I have been dying to go to Palm Springs for quite a few years, but it never worked out. Being from Florida, the flight is 6+ hours, so a long weekend in PS ends up being a day. That's why I love the freedom that a long term road trip gives me! After exploring Yosemite, we decided to book it down to Palm Springs since we knew another California shut down was looming. Thankfully, we made it just in time!
There are so many hotels to choose from, we stayed in two and loved both! The first few nights we stayed at The Three Fifty Hotel, and then Bellevue Oasis. We loved both, and I can't really name one better than the other. Both are moderately priced (at least during covid-19 times) and boast beautiful pools and the mid-century modern architecture that Palm Springs is so famous for. The photograph to the left was taken at Three Fifty's pool. Such a gorgeous location. When you visit, try to stay in hotels near the downtown area so you can walk to it!
If you have a larger budget, La Serena Villas, located in the same area as our first hotel is drop dead gorgeous. We walked through the property and grabbed a drink at Azucar, a must when visiting! Make sure you have a reservation, it's a very small space, but it is beautiful. They give you lap blankets and run heaters on cooler nights, and the margaritas here should be mandatory.
Another must-do it Moorten Botanical Garden. You've probably seen it on instagram a million times, and just didn't realize where it was (like me lol). When I found out it was in Palm Springs I knew I had to go. They have a $5 entry fee and they allow pictures, but you cannot do a full-on photoshoot there. If so, you have to pay a larger entrance fee, I think around $25.
The botanical garden is stunning and has more cacti than most people see in a lifetime. If you're not from the southwest, this place is especially unique. Learning about all of the different species and where they grow was so interesting to me! If you have children, I'd imagine they'd enjoy seeing this.
My last must do of Palm Springs is arguably the most important, and the cheapest! You're probably already aware that this city is known for it's mid century modern architecture. No specific neighborhood is "the one" to see, since almost all the homes are this style, so take your time and work your way around the city. My only tip with this is to please be respectful. These are people's homes. I see a lot of Instagram pictures tagged in Palm Springs where people are going up to accent doors and posing...don't be them! You wouldn't want people constantly taking pictures of your front door so treat them the same. The famous "pink door" had to recently prohibit people from taking pictures of their house because it got so out of control. We took photos from the car and they still came out great.
Well there you have it, the must do's of this beautiful city!
Till next time,
xoxo Tori