Palm Springs is one of my favorite places to visit because of the dry, warm weather. A lot of people come to Palm Springs for the epic golfing, the high end outlet mall or just to rest and relax in the sun.
The airport is super small & really easy to get in and out. From Los Angeles, Palm Springs is about a two hour drive so it’s also perfect for a staycation. These are my top recommendations for Instagram-Worthy activities to do around Palm Springs and even better – they are all pretty inexpensive!
Palm Springs Self-Driving Windmill Tour
Driving in and out of Palm Springs, you will always catch a sea of Wind Mills. If you want to learn more about the history of wind mills in Palm Springs (and the impact they have on the greater Los Angeles area), check out current and historical ones close up and want an some epic pictures for the gram – this is for you. Here’s the details:
- It’s cheap – $40 a car, and up to a maximum of 8 people per car.
- You are handed a sanitized tablet at the beginning of your tour, which you will use to follow along at each stop. The tablet has both audio and video.
- It’s self-driving, meaning you can go at your own pace, in your own vehicle.
- There are multiple stops/exhibits along the tour and it’s up to you how much time you want to spend at each one. This entire tour can take as little as 30 minutes, or upwards of 90mins.
- You can get out of your car if you want to see the exhibits and take pictures, or you can stay in your car. Totally up to you.
For any of my content-creating millennial fans out there, you’ll love this tour because you can get awesome photos. Check out the Palm Springs Self-Driving Windmill next time you are in town!
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Aerial Tramway is a must-do in my opinion when you’re visiting Palm Springs. You do this activity for the views. The views at the top are simply incredible and bonus – the temperature is typically 10-12 degrees cooler than Palm Springs, so it’s great way to escape the heat for a few hours. Here’s what you need to know:
- You can purchase tickets on site or purchase your tickets ahead of time on their website.
- Tickets range from $16-26 depending on age
- Trams depart every 30 minutes
- The Tramcar itself is pretty cool – Each one rotates 360 degrees on its way up to the top
- The whole journey is about 2.5 miles each way and takes about 15 minutes
- There is food/drinks/restrooms at the top of the mountain
While most people go for the photos and seeing the entire Palm Springs valley from up above, a lot of people hike the surrounding trails (because it is much cooler!), camp and participate in guided tours. Highly recommend!
Moorten Botanical Garden
This is such a cute little spot! Moorten Botanical Garden is just south of Downtown Palm Springs and the perfect way to kill an hour or 90min. This privately-owned arboretum, also known as a “Cactarium,” features over 3000 different plants and cacti from all around the world. Lots of great photo opportunities too!
- Only costs $5 for adults! $2 for kids, and FREE for kids under 2
- Open Friday-Sunday, 9am-1pm
- You can buy cacti and plants to take home
- Free Street Parking is easy
They also have a few surprise animals on property, but I won’t spoil the surprise for you! This is outdoors, so plan accordingly if the weather is hot. To learn more, check out Moorten Botanical Garden’s website.
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens
While the Living Desert is technically in Palm Desert, it’s only a short ride from Palm Springs. The Living Desert is a small zoo with guided tours, live shows and my favorite, Giraffe Feeding! It’s a nice way to to spend half a day and see some animals up close!
- Reservations need to be made ahead of time on their website, but it’s easy to get same-day reservations
- Tickets range from $14-25 depending on age
- Since it’s a zoo, a lot of animals are in outdoor enclosures so I would recommend sunscreen, sunglasses, hat & water
- The zoo is under construction currently but their updated map is really helpful – grab one on the way in
- Two of my favorite things were the Giraffe Feeding and seeing Wallaby’s jump all around you in the “Australian” adventure area (you go inside their enclosure!)
While you are down in Palm Desert, you can easily make a day out of it by checking out Paseo Village for cool restaurants & high end shops. Louis Vuitton, anyone?
More on Palm Springs
If you’re looking for an adults-only Boutique Hotel in the center of town, check out my review of the Holiday House which I typically book from Hotels.com. It’s one of my favorite places to stay that’s near everything!
Also recommend some of these restaurants: Tac/Quila, Bar Cecil, Sandfish Sushi and Workshop.
Follow me on Instagram for even more pictures out and about in Palm Springs