Discover Greater Palm Springs
Check out some of our top picks, places to stay, and our best method of visiting the region.
Greater Palm Springs Travel Guide
Find out more about this sunny paradise with our useful Greater Palm Springs travel guide.
Greater Palm Springs is Southern California’s most storied desert oasis, with nine distinct cities—Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella—each with its own personality and blend of experiences.
From an emerging art scene to international film, sporting, and music events, the choices of things to do are endless, inviting visitors to be as active or chilled out as they want to be.
With natural hot mineral springs, lush palm groves, over 100 golf courses, and more than 300 sunny days each year, Greater Palm Springs presents a unique combination of escape, adventure, recreation, and relaxation any time of the year. Here’s our travel guide to get you started.
Greater Palm Springs is home to more than 200 hotels, which include full-service destination resorts, Midcentury Modern masterpieces, and character-rich boutique hideaways.
Stay at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Indian Wells
Reawaken your sense of wonder at this stunning Indian Wells resort set against the Santa Rosa Mountains with an atmosphere of luxury and relaxation. Enjoy rejuvenating spa treatments, championship golf, dynamite cuisine at celebrated restaurants, sizzling nightlife, free Wi-Fi in the lobby and breathtaking desert sunsets. Relax in guestrooms with available private balconies or take a dip in the inviting sand beach pool. Designed to meet your every need, let the resort welcome you to an oasis of modern luxury.
Hop on a sunset jeep tour
Climb aboard one of their signature red Jeeps for a San Andreas Fault Sunset Jeep Tour, where you’ll wind your way through a labyrinth of geological cuts. Slot canyons, a palm oasis, and a recreated Cahuilla Native American village give you an in-depth look at the natural history of Greater Palm Springs, and, as night falls, you’ll enjoy a guided look at the stars on Desert Adventures’ exclusive Metate Ranch preserve.
Ride the world’s largest rotating tram car
Climb aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tramway, and ascend nearly 6,000 feet to the top of Mount San Jacinto, where temperatures can be up to 30 degrees cooler than on the desert floor. Hiking trails abound, and more ambitious explorers can climb to the top of Mount San Jacinto Peak (the highest point in Riverside County) or even hike to the mountain town of Idyllwild.
Architectural Tour with Palm Springs Mod Squad
Greater Palm Springs is a mecca for art, design and culture. It is particularly noteworthy for being home to the country’s largest collection of Midcentury Modern architecture, including residences listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In just 90 minutes, admire the country’s largest collection of Midcentury Modern homes in Palm Springs and discover what makes Palm Springs the mecca for modernism.
Get behind the wheel and put the pedal to the metal
When it comes to things to do in Greater Palm Springs, you won’t find anything as adrenaline-pumping as a day at the BMW Performance Center West, one of only two BMW driving tracks in the country. Tires squeal. Engines rev. Rubber burns. And drivers of all skill levels can take a spin in the latest BMW models while getting up to speed on everything there is to know about driving.
Travelling to Greater Palm Springs
United Airlines fly to Los Angeles from most major Australian capital cities with 16 non-stop flights departing daily from Sydney. Enjoy all the in-flight perks on your flights including complimentary food and beverages, inflight entertainment and amenities.
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