Palm Springs is one of the exotic vacation destinations located in California, United States. The resort city is surrounded by four different mountain ranges, beautiful landscapes, deserts, swimming pools, golf courses, colorful homes, canyons, botanical gardens, amazing restaurants, and endless surreal sceneries. It is ideal for planning a weekend trip, and there are tons of exciting and fun things to do in Palm Springs. 

The city is widely renowned for its exotic and classic style, warm weather, vibrant and welcoming vibes, and amazing surrounding communities, known as the Coachella Valley, a very popular winter vacation destination. Besides, there are unique shopping sites, dining, and touring museums that you can explore.

The peak season for visiting the city is between November to March, and it’s the time when most parts of North America experiences cold temperatures. In January, the city also organizes the annual Palm Springs Film Festival, and you can book your tickets and witness the treasures with your travel companions. It will take you around three hours from San Diego and two hours from Los Angeles to commute to this heavenly place. 

Best Things to do in Palm Springs, CA

Here is a list of top and unusual things to do in Palm Springs, CA. Have a look. 

Witness the Wilderness of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

You can begin your trip by taking a ride around the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, where you will see the incredible canyon-hugging Gondola ride. Then, at the top of Mountain Station Stop, you will see a restaurant, cafe, lounge, observation decks, natural history museum, documentary decks, gift shops, and plenty of hiking trails. 

It is one of the largest rotating tram cars globally, and you can board a rotating car inside the car station. After 10 minutes, you will experience a drop in the temperature and yourself facing entirely below the Coachella Valley. While you are on a sightseeing tour, you will witness the exotic and most beautiful cliffs of Chino Canyon and breathtaking views of Mount San Jacinto State Park. 

Play Golf at the Golf Course

There are around 100 golf courses of championship level in Palm Springs and the nearby cities, including Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, and Palm Desert. These are easily accessible and open for public visits; sports enthusiasts will love participating in golfing. The city’s weather is very pleasant for playing golf and enjoying the alluring scenes of the beautiful sun and the overall beauty of nature. Although the temperature is extreme in summers, one can make most of their time in the morning.

One of the well-renowned golf courses open for tourists in the city is PGA West, home to the American Express Desert Classic, also known as the Bob Hope Classic. Other golf courses include the Indian Wells Golf Resort, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge, and the Indian Canyons Golf Resort. 

Appreciate the art and culture of the Palm Springs Art Museum 

Palm Springs Art Museum is home to the world’s fine art, natural history, and performing arts collection. It was constructed in the 1930s, and since then, it has become a famous tourist attraction and while you are in Palm Springs, stop at the museum to appreciate the great works. Earlier, the museum’s subject was desert subjects and the works of renowned artists, but after a year, the focus and attention shifted towards the curated collection of contemporary and modern art, including Native American art and artifacts. 

In addition, one can also see the display of the highest science collection of animals and fossils in the museum. There are two outdoor sculpture gardens within the site. Some of the permanent collections to explore in the museum include incredible paintings, photography, pottery, glass, and architecture, entirely focusing on American Western Art and artists. Search for the best flight tickets and make Delta Airlines booking to spend a great weekend trip in Palm Springs. 

Take a tour of the Moorten Botanical Gardens and Cactarium 

Located on the South end of Palm Springs Canyon Drive, Moorten Botanical Gardens and Cactarium is a unique nature-oriented place, featuring a tropical display of cacti and desert plant species, while some have grown fully and some just coming out of the roots. If you visit the city in the spring season, you will see the cactus properly blooming and taking different shapes, and trees start to turn into green colors and gardens, blessing everyone with their greenery and calmness. The garden is open once a year, and tourists can take guided tours for free of cost and explore the place completely. The plants are taken care of by the nursery department, and the interesting part is you can also take some of the plants home. 

See the Wild Animals in the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens was constructed to preserve the desert land and develop some of them into a resort that now has become a famous zoo. The site is a habitat for flora and fauna belonging to Palm Springs. Tourists can come here and get an exclusive chance to see and interact with the animals and get to know a lot about their habitats. 

The zoo is home to plenty of animals, mostly from North America, including leopards, gazelle, raptors, mountain lions, zebras, camels, coyotes, wolves, badgers, foxes, giraffes, hyenas, and a lot of other species. Morning is the ideal time to take a tour of the zoo when the animals are active. Moreover, you can also check the zoo’s schedule and check the available guided nature walks, animal feeding systems, and tropical wildlife shows. 

One of the popular activities to do in the zoo is giraffe feeding, and you can also feed some of them from the tower. Besides this, you can interact with the camels and see the trainees feeding, training, and grooming them. 

Be a part of the Village Fest in Palm Springs

The city glitters once a year on Thursday evenings at the time of the launch of Village Fest. During this time, the streets are packed with more than 180 vendors. Due to this, the city is closed to traffic and surrounded by booths from both sides. As a result, tourists can come here to derive a unique experience, shop for art and crafts, fine jewelry, and try some delicious snacks from local restaurants.

The markets at night open early, around six or seven pm, and close until 10:00 pm, depending on the season. Moreover, you can witness endless entertainment and see the exciting performances given by buskers, street artists, and musical performers. So make a United Airlines booking and pack your bags for a refreshing trip with your travel partners.