Palm Springs, California 

From Native American petroglyphs to Pride festivals, Palm Springs couples a long history with a modern outlook. The desert city has hiking and riding opportunities, and beautiful desert vistas to make any day stay a memorable one.

Our Day Visitor Guide To Palm Springs

• Food – Palm Springs’ culinary scene is a cultural blend of American and Mexican fare, with Thai, Italian, and other distinct styles adding garnish to the dish. Amongst the best dining options are Italian food from L’Olivo Palm Springs, American meals from Purple Palm Restaurant, and the Mexican meals cooked up by El Mirasol Restaurant.
• Spectacular Scenery – Indian Canyons nature reserve allows visitors to explore the stunning desert scenery whether hiking on foot or riding horseback. Child-friendly and with areas to picnic, don’t forget to take plenty of water with you to keep hydrated. If you prefer to enjoy nature in the city itself, there’s Moorten Botanical Garden. Opened way back in 1938, there’s a desert environment complete with tour and a cornucopia of cacti.
• Museums – As well as the desert vistas there is plenty of man-made beauty to indulge in at the Palm Springs Art Museum. European and Native American artworks are on display, plus there’s a sculpture garden and a theater. Visitors who delight in dinosaurs, particularly those with children, can wander amongst replicas of the reptilian giants at the vintage Cabazon Dinosaurs attraction.

Six Enlightening Palm Springs Facts

1. The area was first settled by humans two millennia ago, when the Cahuilla people arrived.
2. Petrogylphs left by Native Americans can be seen at a number of canyons, including the nearby Tahquitz Canyon.
3. The etymology of Palm Springs is uncertain, and could refer either to God’s palm, or to a common native plant called the fan palm.
4. The city’s population varies significantly with the calendar, being thrice the size in winter as it is in summer.
5. From June to September the daily mean temperature exceeds 86 °F/30 °C, but is considerably more comfortable from December to March.
6. Palm Springs has one of the USA’s highest concentrations of gay couples, at over 7% (the national average being 1%), and hosts the Greater Palm Springs Pride Celebration.