The destination guide
Palm Springs
City in United States, North AmericaUpdated
- Overall8/10
- Best forSolo travelers
- PeakJan–Apr
- CurrencyUSD
Palm Springs bakes under 350 days of sun with mid-century modern architecture, hot springs, and a desert calm that LA residents drive two hours to reach.
Travel guides for Palm Springs
Itineraries & day trips (1)
Things to do (2)
Where to stay (2)
Food & drink (1)
More guides featuring Palm Springs (23)
At a glance
- English
- Desert oasis
- San Jacinto Mountains
- Midcentury modern
- Hot springs
- Desert Retreats
- Mid-Century Architecture
- Luxury Spas
- Golf Resorts.
How Palm Springs scores
Editorial scores on a 10-point scale, weighed against destinations of the same kind.
Travel safety snapshot
SafePlace indicators use their source 100-point scale; higher is more favourable. Planning context, not a live travel advisory — check official government guidance before you go.
When to go
Best months to visit: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December.
- January: 7.6 to 15.9 degrees Celsius, 75.3 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- February: 8.3 to 17.9 degrees Celsius, 60.4 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- March: 9.7 to 20.3 degrees Celsius, 54.7 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- April: 14 to 26.5 degrees Celsius, 12.4 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- May: 17.2 to 29.8 degrees Celsius, 3 millimetres of rain, best-time score 4 out of 5.
- June: 22.8 to 36.2 degrees Celsius, 0.9 millimetres of rain, best-time score 2 out of 5.
- July: 26.2 to 38.8 degrees Celsius, 7.2 millimetres of rain, best-time score 2 out of 5.
- August: 25.6 to 37.7 degrees Celsius, 20.9 millimetres of rain, best-time score 2 out of 5.
- September: 22.1 to 33.6 degrees Celsius, 18.3 millimetres of rain, best-time score 4 out of 5.
- October: 17.2 to 28.1 degrees Celsius, 7.6 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- November: 12 to 21.5 degrees Celsius, 30.9 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
- December: 8.9 to 17.2 degrees Celsius, 48.3 millimetres of rain, best-time score 5 out of 5.
Month-by-month conditions and packing advice
- January
- Cool to mild, some rain January in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: January in Palm Springs is workable with normal seasonal planning; build in layers, weather checks, and a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Pack: Pack layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Add a rain jacket or compact umbrella.
- February
- Cool to mild, occasional rain February in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: February in Palm Springs is workable with normal seasonal planning; build in layers, weather checks, and a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Pack: Pack layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- March
- Mild to warm, occasional rain March in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: March in Palm Springs is comfortable for sightseeing, neighborhoods, food stops, day trips, and outdoor time with limited weather friction. Pack: Pack layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- April
- Mild to warm, mostly dry April in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: April in Palm Springs is comfortable for sightseeing, neighborhoods, food stops, day trips, and outdoor time with limited weather friction. Pack: Pack light clothing, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
- May
- Warm to hot, mostly dry May in Palm Springs: the desert is still workable if you plan around heat and favor mornings or evenings. Crowds: May in Palm Springs is workable with normal seasonal planning; build in layers, weather checks, and a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Pack: Pack light clothing, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
- June
- Very hot, mostly dry June in Palm Springs: extreme summer heat makes most daytime outdoor sightseeing impractical. Crowds: June in Palm Springs can be very hot, so travelers should favor early starts, shaded breaks, indoor attractions, and flexible afternoon pacing. Pack: Pack breathable clothing, strong sun protection, and a refillable water bottle.
- July
- Very hot, mostly dry July in Palm Springs: extreme summer heat makes most daytime outdoor sightseeing impractical. Crowds: July in Palm Springs can be very hot, so travelers should favor early starts, shaded breaks, indoor attractions, and flexible afternoon pacing. Pack: Pack breathable clothing, strong sun protection, and a refillable water bottle.
- August
- Very hot, mostly dry August in Palm Springs: extreme summer heat makes most daytime outdoor sightseeing impractical. Crowds: August in Palm Springs can be very hot, so travelers should favor early starts, shaded breaks, indoor attractions, and flexible afternoon pacing. Pack: Pack breathable clothing, strong sun protection, and a refillable water bottle.
- September
- Warm to hot, mostly dry September in Palm Springs: the desert is still workable if you plan around heat and favor mornings or evenings. Crowds: September in Palm Springs is workable with normal seasonal planning; build in layers, weather checks, and a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Pack: Pack light clothing, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
- October
- Warm to hot, mostly dry October in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: October in Palm Springs is comfortable for sightseeing, neighborhoods, food stops, day trips, and outdoor time with limited weather friction. Pack: Pack light clothing, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
- November
- Mild to warm, occasional rain November in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: November in Palm Springs is comfortable for sightseeing, neighborhoods, food stops, day trips, and outdoor time with limited weather friction. Pack: Pack layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- December
- Cool to mild, occasional rain December in Palm Springs: desert hiking, pools, architecture tours, golf, and outdoor dining align with comfortable temperatures. Crowds: December in Palm Springs is workable with normal seasonal planning; build in layers, weather checks, and a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Pack: Pack layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
- March
- February
- January
- April
- September
- August
- July
- June
Know before you go
About
Palm Springs, California, is a sun-drenched desert resort city on the western edge of the Coachella Valley, set against the soaring San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County. Long a glamorous Hollywood getaway, it is most famous as the epicenter of midcentury modern architecture, where visionaries such as Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, E. Stewart Williams, and Donald Wexler built hundreds of sleek, geometric homes and landmarks between roughly 1945 and 1975. Blessed with around 350 days of sunshine a year, the city draws travelers for its retro design tours, palm-lined pools, golf, and spa retreats. Its standout attraction is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tram, which climbs more than 8,000 feet from the desert floor to the alpine wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park. With a backdrop of Coachella Valley music festivals and Old Hollywood nostalgia, Palm Springs remains a quintessential California desert oasis.
Best time to visit
January to April, October to December
Season by season
Winter and Spring (Jan-Apr) offer perfect, sunny weather (70s-80s). Summer is intensely hot, often exceeding 100°F. Fall is a pleasant, quieter alternative with manageable heat.
Crowds
High
Getting there and around
Getting there
Fly into Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) or drive from Los Angeles (2 hours) or San Diego (2.5 hours).
Getting around
Car is recommended for exploring the desert and canyons. Downtown is walkable. Rideshare available.
Top experiences in Palm Springs
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Indian Canyons
Palm Springs Art Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum
Moorten Botanical Garden
Editor-curated picks carried over from our original guide. Where a full place guide exists, the card links to it.
Worth booking ahead in Palm Springs
Hand-picked from the operators our guides already send readers to. Prices and availability are live on the partner site.
BrowseViator
Tours and tickets in Palm Springs on Viator (opens Viator in a new tab)
Viator's full list of bookable tours and tickets in Palm Springs.
BrowseGetYourGuide
Experiences in Palm Springs on GetYourGuide (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)
Everything GetYourGuide sells in Palm Springs, with the cancellation terms on each listing.
Where to stayBooking.com
Stays in Palm Springs (opens Booking.com in a new tab)
Live rates and availability for Palm Springs on Booking.com; filter by neighbourhood once you know where your days start.
We earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. It is how we keep the guides free and independent.
Where to stay
The Colony Club at Colony Palms
Parker Palm Springs
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel
Editor-curated stays carried over from our original guide. Where we have reviewed the hotel, the card links to the review.
Tips from the field
Highlights
- The stark contrast between the arid desert floor and the alpine wilderness at the top of the Aerial Tramway, and the unique, stylish architecture.
Best activities
- Taking the Aerial Tramway up the mountain, hiking in the lush Indian Canyons, and admiring the Mid-Century Modern architecture.
Local experiences
- Attend the weekly VillageFest on Thursday nights in downtown for local art, food, and entertainment.
Practical tips
- During the summer months, plan all outdoor activities for early morning to avoid the extreme, potentially dangerous desert heat.
Photography tips
- The iconic shot of Palm Springs features a sleek, angular Mid-Century Modern roofline with tall palm trees and the rugged San Jacinto Mountains in the background.
Timing
- 3 to 4 days gives you enough time to hike, explore the architecture, and spend a full day relaxing by a pool.
Keeping it authentic
- Palm Springs authentically preserves its Mid-Century Modern architectural heritage and its long-standing legacy as a glamorous Hollywood desert retreat.
Culture, customs and safety
Safety notes
The main tourist corridors and resorts are safe. However, property crime (like car break-ins) is higher than the national average, so do not leave valuables visible in vehicles.
