Drive, while the Bob Hope House requires a hike up the Araby Trail—a three-plus-mile round-trip hike only to be braved in cooler weather that’ll take you right above the house.

Located just off the 10 freeway, these 100-ton Brontosaurus and T. Rex sculptures once beckoned motorists on their way to Palm Springs to a 24-hour diner. Today, they guard the entrance to a very kitsch dino museum (and a familiar landmark for Pee-wee’s Big Adventure fans). At the very least, pose for a photo with Mr. Rex (now bathed in a much brighter coat of paint since this photo was taken) and walk into the gift shop housed inside Dinny the Brontosaurus’s belly.

Time Out tip: Consider saving the cash you would’ve spent on dino merch and instead put it toward a delicious date shake at nearby Hadley Fruit Orchards.

Address: 50770 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA 92230

Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat, Sun 9am–7pm

Price: $15, kids 3–12 $13