California, Destinations, Southern California, USA

The Perfect Palm Springs Day Trip Itinerary (Great for a First-Time Visit!)

An abundance of palm trees, beautiful mountain views, incredible mid-century modern architecture, date shakes, an amazing shopping and dining scene…there is a lot to love about Palm Springs! You certainly can’t experience all that this legendary desert destination has to offer with a day trip. That said, you can still see a lot!

I grew up enjoying getaways to Palm Springs from San Diego. Now living in Los Angeles, it remains one of my favorite destinations for a chill, sunny escape to the desert. 

As someone who has spent plenty of time in this vibrant SoCal city, I’m here to help you plan the perfect Palm Springs day trip. My itinerary includes the top attractions and dining spots so that you can see the best of Palm Springs with just one day.

  • Two lion statues on either side of a white and glass door. There are yellow and white striped inner tubes on the lion statues, and palm trees in the background.
  • An oasis of palm trees at Palm Canyon in Palm Springs
  • A collection of four palm trees behind a house in Palm Springs. You can see the house's white breeze blocks in the bottom of the photo.

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Palm Springs Day Trip Guide: How to Spend Your Day in the Desert

This is exactly how I’d tell a friend to spend one day in Palm Springs…especially if they are visiting for the first time! If you’d like to fine-tune the itinerary to fit your interests, I’ve also included additional recommendations for things to do in the area at the end of this guide. 

Short on time? Here’s a quick run-down: you’ll ride the aerial tramway (or hike at Palm Canyons), explore downtown, do a mid-century modern architectural tour, visit a local museum, and end your day with dinner in town!

Choose Your Adventure: Take a Ride on the Aerial Tramway or Hike Palm Canyon 

Start off your day trip with an adventure of your choice. 

Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway – this is one of the most famous Palm Springs attractions, and the world’s largest rotating tramcar! On the aerial tramway, you take a 10-minute ride up the mountain, travelling up 8,516 feet. During the ride, you get incredible views of the desert floor and Chino Canyon before making it up to Mount San Jacinto State Park. 

Once you arrive at the station, you can take in the sweeping views of the Coachella Valley from the observation decks. If you want to hike, I recommend trying the Desert View Trail (1.7 miles, easy) and/or the Discovery Nature Trail (1.2 miles, easy). These trails partially cover the same ground, so you can easily do them both for an extended hike!

Note that it’s typically around 30 degrees cooler at the top of the mountain, so layers are a must! I also highly recommend booking your tickets in advance, as those buying standby tickets often have a much longer wait (especially on weekends).  

Hike the Palm Canyon Trail – if you’d rather stay on the desert floor, hike one of my favorite trails in Palm Springs! Located in Indian Canyons on Agua Caliente tribal land, this easy 1.9-mile trail takes hikers through the world’s largest California fan palm oasis. 

Note that there is a per person fee to enter the land, which you’ll pay as you drive in. It’s best to do this hike first thing in the morning. Beyond beating the heat, there are limitations to how many people they let in each day. Going early ensures you’re able to experience the trail!

Prefer something a little more lowkey? I recommend starting your day with a stroll through Moorten Botanical Garden. You can find more info at the end of this guide! 

  • A view through a window of a tramcar descending to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway station
  • The view of the desert floor from Mount San Jacinto State Park
  • Palm Trees surrounding a shallow body of water

Explore the Shops and Galleries in Downtown Palm Springs (& Get a Date Shake!)

Next, make your way over to Downtown Palm Springs. Be sure to stop by the massive Marilyn Monroe statue (called Forever Marilyn), and spend some time strolling down the Walk of Stars. 

Downtown Palm Springs has an excellent shopping scene, especially when it comes to vintage stores! A few of my favorite shops in town include: 

Downtown also has incredible local art galleries, including The Shag Store (one of my favorites!), The Art of Nat Reed Gallery, Rubine Red Gallery, and Michael Weems Collection. 

Of course, a day trip to Palm Springs isn’t complete without a date shake! Great Shakes is an excellent option for a classic date shake. I also love the dairy-free date shake at Fruit Wonders!

  • A circular orange and blue seat in the middle of the gallery. There are colorful paintings on the wall.
  • The Marilyn Monroe Statue in Downtown Palm Springs
  • The Walk of Stars star for Ginger Rogers.

Take a Break for Lunch

While you’re downtown, you can stop for lunch at one of these restaurants in the area: 

  • Boozehounds – a beautifully designed restaurant, which has an excellent brunch and lunch menu with both sweet and savory dishes (their brussels sprouts are particularly great!). They have vegan and vegetarian options. 
  • Farm – a homey restaurant serving Provencal fare with a really lovely outdoor dining patio, as well as a great indoor space. They have vegan and vegetarian options. 
  • El Patron – a fun Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown. There are vegan and vegetarian options. 

If you don’t mind driving for lunch, two of my favorite lunch spots outside of the downtown area are Chef Tanya’s (a fully vegan eatery with sandwiches, burger, bowls, salads, and more) and Nature’s Health Food & Cafe (a popular health food store with an excellent cafe). 

Do a Guided or Self-Guided Palm Springs Architectural Tour

Palm Springs is known for its mid-century modern architecture. Many of the homes that were built between the 1930s to 1960s still stand in all their original glory! It’s worth either doing a guided or a self-guided tour through one (or more!) of the neighborhoods to get a closer look at these homes. 

I recommend booking a guided bike tour. A knowledgeable guide will take you through some of the most iconic Palm Springs neighborhoods, giving you a chance to see former celebrity homes and cool examples of mid-century modern architecture.

If you prefer to explore on your own, you can take your car and do a self-guided drive through tour. Some of the top neighborhoods worth checking out include: 

  • Old Las Palmas and Vista Las Palmas – historic neighborhoods where many iconic Old Hollywood homes are located, including Elvis’s Honeymoon Hideaway, the Liberace House, and Marilyn Monroe’s home. 
  • Deepwell Estates – a cool neighborhood featuring a mix of mid-century modern, ranch, and Spanish colonial revival architecture. I recommend reading this self-guided tour guide for info on must-see spots!
  • Indian Canyons – my favorite neighborhood in Palm Springs! Indian Canyons (just south of La Verne Way) was originally built in the 1960s, and has an abundance of mid-century modern homes. This is where you’ll see many of the famous Palm Springs colorful doors, including the iconic “That Pink Door”. 

Remember that these are residential neighborhoods. Be quiet, respectful, and don’t disturb the residents or go onto private property. 

  • A white mid-century modern house with an orange door in Indian Canyons. There are desert plants in the front yard, and palm trees behind the house.
  • An entry path with a low fountain leading up to a pink door at a home in Palm Springs.
  • The front of the Liberace House in Palm Springs. The home is white, and there are white statues on either side of the front gate. There are palm trees and tall mountains in the background.

Houses in Indian Canyons, including That Pink Door | The Liberace House

Check Out the Palm Springs Art Museum (If Time Permits!)

If you got an early enough start to your day, you may have time to explore the Palm Springs Art Museum, which is located downtown. The museum features rotating exhibits and a large collection of work, including Native American, western, modern, and contemporary art. 

Tickets can be purchased in person or online. If you happen to be visiting on a Thursday, the museum has free admission in the early evenings every Thursday!

Get Dinner in Town 

End your day trip with dinner in town! These are some of my favorite Palm Springs restaurants: 

  • Bar Cecil – if you can manage to grab a reservation, this extremely popular (and impeccably designed) restaurant is well-worth a visit! You’ll want to get the bread with date and sage butter for the table (it’s insanely good). There are vegan and vegetarian options. 
  • Rooster and the Pig – a chic Vietnamese fusion restaurant. There are also lots of vegan and vegetarian options. Note that they don’t take reservations. 
  • Tac/Quila – an upscale, eclectically decorated Mexican restaurant with an excellent cocktail menu. They have great vegan and vegetarian options (the jackfruit enchiladas are great!). Reservations recommended. 
  • 1501 Uptown Gastropub – a cozy, modern, and elevated gastropub. There are vegan and vegetarian options. Reservations recommended. 
  • The Tropicale – a classic Palm Springs spot serving global cuisine in a retro, neon-lit dining space. Reservations recommended. 
  • Outdoor seating at The Tropicale in Palm Springs. There is a hightop table, and the space is lit with pink lights.
  • The entryway at Bar Cecil. There is a table by the main door with a large bowl of citrus fruit, and a blue painted door leading into the dimly lit bar area.
  • A booth table at Bar Cecil. There is light green seating, and plates on the table that read Bar Cecil. The wall is wood paneled and there is a picture hanging above the table.

The Tropicale | Bar Cecil Patio | Bar Cecil Table

Additional Things to do in Palm Springs During Your Day Trip

Of course, there is so much more you can do in Palm Springs! Here are a few additional recommendations if you want to customize your itinerary:

  • Stroll Through Moorten Botanical Garden – I love this small, family-owned garden. It dates back to 1938, and is home to the world’s first “cactarium”! Here, you can see cacti and rare desert plants. You can also purchase a plant from the nursery! The entrance fee can be paid in person. 
  • Book a Hotel Pool Day Pass – if you want that classic poolside Palm Springs experience, consider booking a day pass at a local hotel through ResortPass! They have multiple hotel partners, and you can access the hotel pools, and in some cases other amenities. 
  • Explore Another Local Museum – in addition to the art museum downtown, there is the popular Palm Springs Air Museum, as well as the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center. 
  • Tour a Date Farm – this is a bit outside of Palm Springs, but well-worth a visit if you’re interested in learning more about dates (which have become a symbol of the region!) and date agriculture in the area. I recommend visiting Sam Cobb Date Farm in Desert Hot Springs. Another option is Shields Date Garden in Indio (which is more touristy). 

Considering a longer vacation? Take a look at my Palm Springs weekend getaway guide for an extended itinerary!

If you’re visiting Palm Springs as part of a Joshua Tree trip, take a look at these guides: 

Posted In: California, Destinations, Southern California, USA

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Kyra is the founder of Sea to Sequoia, a site she launched in 2020. As a type A traveler who loves to extensively research destinations to create the perfect vacation itinerary, she’s here to help readers so that their travel planning process is as easy as possible. In addition to running this site, she is a professional content writer in the wellness and skincare spaces, and also works as an actress.

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