A weekend in Palm Springs, CA: where to eat, drink and stay

This desert playground just under two hours from Los Angeles, has long been thought of as a reprieve from the hustle of the city. Since the 1930s, it’s been a retreat for the Hollywood elite, and a perfect place for secrecy when a salacious story could ruin your career; located 107 miles from LA, Palm Springs was just outside the reach of early gossip columnists, whose bosses would only reimburse for travel up to 100 miles. The result is a luxurious town built rapidly in the mid-century modern style, which is still famous for its architecture as well as the hot springs that make the local spas world class.

A visit to Palm Springs takes in modernist buildings, gorgeous hotels, and standout restaurants in sun-drenched surroundings.

where to stay in Palm Springs

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

Best for: Dips in the David Hockney-style pool
Address: 701 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Price: 245 to 350 USD per night

The Ace Hotel Palm Springs is a hipster haven, with vintage-infused interiors by Los Angeles based design firm Commune. There is always a party happening by the David Hockney-esque pools, or you can make friends on the stargazing deck or by the community fire pits. The Ace Hotel is simple, serene, and bohemian – you’ll be sure to unwind in their recently updated rooms or the spa. Meanwhile, the bars, restaurants and shops of Downtown Palm Springs are right on your doorstep.

Drift Hotel

Best for: Cool, calm apartment-style suites
Address: 284 S Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: From 249 USD per night

Drift is a collection of boutique hotels known for their laidback ease and Baja-leaning design. The Palm Springs location, the iconic East Palm Canyon Drive, unfolds in a soothing palette of natural timber and stone. At the pool, yellow parasols pop against the building’s angular white structure, with towering palms beyond. Rooms stand out for their size, ranging from serene studios to apartment-style suites, complete with kitchenettes. All-day Mexican restaurant Maleza serves vibrant aguachile and loaded tacos, while mezcal cocktails are the perfect late-evening cool down. Even when the city packs out, Drift remains a haven of calm.

L’Horizon Hotel and Spa

Best for: A luxurious getaway steeped in Hollywood history
Address: 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Price: From 600 USD per night

Originally built in 1952 as a private getaway for television producer and oil tycoon Jack Wrather and actress Bonita Granville, L’Horizon has always prized relaxation and privacy. The 20 guest houses surround a luxurious pool, and Wrather invited friends like Marilyn Monroe, Presidents Reagan and Nixon, and other star-studded names to relax in his not-so-humble abode. Today, L’Horizon is known for the in-hotel spa, which includes full-body scrubs, sumptuous facials, yoga sessions, and personal trainers. The hotel is one of architect William F Cody’s most iconic works, and a significant example of mid-century modern architecture on the West Coast.

Coffee shops, restaurants and bars in Palm Springs

Cheeky’s

Best for: Longstanding local brunch favourite
Address: 622 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: $$

One of the best restaurants in Palm Springs, this breakfast and lunch spot has a cult following, but how could it not when they pioneered the bacon flight? Yes, that’s a tasting flight of different kinds of bacon, and no, it doesn’t mean pigs can fly. Cheeky’s comfort-food offerings are full of fresh local ingredients, and are all made in house. Chilaquiles and Argentinian hash suggest a South American influence, but the menu has something for everyone and changes often, allowing the chefs to be creative with what they’re offering. Most days there’s a line to get in, but the cinnamon rolls are worth the wait if you can get in before they sell out. If not, don’t worry: breakfast is served all day.

Cartel Coffee

Best for: Expertly iced brews
Address: 1551 N Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: $

Cartel Roasting Co. originated in Arizona before expanding to Palm Springs, set among Canyon Drive’s modernist landmarks. Adjoined to Palisociety’s Arrive Palm Springs hotel, locals and hotel guests linger on the sun-bleached patio for cold brews and sweet bites from nearby Bread and Flours bakery. Beans are responsibly sourced from around the world, roasted in small batches to highlight their unique flavour profiles.

The Barn Kitchen at Sparrows Lodge

Best for: Communal suppers and an impressive art collection
Address: Sparrows Lodge, 1330 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Price: $$$

Sparrows Lodge is a cabin-style retreat in Palm Springs, also home to a charming restaurant serving rustic American cuisine. Wood-grilled meats, Cobb salads, and seasonal vegetables from nearby farms are served beneath a peaceful pergola. Join a communal supper on Wednesday, when guests gather at a long table for a chicken-led feast, while Saturday is steak night. Stick around for a pink sangria by the bar or a craft cocktail in the lodge’s intimate lounge. For those tempted to stay longer, gorgeous rooms and social spaces mix exposed beams and vintage leather butterfly chairs with impressive art – look out for pieces by Ed Ruscha and John Baldessari throughout the property.

Boozehounds

Best for: Dog-friendly dining with mid-century charm
Address: 2080 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: $$$

This enormous restaurant is unique in that the owners prioritised their dogs in the design. Outside is a dog-friendly, open-air atrium replete with a bar and patio where dogs can run around and humans can lounge. Inside, the space is lush with greenery, velvet banquettes, and neon signs, giving it a mid-century modern meets tropical feel. The Japanese-influenced menu features stand-out items like a sesame miso tofu, yellowtail crudo, ube toast, and miso Chilean fish. True to the name, there’s also a small but mighty selection of sake and Japanese beers alongside American-style cocktails. And yes, of course, there’s a dinner menu for every pup too.

Bootlegger Tiki

Best for: Kitsch and cocktails
Address: 1101 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: $$$

This tiny tiki bar tucked behind Ernest Coffee serves fruity drinks that will quench any thirst after a day in the Palm Springs heat. The torch-lined patio is perfect for whiling away evenings after the sun has set, and indoor seating offers a chance to enjoy quirky decor with a Polynesian theme. The rotating menu ensures you’ll be trying cocktails you haven’t seen elsewhere. Its original ‘Gilligan Ate the Skipper’ will knock you flat while still tasting delicious and refreshing. Take friends and order a punch bowl, or roll the dice with a bartender’s choice.

High Bar at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs

Best for: Watching the sun dip low over the San Jacinto mountains
Address: 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: $$$$

As the only rooftop bar in Palm Springs, High Bar owns the market on skyline desert views. Though attached to Kimpton Rowan hotel, the pool and bar are open to the public. A concise food menu includes Baja shrimp tacos, poke nachos and a Wagyu burger, matched with cocktails and some delightful local wines and beers. High glass walls ensure you can see the desert vistas from any vantage point.

Art and culture in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Art Museum

Best for: Architectural gem laden with contemporary art
Address: 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: 20 USD per person

The bold horizontal lines of Palm Springs Art Museum, a modernist building designed by architect E Stewart Williams, seems to emerge naturally from the desert hills behind it. The museum’s collection focuses on modern and contemporary artwork and is home to thousands of sculptures, paintings, photographs, and more. Although located on different sites, the museum also owns the Albert Frey House II and the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden, which are both worth a look. Plan your trip carefully as they’re closed Monday to Wednesday.

Modernism Week

Best for: Design aesthetes
Address: Palm Springs, CA
Price: Variable

No plan for visiting Palm Springs would be complete without a look at the architecture that makes the city famous, and there are many ways to experience it. Self-guided tours are easy to find anywhere, but a trip during Modernism Week, held annually in February, with a four-day event also falling each October, is the dream for any lover of mid-century modern design. This celebration involves more than 350 events, including parties, films, lectures, and – perhaps most drool-worthy – private home tours. Marvel at historic homes that are usually closed to the public before going to the expansive Modernism Show & Sale to shop for yourself.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Best For: Wilderness lovers
Address: 1 Tram Way Palm Springs, CA 92262
Price: 28.95 USD

Dreamed up by electrical engineer Francis Crocker while working in Palm Springs in the 1930s, The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway took nearly 30 years to complete. The tram scales a nearly sheer cliff in Chino Canyon to deposit passengers on Mount San Jacinto State Park. The ten-minute ride climbs just under 2600 metres in elevation, while the tram cars gradually rotate so everyone inside can take in the full panorama of the valley below. Once on the mountain, the hiking available is a sweet relief from the heat of the valley. It seems counterintuitive in the desert, but bring a jacket – the altitude makes a surprising difference.

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum

Best for: Native American history in traditional adobe architecture
Address: 67616 East Desert View Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
Price: 13 USD

Perched just north of Palm Springs, the Pueblo Museum has a unique history: it’s built in the traditional style of the Native American Hopi tribe from the nearby Hopi Nation in eastern Arizona, and was hand-built by architect Cabot Yerxa during the last two decades of his life. He formed the adobe-style sun-dried bricks himself in the courtyard and filled the building with Indigenous art, displays of Native American Rights, and historic artefacts. It’s uniquely beautiful, and a stunning shift from the mid-century architecture that typifies the rest of Palm Springs. The museum is also home to Waokiye, a six-metre-tall sculpture carved from a single log of Sequoia by artist Peter “Wolf” Toth, as part of his series of monumental sculptures called Trail of the Whispering Giants, which can be found in situ throughout the US and Canada.