Palm Springs is a year round destination known for its stylish hotels, golf courses, hot springs and mid-century modern architecture. In this travel guide, I’m sharing my top 3 picks of adults-only Boutique hotels, 6 bars/restaurants that you gotta check while you’re in town, and a few activities that will pass the time.
Where to Stay
Holiday House
If you’re looking for a place to stay in the heart of Downtown Palm Springs thats adults-only, you gotta check out the Holiday House. Palm Springs is known for classic mid-century modern design and Holiday House oozes that the second you walk into their lobby.
Not to mention, you’ll definitely notice a specific color theme! Get your iPhone out because you’ll have alot of Instagram opportunities.
The 28 rooms on property are well-appointed, the bed is super comfy and you get picturesque views of the gorgeous mountains throughout the hotel. Complimentary bicycles make it easy to get around town, but what I love most about Holiday House is the walkability. You can walk to Starbucks. You can walk to many bars and restaurants, and all the shops.
I stayed in the “Best” room, which you can book here. Highly Recommend and if you want to see my full review of Holiday House, check out this post!
L’Horizon
Just south of Downtown Palm Springs is L’Horizon Resort and Spa, a more luxury and private resort experience, designed by Steve Hermann. This property is adults-only and very intimate – only 25 bungalows. Each bungalow has its own unique touches.. some with fireplaces and private pools.
If you’re looking for a relaxing place to unwind and escape the hustle and bustle, L’Horizon gives you that. The Spa not only hosts massages and facials, but also yoga and personal training.
L’Horizon is a few miles south of Downtown so you would need to catch an Uber, but being outside of Downtown Palm Springs definitely has its advantages. The tranquility and quietness at L’Horizon Resort and Spa is unmatched. Think it’s time for you to Book your next getaway at L’Horizon for 2022!
The Colony Palms
The Colony Palms is another hotel designed by Steve Hermann and L’Horizon’s sister property. Colony Palms is located in Downtown Palm Springs and has 57 guest rooms (a combination of rooms, bungalows and suites), a full service spa and one of my favorite restaurants, The Colony Club (more on that below).
There are instagram-worthy moments throughout the property, beautiful views of the mountains and just like Holiday House, you’ll definitely notice a color scheme. Their pool are has plenty of chaise lounges and cabanas for larger groups. The hotel sits on 3 acres, enough to host events, weddings and parties.
The Colony Palms is also adults-only and perfectly located to walk to many shops, restaurants and bars.
Where to Eat & Drink
Truss & Twine
Truss & Twine is a cocktail bar in the heart of Downtown Palm Springs. You’ll be taken back by the black concrete walls and dramatic steel canopy that sits over the bar.
It’s a beautiful bar!
Their cocktails celebrate the history of drinks in America, like prohibition and the dark ages. My personal favorite is a gin cocktail called Game Changer – refreshing and classic.
If you’re looking for a few bites to eat – hands down – you gotta check out the Wagyu Oxtail Grilled Cheese, Beet & Green Goddess Deviled Eggs & Bang Bang Mary’s Chicken Wings.
This place is perfect for a cocktail before dinner, or after!
Sugar High at La Serena Villas
If you’re looking for a cute rooftop moment, you’ll want to visit Sugar High bar at La Serena Villas. Past the lobby and around the pool, you’ll see Azucar, the hotel’s on-sight restaurant. Azucar offers downstairs dining as well as dining around the pool, but my favorite part is the boho chic, intimate rooftop bar, Sugar High.
Sugar High is the perfect spot for a cocktail, taking in the breathtaking views of the San Jacinto mountains.
The decor is unlike anything else in Palm Springs. The vibrant wallpaper inside the bar is great for photo ops! And the bright pops of pink outside make everything fun.
It’s the most beautiful around sunset and after dark, when all the tea lights turn on. Sugar High also hosts private events and is adults-only!
Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey
Who would have thought sushi.. in the desert.. would be pretty damn good?! Every time I visit Palm Springs, I go to Sandfish. No lie, it’s a staple for me and I live on the Southern California coast.. That is sayin’ something!
Sandfish started out as a small sushi joint in Downtown Palm Springs. The inside can maybe seat 35-40 people. During the pandemic, they opened a pretty big side patio out of shipping containers.
If you can get a reservation inside, the overall vibe is better in my opinion. Plus, the wind at certain times of the year can be intense and almost unbearable if you’re eating outside.
I highly recommend the Sandfish roll, their nigiri and craft cocktails. Oh, and if you like whiskey, they have a ton of speciality bottles.
Bar Cecil
If it’s good for Diana Keaton & Giada de Laurentiis, it’s good enough for me! No seriously, Bar Cecil has been the hardest reservation to get for 2021. You might be among celebrities here, and for good reason!
Everything about this place is instagram-worthy… from the fun mid-century modern design, to the inventive craft cocktails, to their food! Even their burger made my instagram Story!
Other items I would recommend would be the Caramelized Onion Tart, Smoked Bone-In Pork Chop and their Chocolate Chip Cookies (Seriously, I have dreams about these! Best I’ve ever had!)
And if you really want to ball out, try the Fifty-Dollar Martini and Caviar by Thomas Keller. Highly recommend to book weeks/months in advance.
This place is on the small side and the vibe is epic inside, so check out Bar Cecil with a party of 4 people or less!
Tac/Quila
Palm Springs has a lot of authentic Mexican restaurants (El Patio being my personal fav) but if you’re looking for modern Mexican food, Tac/Quila is the best. Like Sandfish, I visit Tac/Quila for lunch every time I visit Palm Springs.
Their open-door concept restaurant serves up the tastiest margaritas. In fact, you can get a 4-flight sampler of their most popular margaritas. For starters, my favorites are the Ceviche Trio and Beer Tempura Avocado Bites – amazing flavors!
They got street tacos of all different kinds, which are perfect for lighter appetites. The jicama and papaya salad is really refreshing, especially on hot summer days.
If you want something a bit more filling, check out their speciality tacos, which are bigger in size and a bit more unique. My personal favorite is the seared ahi tuna taco. Honestly, there isn’t much I haven’t tried at Tac/Quila. I also love their Verde Enchiladas – not spicy and full of chicken!
They don’t take reservations online, so give them a call 760-417-4471 to book.
The Colony Club
The Colony Club at The Colony Palms hotel is another beautiful restaurant that serves up classic California fare. The restaurant is simply stunning with gorgeous art-deco vibes. They serve lunch, brunch and dinner, but my personal favorite is brunch. You can book your reservations on OpenTable.
Aside from the main dining room, they also have a private dining room that can seat up to 14 people. They have outdoor seating too, overlooking the pool.
If you go for brunch, check out their avocado toast and Bloody Mary! If dinner is more your thing, I loved the Girl n Dug Farm Salad, the Tarragon & Dill Deviled Eggs and Mushroom risotto.
What to Do
While there are a ton of great golf courses, spas, restaurants and shopping to do in Palm Springs, I’m sharing a few things off the beaten path that you will want to check out. I actually wrote an entire blog post on 4 Instagram-Worthy Things to Do in Palm Springs but I’ll highlight my top 2 favorites in this post.
Self-Driving Windmill Tour
Chances are, you’ve probably seen the windmills in and around Palm Springs. They are pretty fascinating and their history is even more so.
Palm Springs has a self-driving windmill tour where you can see them up close and get all those great Instagram shots.
Because it’s a self-driving tour, this is perfect for a small group and you can do it at your own pace. The cost is per car so it’s an affordable activity to do in Palm Springs. Check out this blog post to learn more!
Moorten Botanical Garden
Just south of Downtown is Moorten’s Botanical Garden, a privately-owned arboretum, also known as a “Cactarium.”
Moorten’s features over 3000 different plants and cacti from all around the world. Get your camera out, because this is where you’ll want some awesome IG photos.
It’s only open Friday through Sunday from 9am-1pm, so this would be best to do before lunch time.
For more details, check out my post here!
Hope you enjoyed this Palm Springs Travel Guide! I’ll update this guide when new and exciting places open up around Downtown Palm Springs. For your convenience, I have all the hotels, bars and restaurants mapped out for you below that I included in this travel guide.
And, I want to hear from you! If you’ve been to Palm Springs and have other recommendations for me, drop them below in the comments!
Love Palm Springs! It is such a fun destination for outdoor recreation, good food & drinks and relaxation.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I’m actually learning how to play golf, so I can play out in Palm Springs!
Palm Springs looks like an amazing destination! I would love to stay at the Holiday House, visit the Sugar High bar and go to the botanical gardens. Great guide!
Thanks Kate – Palm Springs is a great city… btw, I love your blog too!