I've lived in Palm Springs for nearly a decade. There are 5 mistakes I see tourists make again and again.

Jul 28, 2026 09:02 PM - 2 hours ago 3

Sharon stands successful beforehand of a colorful motion that says "Greetings from Palm Springs, California."

As a local, I cognize location are immoderate things visitors should ne'er do successful Palm Springs. David Potter

When I moved from Los Angeles to Palm Springs, California, successful 2017, I was instantly drawn by the slower gait of life, upland views, and near-constant sunshine.

Since then, I've hosted much friends and family members than I tin count, and I've noticed the aforesaid fewer things drawback first-timers disconnected defender each time.

Here are immoderate of the mistakes I show visitors to debar making during their trip to Palm Springs.

Sleeping successful — particularly if you scheme connected spending clip extracurricular — is simply a large no-no.

A rocky godforsaken canyon overlooking a palm-filled vale and distant mountains.

I ever urge leaving early for hikes and outdoor adventures. David Potter

When I first moved here, I had nary thought it could deed 90 degrees Fahrenheit by 9 a.m. during the hotter parts of the year. This took immoderate adjusting to, since I wasn't overmuch of a greeting personification earlier settling successful the desert.

Last October, a friend visiting from the East Coast woke up astatine 9 a.m. and wanted to spell for a hike. I told him it was already excessively precocious and suggested we time off earlier the adjacent morning, since the power would creep up accelerated erstwhile we sewage connected the trail.

That's why I ever urge readying your hikes, walks, and sightseeing for early morning, past redeeming the day for the excavation — aliases location pinch aerial conditioning.

Some group battalion for the formation alternatively of the desert.

Sharon and a friend guidelines connected a stone successful the godforsaken pinch their arms stretched up.

When visiting Palm Springs, it's important to battalion for a godforsaken vacation. David Potter

Friends visiting from retired of authorities get excited astir coming to California, but they don't ever recognize Palm Springs has small successful communal pinch the coast, weather-wise.

When visiting Palm Springs, I ever urge bringing breathable tees, tanks, and shorts for during the day. Plus, depending connected the season, it's bully to person layers fresh for nighttime activities, since godforsaken temperatures tin autumn aft sunset.

Layers tin beryllium particularly useful if you're visiting parts of adjacent Joshua Tree National Park, wherever conditions tin alteration importantly by location and elevation.

Planning to do excessively overmuch successful 1 time isn't a bully idea.

Sharon feeds a giraffe astatine the zoo.

I emotion visiting the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens successful the morning. Sharon Wu

In my opinion, immoderate of the champion parts of a Palm Springs getaway aren't attractions astatine all. Instead, they're the moments spent relaxing by the pool, taking successful the upland views, and soaking up the godforsaken scenery.

That's why I ever show travelers that overpacking their itinerary is simply a mistake.

When I person visitors, I for illustration to support mornings to 1 activity, for illustration a hike aliases a stroll done the adjacent Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Once it heats up, we caput location to the excavation for an day of catching up and sipping thing acold nether the thenar trees.

By evening, we mightiness caput backmost out, visiting a section staple for illustration the Thursday-night Palm Springs VillageFest, a play thoroughfare adjacent connected Palm Canyon Drive pinch nutrient vendors, artists, and unrecorded music.

No matter what you person planned, it's important to defy the impulse to capable each hr of your time. After all, the slower gait is portion of what makes a Palm Springs picnic consciousness truthful special.

Many visitors presume each of Palm Springs is walkable.

A palm-lined thoroughfare successful downtown Palm Springs, pinch shops and cars against a upland backdrop.

Downtown Palm Springs is walkable, but you'll request a car to sojourn different parts of town. Robert Brill/Getty Images

Shortly aft my move, my mom visited and couldn't get complete really dispersed retired everything is here. I'm fortunate there's a grocery store crossed the thoroughfare from my house, but that's not the norm.

Although downtown has restaurants wrong stepping distance, the surrounding neighborhoods are much difficult to navigate without a car.

That's why I ever urge renting a car erstwhile visiting Palm Springs. Plus, it allows you to spot acold much of the area than you could connected foot.

Thinking Palm Springs is conscionable a spot for retirees and golfers.

A modern mid-century location pinch a colorful pinkish doorway successful Palm Springs, California.

Palm Springs is celebrated for its mid-century modern architecture, arsenic seen connected the location commonly known arsenic "That Pink Door." Delpixart/Getty Images

When I told my champion friend I was moving to Palm Springs, she didn't get the appeal. She simply saw it arsenic a hub for golfers successful the mediate of the desert.

In reality, though, Palm Springs is for much than conscionable golfers and retirees. For example, I deliberation the metropolis is 1 of the champion places successful the state to spot mid-century modern architecture up close.

Flat rooflines, solid walls, and indoor-outdoor surviving spaces are everyplace here, and you don't request a general circuit to spot them. Just locomotion aliases thrust around.

The Indian Canyons vicinity is known for its mid-century modern homes and colorful doors, including the often photographed location commonly known arsenic "That Pink Door," a favourite extremity for contented creators and visitors alike.

Plus, moreover though Palm Springs isn't arsenic lively arsenic the awesome cities successful California, location are plentifulness of low-key activities to do.

I for illustration to locomotion done the Palm Springs Art Museum — which offers free admittance each Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m — and drawback a wound astatine Lulu California Bistro aliases Bar Issi, which is located wrong the Thompson Hotel.

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Sharon Wu is simply a versatile writer pinch complete a decade of acquisition covering lifestyle, individual finance, travel, and more. She holds a B.A. successful Communication from UC San Diego, and her activity has appeared successful USA TODAY, CBS News, and ConsumerAffairs, among different outlets. When she’s not writing, she’s astir apt readying her adjacent roadworthy travel pinch her pugs and fiancé aliases hanging retired poolside.

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