Palm Springs

Best time to visit Palm Springs

The best time to visit Palm Springs largely depends on what you’re looking to do and your weather preferences. Here's a quick guide:

Spring (March to May)
Spring is one of the best times to visit Palm Springs. Daytime temperatures range from about 24°C to 29°C. The weather is pleasantly warm, making it perfect for outdoor activities like hiking and exploring the city’s mid-century modern architecture. Additionally, the desert flowers are in full bloom.

Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is also a great time to visit. Temperatures cool down from the summer highs, ranging from around 29°C to 34°C. This is an ideal time for outdoor adventures and enjoying the city’s many events and festivals.

Summer (June to August)
Summer in Palm Springs can be extremely hot, with temperatures often exceeding 38°C. If you can handle the heat, you’ll find lower hotel rates and fewer crowds. Many resorts offer great deals, and it’s a good time for relaxing by the pool.

Winter (December to February)
Winter brings cooler temperatures, ranging from about 18°C to 22°C. It’s a popular time for visitors seeking a warm escape from colder climates. While it’s generally pleasant, it can get busy during the holiday season, so booking accommodations in advance is recommended.

Ultimately, spring and autumn are the most comfortable and popular times to visit Palm Springs, offering ideal conditions for enjoying all the city has to offer.

Discover Palm Springs

From hosting the Rat Pack to welcoming Hollywood’s more “contemporary” scene, Palm Springs settles into its role as a legendary low-key hideaway for celebrities. But the good news is that you don’t have to be an A-Lister here to reap the benefits of this desert oasis – everyone is welcome and once you’re here, you’ll find everything you need to create an unforgettable holiday. The city is known for its elegant resorts, outstanding golf, first rate dining scene, eclectic shopping, and bustling year-round social calendar.

Under the watchful gaze of the San Jacinto Mountains, blue skies and year-round sunshine, Palm Springs takes its resort status seriously with palm tree-lined streets, enclaves paved with Mexican tiles and single-storey mid-20th century buildings. Downtown is, perennially, a happening place. A stroll on Palm Canyon Drive with its Walk of Stars, honouring pioneers, and entertainment celebs, offers up an array of boutique shops, art galleries and quaint cafés. On call to entertain at any time of the year, the desert resorts come into their own in winter with plenty of welcome, warm winter-sun and – thanks to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway – a morning relaxing by the outdoor pool can be backed up with a vigorous afternoon spent on a pair of skis.

Things to do in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has been delighting visitors for over 60 years with a 10-minute trip up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon from the desert floor to an alpine forest, 8,516 feet above sea level. At the top, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley. During the summer you can explore over 50 miles of hiking trails through giant redwood forests and picnic areas of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park, while winter provides some of the best cross-country skiing in California.

Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon
There are over a hundred miles of trails available along streams, ancient palm groves and stunning canyons offering incredible views and outdoor adventure.. From a simple hike and a picnic by a peaceful stream to adventurous 4x4 excursions and horseback riding deep into the canyon, the Indian Canyons provide a great insight into the deserts of Southern California.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
This 1,200 acre attraction is both an innovative zoo and an educational attraction which displays both desert flora, fauna and wild creatures from desert regions across the world. Enjoy an African safari and see cheetahs, black rhinos and feed the giraffes. Explore the Australian trail and spot emu and wallabies and come face-to-face with a mountain lions, bobcats and golden eagles.

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Things to do in Palm Springs

Golf & Spa
Palm Springs is known as Los Angeles playground, where many locals come for the weekend to enjoy the sunny climate and relax. With an endless choice of resorts with spas, many of them with hot springs you will be spoilt for choice. Palm Springs stunning location and year-round sunshine makes it a popular choice for golfers, where you’ll find world-class golf courses including Indian Wells and Indian Canyons where Frank Sinatra used to play.

Joshua Tree National Park
Get in the car and drive one hour east to the spectacular and unique beauty of Joshua Tree National Park – you won’t be disappointed. Encompassing more than 500,000 acres of California desert its starkly beautiful landscape is filled with Joshua trees. In fact, they aren’t really trees but are members of yucca family which can grow up to 30 feet high and can live up to a thousand years. They thrive in the deserts of America’s Southwest, but the national park houses the largest collection anywhere in the U.S.

Top tips for Palm Springs holidays

• Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
  If you are taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway – the world's largest rotating tramcar – up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon, be aware that the temperature at the top can be up to 30°F cooler than on the desert floor. You will need to dress accordingly so make sure you bring layers with you.
• Hollywood glamour
  Palm Springs has been renowned as a winter playground of the rich and famous pretty much since its discovery by Hollywood in the 1920s. If the Golden Age of Hollywood is of interest to you, you can discover the secluded retreats and exclusive estates of the likes of Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant by taking an organised Celebrity Tour. You can also follow Palm Springs’ own Walk of Stars throughout downtown, featuring more than 400 stars of celebrities, humanitarians, and professional athletes.
  
• The San Andreas Fault
  The famous San Andreas Fault can be seen near Palm Springs and the best way to view this geological feature is with an organised 4x4 company as you will be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. You will head for the desert and into the canyons and oases along the Fault, going right up to a spot where the Pacific and North American geological plates intersect. For even more fun, during the summer some companies take you out at sunset for a spectacular look at the evening sky.

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Top tips for Palm Springs holidays

• Indian Wells tennis
  If you’re a fan of tennis, try to arrange your visit to the Coachella Valley during the month of March. The resort of Indian Wells welcomes the game’s elite as it plays host to one of the “Masters Series” and is one of the world’s top tournaments. Recent finalists include Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova.
  
• Getting around
  Whilst Palm Springs still retains its village atmosphere, as a town, it is very spread out and the resorts’ attractions are a fair drive away from downtown, so we do recommend hiring a car whilst visiting.