I've traveled regularly to Palm Springs for 20 years. Here's my ultimate guide to help you plan a desert escape.
- Palm Springs is a desert oasis full of retro glamour, vibrant arts and culture, and relaxing vibes.
- I visit the California city regularly; here's my travel guide of can't miss things to do and see.
Palm Springs is just over 100 miles from Los Angeles where I live, but every time I visit, which is multiple times per year, I feel worlds away.
Merely arriving in the desert reframes my mindset. The weather is warm, clean, and dry; the landscape is almost lunar, and the glam caftans-by-the-pool vibe is just what I need to relax and regroup.
I've also always appreciated how the city is infused with the glitzy spirit of Old Hollywood with midcentury architecture and historic residences that harken back to the days when the city served as a retreat for stars like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, and other A-listers.
In recent years, the area has become well known for music and arts festivals, drawing hundreds of thousands to Coachella and Stagecoach in nearby Indio. But other long-running gatherings, like the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Modernism Week, draw serious culture aficionados, too.
The famously LGBTQ-friendly city has more than 130 hotels and resorts to welcome its many visitors, with signature accommodations in design-forward bungalows and casitas flanked by sparkling pools. I visit for solo time, girls' weekends, family trips with my kids, dates with my husband, reporting for my work as a travel writer, and simply to savor the therapeutic desert air.
Come for the events, yes, but also for everything I've always loved about Palm Springs, which is a laidback, magical atmosphere you have to experience to truly understand.