Last month, Chelsea and I took a quick trip to Palm Springs with some friends and it was wonderful. None of us had ever been before, so we packed a lot of fun into 4 days in paradise!
Where we stayed
We rented a gorgeous VRBO for our trip, and it was perfect. The house had a private pool which gave us the opportunity to really relax with no crowds. It also had a main house and separate casita, so we all had our own spaces to retreat to.
The location was great – the house felt very safe and was in a scenic neighborhood perfect for morning walks, and it was a quick, convenient drive to all the shops and restaurants.
The kitchen was well-stocked, the living room was comfortable, and there was a garage to park our rental car in overnight.
We would totally stay in this house again on a future visit.
What we did
We had a lot of fun little excursions paired with some nice downtime at our house. I felt like it was the perfect balance of being on-the-go and relaxing.
One morning, we did an architecture tour that went inside some super cool homes. The tour started at the Saguaro Hotel, so it was fun to see that before heading out. We got to see how several people interpreted the mid-century modern style in the design of their homes. Our tour guide was very informative, and with the tour lasting three hours and going into three homes plus driving through a lot of neighborhoods, it really allowed us to immerse ourselves into the local vibe. We all loved it, and would highly recommend it to anyone with an affinity for architecture and interior design. Check out the tour company here.
We spent some time exploring the cute shops throughout Palm Springs, and I want to give a particular shoutout to Thick as Thieves. This amazing little shop is owned by a sorority sister of mine, and it’s quitessentially Palm Springs! So many lovely items that capture the essence of the area and feature a lot of local artists. Bonus – you can shop them online! And I didn’t snap any pictures there because we were having so much fun shopping, so you’ll just have to go check out their website.
One day we took a drive to Joshua Tree, which is about 50 miles from Palm Springs. We left before dawn so we could enjoy the sunrise views over the park. We entered the park on the south end, stopped at the Cholla Cactus Garden, White Tank Campground, and several other scenic spots along the way. We also explored the visitor’s center, then exited on the north end of the park. On our way back to Palm Springs, we stopped at Joshua Tree Coffee Company, and it was a really fun stop, perfect for a mid-day caffeine pick-me-up. This is definitely a must do day trip while visiting Palm Springs!
On the last day, I enjoyed a facial at Spa La Quinta. It was an incredible spa, and the La Quinta Resort is gorgeous. If spas are your thing, this is the one to choose. My facial was perfect, and a great way to relax before heading home.
When we weren’t out to eat, the rest of our time was spent at the house relaxing in the pool, and it was marvelous. The house was well stocked with a variety of fun pool floats, and was heated to the perfect temperature, making it a wonderful way to relax.
Speaking of eating…
Where we ate
Oh my, we ate SO MUCH good food on this trip!
Lunch at Farm – this was our first meal of the trip, and it was incredible! We all had delicious meals and drinks. I had a croque madame and a sangria and I’m still thinking about how great it was! The restaurant is a quaint little space with a delightful French vibe.
Dinner at Tac/Quila – our dinner here was so good! Mexican food is always a favorite for me, and this place did not disappoint. They have an open-air dining room, so we enjoyed the ambiance of the warm evening, great food, and amazing margaritas. We all shared and loved the Taco Chips appetizer and my shrimp tacos were spicy and delicious.
Breakfast at Ernest Coffee Co. – this was a quick stop for us before the architecture tour. We all got drinks and pastries and we all loved our treats. If you’re looking to support a local coffee shop, this is the place!
Brunch at Norma’s – this is one of the restaurants inside the Parker Hotel. The ambiance of Norma’s (and the Parker in general) is exquisite, our cocktails were delicious, and Norma’s Doughnuts were the star. Our entrees were decent, and while it wasn’t our favorite meal overall of the trip, we were all really glad we got to experience it.
Drinks at Boozehounds – we made an impromptu stop at this bar/coffee shop before dinner one night and we were so happy we discovered it! It’s a dog bar, so you know Chelsea and I loved it. They have a great patio area with lots of comfy seating areas for humans and their pups. We enjoyed some truffle fries and cocktails and everything was yummy. The only thing missing was Penny!
Dinner at Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey – dinner here was incredible! I think we shocked our server when we ordered pretty much everything on the menu, but we couldn’t resist! It was so fun to try so many different sushi rolls and everything was delicious.
Dinner at Workshop Kitchen + Bar – we loved the vibe of this restaurant. We sat in the restaurant’s courtyard with patio lights glowing above. It was a lovely ambience and our food was delicious. My truffle burger was soooo good, and Chelsea loved her risotto with squash blossoms. We shared the pierogi appetizer and it was really yummy too.
Palm Springs was everything we hoped it would be and more. We will definitely be back… just maybe not in September. It. Was. HOT!!! I don’t know what we were expecting, but we certainly weren’t expecting it to be as hot as it was. Thankfully, we had our air conditioned house and our lovely pool to retreat to, and that made the heat bearable, but I think we’ll try for early spring next time. I will say that being in Palm Springs in September meant lower crowds, which we loved, so it really does depend on what your priorities are when visiting and if you can bear the heat but want low crowds, September is the time to go. Also to note, a lot of businesses have reduced hours since September is considered the off-season, so we had to plan accordingly for when to visit certain spots.
Have you been to Palm Springs? What did we miss that we need to do on our next trip? Let me know in the comments.
Party on!
JW
Looks like so much fun! Did you go to the Palm Springs Convention? That was my only visit there.
We did not – I’ll have to check it out!
Thank you for always documenting our experiences so well! This post makes me want to go back!