Every time I drive to LA, I always promise myself that at some point, I will take the Bob Hope Drive exit and check out Palm Springs. I finally did and it was everything I thought this iconic, famous, sunny desert town would be!
I flew once, pleasantly surprised that American Airlines offers full jet service (A319 and A320 planes) out of Phoenix to the town they call Hollywood’s Desert Playground.
A week later, my gal pals joined me for a Rachel & The Julies Road Trip with Rach back to Palm Springs. 
We drove the short four hour drive to our sunny destination, also known as the Golf Capital of the World. We scoped out where to stay, what to do, where to dine, wine and unwind and we tried an adventure that we absolutely loved!
Read on to see our Palm Springs getaway recommendations! And be sure to check back tomorrow to see my Arizona Daily Mix morning show segment with video showing all the fun Palm Springs stuff I describe in this article. Travel on! And make your next destination Palm Springs.
Our Palm Springs Picks…
Stay Here:
Check Out The Fun Golden Girls Themed Rental I Stayed In! 
We found a decently priced festive rental called the Best Views! Golden Girls themed House Pool & Spa! through Airbnb. The property is a charming 4-bedroom, 2 bathroom home decorated in a vibrant and welcoming Golden Girls theme. 
The entrance to the Golden Girls themed Airbnb. We loved it!
We especially enjoyed the fantastic view of the San Jacinto mountains, which we visited the next day. See that awesome experience below. Our Airbnb hosts were fantastic to work with and we had fun relaxing in the hammocks with the pool and spa close by. I also noticed that Airbnb offers an abundance of creatively themed rentals similar to our Golden Girls home.
Higher End Palm Springs Rental Properties
For a more upscale place to rent, my good friend uses Oranj Palm Vacation Homes frequently and he gives it high marks.
Want to rent Frank Sinatra’s previous Twin Palms home? For $3,000 a night you can! Check it out at this link! Many other celeb homes are available for vacation rentals as well. Expensive…but how fun would that be?! Let me know if you book it because it’s not in my budget to experience that firsthand! I wish!
Palm Springs Hotels
Palm Springs has a nice selection of interesting boutique hotels. For more on that, check out the Visit Greater Palm Springs website link.
On my first Palm Springs visit, I stayed at the Renaissance Palm Springs by Marriott Hotel. I liked the property, especially since it’s in walking distance to downtown Palm Springs. The decor matches the city as you can see in this picture! 
Palm Springs To Do List:
Our Absolute Favorite Adventure: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway!
Don’t miss this experience that takes you from warm weather to winter temps in just 15 minutes in the world’s largest revolving cable car! Here was our day with this incredible activity…
*Step 1 – we drove the short 10 minute drive from our Airbnb to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which is just minutes from downtown Palm Springs. 
*Step 2 – We drove the road up to the mountain base to park and check in. We got a great picture of our group before boarding the tram.
Waiting to board the cable car that would take us to the top of the mountains behind us in this picture.
*Step 3 – We boarded the tram, which holds up to 80 people on the journey up the mountain. The views were absolutely incredible and the tram drivers are fun, telling passengers what to expect on the ride and playing music that many sang along with…such a great quick journey to the top! I mean look at that view! 
So crazy that we could ascend over 8500 feet up on the tram to now be on top of the mountain in just 15 minutes!
*Step 4 – Step off the tram, put on your coat and snap some gorgeous mountaintop pictures like the one pictured above!
*Step 5 – EAT at the delicious and very nice Peaks Restaurant. It’s worth the splurge! A less expensive cafeteria option is also offered and a full bar exists with beautiful views and top notch cocktails!
Cheers to this view!
The food at Peaks was very good!
A mountaintop espresso martini hit the spot!
Step 6 – Take the St. Jacinto Park hike down, snap some snow pictures and then head back up to burn off the calories from lunch!
So fun & special! Me and my girl!
*Step 7 – Board the tram back down, sing along with the crowd & mark the day as one of your favorite memories! Can’t wait to do this again! In addition to the restaurants and bar, the mountaintop state park also offers shopping, a cool documentary on the making of the marvel tram, skiing, camping and more! I absolutely recommend the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the Mount San Jacinto State Park and I plan to return!
Snap A Pic Posed By Marilyn Monroe Statue
Named the Forever Marilyn statue, this famous piece of the iconic Ms Monroe stands 26 feet tall and weighs 34,000 pounds. I happened to be there during the big move. Due to a legal settlement with a citizen group that complained about the statue showing Monroe’s underwear-clad backside (seriously, she’s wearing granny panties!), it’s been moved about 100 feet north to Town Square Park, so she’s still located in downtown Palm Springs.
One week before the big move. I should have posed with my camera then!
Last year, the famed sculpture drew 1 million visitors, so the expensive $500,000 price tag to move her is being paid by PS Resorts, an organization that promotes tourism to the area. I wasn’t able to get my picture next to the image of the beloved actress, so go and get one for me! I got close, though. I wish I would have snapped my picture a week earlier when she stood in her original spot as I didn’t realize she would be making the big move the following week when I returned! Darn!
I had to settle for a picture next to the much smaller Marilyn statue. Oh well! Next time!
Attend The Free Weekly VillageFest
One of my favorite stores illuminated during the weekly VillageFest.
Weekly VillageFest – Well, this is cool…every Thursday evening from 6pm to 10pm, the City of Palm Springs sections off a part of downtown for the free weekly VillageFest. Head downtown to hear live music, dine at multiple food trucks, shop, experience arts, crafts and more. PLUS the impressive Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission from 5pm to 8pm every Thursday night as part of the VillageFest!
Visit the must see Shag art gallery store, which is named after and stocked with the famous art created by Josh “Shag” Agle. His brilliant work perfectly captures both the current vibe and historic culture of Palm Springs! Shag updates the gallery with new artwork regularly as well.
Take A Tour To Learn About Old Hollywood
Our tour guide, Annettte really knows everything and anything about Palm Springs!
Midcentury modern homes are preserved and are alive and well throughout Palm Springs. Many of these sleek houses were owned by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars like Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Elizabeth Taylor and many others. I experienced The Legends & Icons Tour of Palm Springs and I thought it was worth the expensive $130 ticket price. I learned so much about the city’s iconic history. For that fee, you ride with others in a smaller more personalized tour van with a guide who really knows her stuff. She shows where famous houses sit and shares just about everything there is to know about Palm Springs, then and now. There are a few surprise stops that allows up close looks and photo ops depending on the day.
On the tour, we got to pose in front of the house Elvis and Priscilla honeymooned in! Called the House of Tomorrow this futuristic gem was built in the early 1960s and still has the original furniture inside as the pieces were built into the home to compliment the overall structure and style. This famous property is also known as the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway.
Book A Midcentury Modern Architecture Experience
I didn’t have enough time to book a midcentury modern home tour that takes visitors inside some of the most iconic homes. I plan to next time. Seeing the inside of the desert modernism homes in person would be so cool! Palm Springs is a hotbed of creativity, especially with the retro architecture that’s stayed current in this town. I recommend booking with Palm Springs Mod Squad to book an Interior Design Tour. Next time I’m signing up for the Martini & MCM Architecture Tour! I mean…just look at these homes…I so want to go inside! 
***Hike The Indian Canyon-This photo is from the Visit Greater Palm Springs site. I plan to hike to this beautiful Indian Canyons waterfall next time!
The one thing I didn’t get to do…and I am going back soon to do it is to hike the Indian Canyons! The Indian Canyons is a palm tree oasis and offers several incredible hikes with both easy and moderate trails. I can’t wait to go back to experience this area as I’m told that it’s truly one of the most unique hiking experiences on earth.
Check Out The Walk Of Stars
Get some exercise and take the Walk of Stars to see your favorites, many from Old Hollywood!
Shop Here In Palm Springs…
*Wil Stiles – I found my favorite vibrant throw back 60s dress here and it’s reversible! I love that the store website describes the boutique as a cheerful place that’s a “steroid boost in the sport of competitive dressing…” and I concur! The team of stylists in the shop were terrific to work with as well.
Posing in my new beloved bold and beautiful dress from Wil Stiles!
*preLoved – This hip upscale consignment store had a retro green dress that tempted me, but the price tag was out of my budget. Browse and shop here for stylist boots and shoes, too.
*PSHomeboys – For everything Palm Spring style in gifts, check out this lifestyle unique boutique. Visit the store’s super stylish showroom as well.
*Christopher Anthony – For vintage fine art and sculpture shopping and browsing.
*Venture down Palm Canyon Drive to see numerous upscale boutiques.
*Head to the Uptown Design District to see everything vintage. So fun!
Try A Date Shake
*Lappert’s Ice Cream for a date shake! Palm Springs and Coachella Valley is the nation’s date capital, so trying a date shake is in order. I was headed to Great Shakes which I’m told truly makes great shakes, but a local redirected me to Lappert’s Ice Cream for my very first date shake. The verdict? I LOVED it and so did my gal pals. It was sooo good!
Eat & Drink Here In Palm Springs…
*Peaks Restaurant – As I mentioned above, this San Jacinto mountaintop restaurant is delicious and has a charming and casual ambiance. We dined there for lunch, but I plan to take the aerial tram back to this place for dinner to get a scenic view of the Palm Springs light below in the darkness. Don’t miss the cocktails, the salmon and be sure to splurge on the Asparagus And Artichoke Ravioli. Worth the calories!
*Farm – This place came highly recommended from both out-of-towners and locals alike and it met our expectations!
Fab food and fun at Farm!
Choose the pretty patio to enjoy brunch, lunch or dinner made with fresh authentic ingredients. Don’t miss The Front Porch At The Farm for cocktails that have been awarded the best in town. We started there for a delicious drink before we enjoyed our lunch at Farm.
*Lola Rose Grand Mezze – This beautiful bar & restaurant is nuzzled in the new and popular downtown Thompson Hotel. We enjoyed innovative pre-dinner cocktails at a beautiful bar. We got dolled up and dressed in vibrant Palm Springish colors that fit right in at Lola Rose.
Get dolled up & go to Lola Rose!
Next time we’re staying for dinner, too!
*Workshop Kitchen & Bar – For a fine dining experience with the most attentive wait staff and high quality food and drink, make reservations at the Workshop Kitchen & Bar.
Love that this place is a historic 1930s movie house!
Operating out of a former 1930s movie house, the ambiance matches the great food.
*Boozehounds – This place had me at the entrance sign that exclaims “where dogs bring their humans” and I’m a cat person but I love that vibe! I also loved the food, drinks, outdoor patio, art deco interior and fun bathroom design. Shop the cute dog and human restaurant merchandise. 
We drank, ate, shopped and enjoyed the view of the cute doggies. Go here for a delish brunch, too!
*Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge – Sleek and swanky, this restaurant has a great indoor and outdoor atmosphere and the food is tasty. I especially enjoyed the surprise classic black and white movies that played on the building wall adjacent to where I sat on the patio.
Old movies projected on the wall is a nice unexpected touch!
*Cheeky’s – I didn’t get to cover this in my morning segment, only because I ran out of space…BUT…don’t miss Cheeky’s for the from scratch fare, spicy Bloody Mary and bacon flight.
Cheeky’s is famous for their spicy Bloody Mary and bacon flight. Both good!
Yum and fun!
*Trio Palm Springs – This place is so popular that the establishment is opening a space in the Palm Springs Airport. Set in a historic 1953 building that was once a bank, the food matches the appealing decor.
Tasty food & drink at Trio!
*Bill’s Pizza – Try the Elton John pizza. But then again, all of the varieties are good. 
There is so much more to cover in Palm Springs, so I plan to return! What did I miss that you love about this funky eclectic popular town? Share in the comments section and travel on!
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