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Explore These Places When In Palm Springs

Travel Guide May, 20, 2025

Better recognized as the Golf capital of the world, Palm Springs is a desert city in California. Situated in the Sonoran Desert, it holds a stunning mountainous environment with a desert climate. A popular destination among tourists that assure them spectacular experience during their vacations.

Every year, over one million people visit the city to discover its stunning sites and enjoy its wonderful weather, which has sunlight all year. People who prefer being outside will appreciate their holiday in Palm Springs since, as you will discover, the city is brimming with excellent outdoor attractions. Notably, tourists will learn more about the Sonoran Desert's Native American tribes.

Apart from its beautiful scenery and mild climate, Palm Springs is well-known for a large number of Hollywood celebrities and significant personalities who reside and have lived there throughout the years. Once a playground for the rich in Hollywood, the city has kept its polished look with stylish hotels, golf resorts, and clean roads lined with palm trees. It also does the hard thing of being friendly and welcoming at the same time.

Indeed, it is because of the large number of Hollywood stars that flocked to the city in the early 1900s that the city became a tourist attraction for many people.

The following is a list of places to visit in Palm Springs that will make your vacation memorable.


Aerial Tramway In Palm Springs

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you on a beautiful ten-minute ride past Mt. San Jacinto State Park, up the cliffs of Chino Canyon, and to the Mountain Station. At a height of more than 8,500 feet, the observation platform gives views of the dry valley below. There are two restaurants, a museum, and two places to watch documentary films.

This is a great place to get away from the heat of the desert because it can be up to 40 degrees cooler here than in Palm Springs. Nature lovers can take advantage of the nice weather by going on guided nature tours, hiking on the State Park's more than 50 miles of trails, or even primitive camping.l


Related: Expensive Place to Stay in Palm Springs


The Palm Springs Walk Of Fame

This tradition of naming streets after famous people goes back almost a century. It is like the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the area. Permanent stars on the pavement in Palm Springs honor famous people who live there or visit the resort town. Many streets in Greater Palm Springs, like Frank Sinatra Drive and Bob Hope Drive, are named after famous people who have ties to the desert.

The Walk of Icons in downtown Palm Springs is a tribute to Hollywood stars like Sophia Loren, Lucille Ball, and Mickey Rooney who have lived in Palm Springs or helped make it famous. It shows off the city's long history of famous people, like Sophia Loren, Lucille Ball, and Mickey Rooney. It's a well-known path in and of itself, and it's perfect for a stroll in the afternoon. The Walk of Stars is free to see and is open all day, every day.


Air Museum Of Palm Springs

It is named one of the top 14 aviation museums in the world. It has over sixty flyable and static planes on display and four fully air-conditioned hangars that add up to more than 90,000 square feet. Many of the people who work at the museum have flown these planes both as members of the military and as civilians. The four hangars are separated by region and time period, and there are exhibitions and multimedia displays in each one.

One-of-a-kind events include the Memorial Day Flower Drop, the Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival, and the Santa Fly-In. Most Saturdays, there are special events and flight demonstrations. You can also take a ride in a vintage warplane for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.


Mount San Jacinto

As it rises more than 11,000 feet above sea level, San Jacinto Mountain is an impressive sight. From alpine meadows to woods, this place has a lot to offer people who love the outdoors, wild places, and stunning natural beauty. People come here to go backpacking and trekking, and the park has places to camp for those who want to stay for a longer time.


The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Visitors may have a one-of-a-kind experience because the attractions are in a desert. There are things to do and see here that will appeal to everyone. There is a lot to do here, whether you like nature and being outside, seeing and learning about animals, or plants and natural beauty. This is a great place for people of all ages because they can see amazing things, have fun, and learn at the same time.


Make A Visit To The Palm Springs Art Museum

The Palm Springs Art Museum is a great place to go if you like modern art. There are more than a dozen galleries, two sculpture gardens, a theater for performing arts, and other things to do at the museum.

At the art museum, there are more than 12,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art, such as sculptures, paintings, prints, and photos. Most days, there are a lot of different exhibits to choose from.

There is also a live theater on the property called the Annenberg Theater. Here, the Coachella Valley Symphony puts on a show.

Part of the complex is the Aluminaire House, which is a great example of modernist architecture. The three-story, the all-metal tower was built in just 10 days in 1931 by A. Lawrence Kocher and the famous Palm Springs architect Albert Frey.


In Downtown Palm Springs, Take Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Canyon Drive is the main shopping street in downtown Palm Springs. It is lined with shops, galleries, cafes, pubs, and restaurants. Palm Canyon Drive is a busy street with beautiful palm trees that are lit up at night and colorful building fronts.

Visit an antique store. Buy gifts and things to keep. Check out art museums and galleries. Get a drink and sit at a table outside to watch people. Try foods from many different cuisines. Look at the many old buildings and public works of art. Take a picture of the "Welcome to Palm Springs" sign. Palm Canyon Drive is full of things to do.


Tour The San Andreas Fault In A Jeep

Now is your chance to go off-roading in the desert, if that's something you've always wanted to do. When you take a jeep tour of the famous San Andreas fault in Palm Desert, you'll see how amazing the twisted rock mountains and deep gorges are. You'll also learn all about how the Native American Cahuilla people lived in such a harsh environment. You can also take a friendly guide who will show you the way and they will be happy to answer any questions you have about the animals and rocks in the area.


Visit The Coachella Valley Preserve

The Coachella Valley Preserve is a great place to get away from the busyness of Palm Springs and see how beautiful the area is. The preserve is home to a wide range of desert plants and animals, as well as a number of hiking trails, including the famous Art Smith Trail. One of the best things about the preserve is that it's free to visit. However, if you drive there, you'll need to pay a parking fee. When the desert wildflowers are in bloom in the spring, then it is the best time to visit the preserve.


Visit The Indian Canyon

Indian Canyons in Palm Springs were first lived in by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. In the late 1800s, it was turned into a natural recreation area. Its natural beauty and ancient sites have been well taken care of, and today it is a popular network of hiking trails.

There are three canyons in Indian Canyons. They are Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, and Murray Canyon. You can't do all three in one day, so pick either Palm or a combination of Andreas and Murray. All canyons have trails that are marked as easy, moderate, or difficult, so you can choose one that fits your mood and hiking skills.

You can get maps, drinks, and other things at the Trading Post. Watch out for the beautiful hummingbirds that come to the feeder out front to drink. Palm Canyon is 15 miles long and is the longest of the three canyons. Follow the trail through sparkling streams, tumbling waterfalls, and the largest Californian palm oasis in the world.

If you don't have much time, you can take a leisurely one-mile circle through Andreas Canyon. The circle goes by tall rock formations, a typical Cahuilla Native American house, and bedrock mortars and metates that were used to grind beans and maize.

Conclusion

In the middle of the desert, Palm Springs is a pleasant surprise. There are a lot of amazing things to see and do, like parks, walking paths, mountains, one-of-a-kind oases, and rare animal species. Palm Springs is one of the best places in the U.S. to get away from the cold weather in the winter, but if you don't mind the heat, the summer is also a good time to go. We hope this Palm Springs travel guide helps you in finding the best places to visit in the USA for your next vacation.