Things to Do in Palm Springs

Palm Springs activities span a remarkable vertical range: from the desert floor at 479 feet to the top of San Jacinto Peak at 10,834 feet, accessible in 10 minutes via the Aerial Tramway. Add mid-century modern architecture, desert hiking, spa culture, and the broader Coachella Valley resort infrastructure, and the city has enough programming for a 4-5 day stay in the October-May season.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (1 Tram Way) is the most dramatic single experience in the Coachella Valley. Two 80-passenger rotating tram cars ascend 5,873 vertical feet through four distinct ecological zones in 10 minutes, arriving at Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. The floor of the tram rotates during the ascent, providing 360° views. At the top: two restaurants (Peaks Restaurant for full meals, Top of the Tram for drinks and casual food), a natural history exhibit, and 54 miles of hiking trails in Mt. San Jacinto State Park. The round trip to the 10,834-foot summit requires a wilderness permit and 12+ miles of hiking — most visitors explore the immediate area around Mountain Station. Round trip approximately $45.95 adults as of 2026. Open daily; first tram typically 10am, last tram 8pm (varies seasonally). The temperature difference between valley and summit can exceed 40°F — bring layers regardless of valley conditions.

Mid-Century Modern Architecture

Palm Springs has the highest concentration of mid-century modern architecture in the world per square mile — over 30,000 MCM buildings and homes designed from the 1940s through 1970s. The Palm Springs Visitors Center (2901 N Palm Canyon Dr, in a 1965 Albert Frey gas station) provides self-guided tour maps.

Modernism Week (February, 11 days) is the primary event: home tours, lectures, screenings, and hundreds of related events. Tickets sell quickly; the double-decker architectural bus tours and select home tours book out months ahead.

Keys View and Palm Springs Modern Committee organize periodic estate tours throughout the season (October-May) — check psmconservancy.org for the current calendar.

Notable public MCM buildings accessible at street level: Palm Springs Art Museum (Albert Frey and E. Stewart Williams), the Convention Center (Williams), and the downtown block of Palm Canyon Drive retail.

Indian Canyons

Indian Canyons (accessed via S Palm Canyon Dr, approximately 3 miles south of downtown; entry approximately $12 adults as of 2026) encompasses three canyon systems on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation: Palm Canyon (1,000+ native California fan palms — the world’s largest native palm oasis), Murray Canyon (smaller, quieter), and Andreas Canyon. The Palm Canyon trail runs 15 miles through the oasis; most visitors do the first 2-3 miles to the palm groves. Open daily 8am-5pm October-June; reduced summer hours.

Museums and Culture

Palm Springs Art Museum (101 Museum Dr) has a well-rounded collection: American sculpture (particularly large-format outdoor works), Native American baskets and pottery, photography, and California modernism. The architecture building (a separate structure) focuses on Palm Springs’s own MCM heritage. General admission approximately $17 adults as of 2026; free Thursday 4-8pm. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, Thursday until 8pm.

Sunnylands Center and Gardens (37977 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, 15 miles east) — the Annenberg Estate where presidents hosted world leaders for 50 years. The nine-acre garden (free, open Thursday-Sunday 8:30am-4pm) was designed by James Burnett as a desert garden of California native plants and custom-bred roses. The house itself opens for tours by reservation approximately $55 per person. Check sunnylands.org for tour availability.

Day Trips

Joshua Tree National Park (approximately 45 miles northeast, 1 hour) is among the most otherworldly landscapes in the American West — where the Colorado and Mojave Deserts meet; entry approximately $35/vehicle.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (approximately 90 miles southwest) — the largest state park in California with slot canyons, wildflowers in wet springs, and genuine desert solitude.

The Coachella Valley wine and beer scene — Rooster and the Pig (brewpub in Palm Springs), Coachella Valley Brewing (in Cathedral City), and the nascent local wine culture in Temecula (80 miles west).