Just a hundred miles east of LA, there's always something going on in Palm Springs and the other cities of the Coachella Valley, nestled among the desert palm trees but with stunning views of the nearby snow-capped mountains. This trip was no exception.
There is nowhere else like it. Like Wilton Manors, Florida, it is an LGBTQ oasis. (And they both have a Hunters bar with great happy hours.)
What to do
Hike with Great Outdoors Palm Springs (https://greatoutdoors.wildapricot.org/ps). We took a walk with the Oswit Land Trust (https://oswitlandtrust.org) at the new Desert Dunes Preserve. The former golf course is a delight for bird watchers and plant lovers. Beware of unmarked golf signs though.
In nearby Rancho Mirage, visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens (https://sunnylands.org), the winter home of the Annenbergs. You can also tour the house.
Walk with the Frontrunners through the Prescott Preserve (another Oswit land). They meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the Mizell Center Mondays through Saturdays (7:30 a.m. May through September).
Enjoy the exhibit "David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed" at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The museum is free Thursday nights for the Village Festival downtown. Another exhibit not to miss is "To Move Toward the Limits of Living," which examines how LGBTQ+ artists "have used diverse strategies to respond to experiences of exclusion and discover new possibilities. More at https://www.psmuseum.org/art/exhibitions.
Swim at the Palm Springs Swim Center, although nonresidents pay at stiff $16 fee.
Where to eat and drink
Enjoy a lemon tart at the Peninsula Bakery, open Thursday through Sunday (611 S. Palm Canyon). Pratiquez votre français ici (the owner is from France).
Have a delicious bagel sandwich and americano at the Townie Bagel (650 East Sunny Dunes), which has a cult-like following, so weekend lines can be long. They open at 6:30 a.m. daily.
Sit in a first-class airline seat with a cocktail over dinner at the PS Air Bar inside Bouschet (611-633 S Palm Canyon Dr.), where the bartender dresses like a pilot and airline paraphernalia adorns the walls. Fasten your seat belts!
Enjoy a freshly squeezed carrot juice at Nature's Health Food and Café (555 S. Sunrise Way). The vegan fajita plate is excellent, as is the stir fry with brown rice and vegetables.
Have a sandwich on homemade sourdough at Aspen Mills (555 S. Sunrise and other locations). I liked the Aspen sandwich with turkey.
The Tool Shed leather and Levis bar (600 E Sunny Dunes) has food as well as special events every night.
Many of the bars are on Arenas Street, and they all have specials or happy hours. I like Hunters (302 E Arenas) and Street Bar (224 E Arenas).
Where to stay
The new Thompson Hotel (414 N Palm Canyon Dr) includes a tapas restaurant. It is quite the hit.
Being a bargain lover, I like the Motel 6 Palm Springs Downtown (666 S. Palm Canyon), close to the bars on Arenas Street and lots of shops and restaurants. Best of all, they don't charge a resort fee. (Check out a show at the Revolution Stage Company or pick up some gently used merchandise at Revival across the street (also home to the French bakery, Peninsula, the Palm Greens Café, and Bouschet/PS Air Bar).)
The Twin Palms (two locations) is nice, as is the Descanso (288 E Camino Monte Vista); both are all-male resorts.
Getting there and getting around
I took Southwest to Palm Springs International Airport, which is mostly outdoors and very handy. Warning: Southwest will charge for baggage, seat selection, and more starting soon. You may want to try Delta or American instead; they have the same policies but the service and often the fares are better. I am switching.
Ride the SunLine bus for just $1. You can catch it across the street from the Airport (#2 line) for the two-mile ride downtown. Otherwise I walked or took Uber. Rental car not needed.
More tips
GayDesertGuide, one of several LGBTQ magazines, has a map and listing of things to do.
Pride this year will run November 6-9, 2025.
The iconic Marilyn Monroe statute has been moved a few feet away but is now in a new city park (near the art museum).
You will always find something new on your visit to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. I do!
Bill Malcolm's syndicated travel column now appears in Sacramento's Outlook, South Florida's OutSFL, GRAB Chicago, and other select LGBTQ+ publications, as well as the IGLTA website. He receives no compensation of any kind for this column.
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