Palm Springs/Joshua Tree, California
About
Ronnie and I went to Joshua Tree / Palm Springs in 2021 for my birthday. I was so excited to book this Airbnb (pics below) that I didn’t do as much research as I should have about the proximity of it to Palm Springs… lol! So we had a wonderful trip to Joshua Tree, and we popped in and out of Palm Springs while we were there. If I were going again, I might split up our trip with two different places to stay, so that we get the best of both worlds and have less travel time between spots.
How to get there
You can fly direct from Chicago to Palm Springs, so this is probably the move… albeit not what we did. For standup comedy-addicts, like Ronnie and me, who can’t fathom a trip close to LA without checking out a live show, I’d say you should fly into LAX, rent a car and drive! (Here’s my LA Guide). It’s only a few hours of a drive, plus if you are planning to do hiking and exploring in the area, I think renting a car is the move (regardless of if you fly direct to Palm Springs, or not).
Know before you go
Ronnie and I went to Joshua Tree / Palm Springs in 2021 for my birthday. I really wanted a warm, hiking vacation, with access to great restaurants and shopping, so I chose the Palm Springs area. I knew I wanted to be in an Airbnb because we were staying for a few days and I wanted to be able to cook at home a time or two. I was so excited when I found the Airbnb we stayed in, that I didn’t do as much research as I should have about the proximity of it to Palm Springs… lol! So we had a wonderful trip to Joshua Tree, and we popped in and out of Palm Springs while we were there (it was about a 45 min drive from our Airbnb). If we were going again, I’d probably split up our trip with two different places to stay, so that we get the best of both worlds and have less travel time between spots. We really enjoyed the hiking and the quietness of where we stayed in Joshua Tree, but we craved a little more nightlife (closer) than what our Airbnb experience had to offer.
Eat
Coffee/Breakfast — We loved Cartel Roasting Co, for those New Yorkers headed here, you can find NY bagels at Townie, water-boiled only (you’re welcome, Claire)
Lunch — Head to Farm for gorgeous outdoor dining and delicious food all times of day. I’ve also heard that The Colony Club (prev. Purple Palm) has great food and the Moroccan-themed vibes are excellent. For a place that’s a little bit cheeky, head to Ruben & Ozzy’s for Bloody Mary’s and raw oysters. If I were here for a bachelorette party, I would head to the Saguaro’s Drag Brunch for mimosas and a show.
Dinner — Ronnie and I love sushi and we love whiskey, so naturally I was drawn to Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey, it did not disappoint! The food and drinks were amazing, the ambiance was really cool, big concrete pillars and structures, dark wood… We sat outside near the bar and enjoyed the liveliness of the scene and the bistro lights overhead. We didn’t make it here, but I hear that Melvyn’s has great food, and has some deep roots with Hollywood’s biggest stars — get steak and a dirty martini.
Drinks — Ace Hotel and Swim Club has the most amazing cocktails and really cool bar vibes. Sit by the pool and sip, sip, be inside at the diner or hang out in the cavey Amigo Room. For nightlife, RetroRoom has music and karaoke, and Bootlegger Tiki has great drinks and vibes.
Stay
The two main roads in Palm Springs are Palm Canyon Drive and Indian Canyon Drive, that’s where you’ll find restaurants, bars, and shops galore, and it's all walkable. I (perhaps mistakenly) opted for the Airbnb outside of downtown Palm Springs, so if I were to do it again, here’s a few places I’d consider staying:
Ace Hotel and Swim Club — Ronnie and I have never had a bad time at an Ace Hotel. I love the vibes always, but this Palm Springs spot has such a cool, hipster, retro, yet old Hollywood vibe that is something which cannot be described, only felt.
The Trixie Motel — Trixie was Barbiecore before we used the term “Barbiecore”. It’s been on my hotels bucket list since we discovered it. If I were going to a bachelorette party in Palm Springs, I wouldn’t even look at another hotel.
Sparrows Lodge — Has this rustic, nature-y, western vibe that feels unique to the area. It’s cozy, chic, and delightful in every way, including their cute “humble” massage tent.
The Drift Hotel — We were planning to stay at the Drift in Santa Barbara when we went, but it was booked out. That said, we went in to check things out and it was nice. It would certainly be on the consideration-set list if I were planning another trip to Palm Springs.
The Thompson — I am a sucker for Thompson properties, I’ve stayed at them in Chicago, Cabo, Playa Del Carmen, NYC, Nashville and …. more? Palm Springs has one, so I might stay here solely out of principal!
L’Horizon — There’s something enchanting about this place…
Azure Sky — The neutral tones, the cozy vibes, ahhh! How will we choose?
Considering the list of places I want to stay in Palm Springs I just made, maybe the move is to have a one week vacation there and actually do a night at every single place… that kind of sounds fun.
Workout
Surrounded by dessert and mountains, you really don’t need to book a workout while you are in Palm Springs. There’s plenty of exercise to get in simply walking around town or finding a hike via All Trails.
Our most memorable hike was to forty-nine palms — Ronnie begrudgingly followed me all the way here, lol. What I loved about it, is that you hike through desolate, yet mountainous landscape, so there’s some good elevation, and at the end, you come upon this valley oasis with a field of Palm trees that sprout up from nowhere. It’s really beautiful.
For the (nosy) dreamer headed to Palm Springs that want home-renovation inspiration, here’s a walk that will get you free exercise, a coffee, a look at Frank Sinatra’s old place, and Leo DiCaprio’s. Start at the Ace Hotel, and take Camino Real toward Cartel. You’ll go through Sinatra’s old neighborhood, head all the way to the other side of town to grab coffee at Cartel, on your way back, check out Leo’s place and then venture back to the Ace. It’s a long, kind of random walk, but you’ll get in three hours of a workout doing this loop (it’s just under 8 miles round trip), and see some cool shit!
Like I said, not sure you need to book a workout here if you’d rather adventure, but I get it, sometimes you want someone to kick your ass… So if you are looking to get your sweat on, inside, here’s where I’d head…
Hot Yoga Plus — I’m 100% going here for a pole class if I’m in Palm Springs for a Bach party.
Yoga Yantra — I’m absolutely headed here for a delicious vinyasa flow, and if schedules align, a sound bath and reiki session
Power Yoga — Not only can you get in a power vinyasa, but you can also get a massage.
Orange Theory — I’m an OTF member at home, so I’d definitely book a workout or two here as well.
Play
Either The Bitchiest Brunch at Oscar’s or Saguaro’s Drag Brunch are happening — A weekend drag show that brings in a crowd, I am definitely in for this on my next trip to Palm Springs.
Hiking in Joshua Tree or Palm Springs.
Shopping downtown Palm Springs — There is an endless array of shops in Palm Springs.
Spa Day — The Spa at Rancho Mirage (inside the Ritz) looks iconic. You’ll pay a pretty penny, but I guarantee there will be some good people watching, and some delightful gossip among groups of girlfriends there for some treatments.
Architectural tour with Mod Tours — The architecture in Palm Springs is next level cool. I hate using fancy terms but the Mid-Century Modern vibe is just something to see. It gives old Hollywood, old Magazines, it’s like you transport yourself to a time before cell phones, wifi, and internet, where personal style was something you curated over a lifetime and not something that waxxed and waned with the latest Instagram or Tik Tok alg.
I’m not much of a museum-girlie, but I’ve heard it’s worth checking out the Art Museum, and hey, if the art is anything like the architecture, I might be into it.
A Dream Day
Wake up at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club. Go for the Sinatra/Leo Loop I wrote about above. You’ll get a bathroom and coffee break when you’re halfway from done, and again, you’ll basically take yourself on a gorgeous architectural tour. When you get home from your three hour walk, you’ll be exhausted, so go for a dip in the pool at the Ace and then get ready to head out for your mimosa brunch and Drag Show at the Saguaro or at Oscars. Once you’re good and liquored up, head to the shopping district, plug in Forever Marilyn as your destination and drop off for your Uber, then get out and shop til you drop. Once you’ve found something to bring home as your souvenir, grab an Uber to The Spa at Rancho Mirage for your massage and facial. Consider grabbing a drink or a bite at State or Air after your massage, but while you’re still at the Ritz, for all-but-guaranteed good people-watching. Head back to the Ace to clean up for dinner at Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey. Before you head out, get a spicy marg from the Amigo Room. Don’t fill up too much on dinner, we don’t want you to pass out before you get a nightcap in at either RetroRoom or Bootlegger Tiki. Head back to your hotel, lay your weary head to rest, you’ve made excellent use of your time and day in Palm Springs.
Summary
If you’re a midwesterner, like me, you can go to Palm Springs any time of year and it will feel warm, but know that you are visiting the dessert and it will get cooler in the evening than you would expect. Bring a jacket so you can bundle up when the temps drop. Also bring shorts, so you can peel off layers when the sun is highest in the sky. Palm Springs is such a fun, rich, iconic place to go. I hope you’ll enjoy!
