10 ideas for what to do in Palm Springs

Though most of us picture wide, barren expanses and intense heat when thinking of a desert, Palm Springs flips the script on expectations. Don't dismiss this eclectic destination as a Coachella stopover or for retirees only – this California dream is packed with fun attractions, from urban culture and nightlife to outdoor adventures.Whether you want to unplug from life's stresses in a rejuvenating sound bath or strap in for a high-speed track day, head east from LA to enjoy the top things to do in Palm Springs.1. Hike through culturally rich desert canyonsExplorers of all abilities will find a trail to love in the culturally significant Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon. The former has more than 60 miles of walking and hiking trails that include encounters with native plants like honey mesquite and yucca (once used by the Cahuilla Indians – the region’s original inhabitants – for food, medicine and dyes). Tahquitz Canyon features a strenuous hike to get to a 60ft-tall waterfall and there’s room to picnic, meditate and ride horses along the way. Advertisement Planning tip: The daily admission fee is $15 for adults and $7 for kids. Daily interpretive hikes led by park rangers depart from the visitor's center, although seasonal opening hours and schedules apply.2. Unplug with a sound bath at the IntegratronTap into resonant, live sounds of quartz crystal singing bowls while sprawled face up in the acoustically impressive, dome-like structure of the Integratron. The wooden dome was built in Landers in 1958 by George Van Tassel using the joinery technique – without nails or screws – and features views of the desert from its windows. Supposedly, the structure also sits at the center of geomagnetic vortices.Van Tassel believed in the metaphysical and built Integratron as an attempt to extend human life. These days, the dome is owned by three sisters. Their Sound Bath experience attracts curious and enthusiastic folks chasing relaxation and reflection most Thursdays through Sundays – head here for a brief pause to your frantic daily realities.Planning tip: Call ahead to ensure the Integratron is open if you don't have an appointment. The complex is closed for July and August but reopens on September 11th. A WWII fighter plane outside the Palm Springs Air Museum. SpVVK/Getty Images 3. Book a Warbird flight at Palm Springs Air MuseumPeer inside the flight deck of a WWII, Korea or Vietnam War–era aircraft at Palm Springs Air Museum. The museum is arranged across four hangars, and many of its docents once flew the planes exhibited there, including the B-17 multi-engine combat plane and C-47 Skytrain used in military transport.Palm Springs’ aviation history includes Palm Springs International Airport’s former life as an airbase. During WWII it was used for military training and aircraft maintenance before it was sold to the city following the war. Adventure fans can even take to the skies onboard a Warbird – either a T-6 Texan or a P-51 Mustang – to experience the classic WWII fighter pilot machines.Planning tip: Due to the high desert temperatures, the Warbird flights are suspended during summer and start up again come fall. Advertisement The Indian land sculpture by Nicholas Galanin is titled "Never Forget" and was part of a DesertX exhibition. Nachtrieb Productions/Shutterstock 4. Explore a desert-wide outdoor art exhibitionLocal and international artists use the Coachella Valley’s desert landscape as inspiration to create large-scale works as part of the biennial outdoor art experience Desert X – from billboards to a completely mirrored ranch-style house, plus towering cubes fashioned out of yellow plastic water gallons. These commissioned pieces aim to challenge our past and future possibilities across universal themes like climate change and the interpretation of home. Most of the dozen or so installations are free to view and are typically on display from February through May.5. Buckle up at the BMW Performance CenterIf you prefer your high-speed adventures on land, head to the BMW Performance Center in Thermal. Its driving experiences range from two hours to a full-day of group or private instruction and time on the track. The Performance Drive experience gets you behind the wheel of several vehicles, such as the X and M series, to navigate tight corners and zippy straightaways, plus an opportunity for an accelerated lap with an instructor – drifting included.Local tip: If you're visiting Palm Springs on a budget, consider booking a track day during the summer season. The desert heat often keeps visitors at bay, so heavy discounts and special offers are often available.  A rotating tram moving up the mountain on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Carolyn Hebbard/Getty Images 6. Cruise up the Palm Springs Aerial TramwayAscend 8500ft in a rotating tram car to the top of Mount San Jacinto via Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which claims to have the world’s largest rotating tramcars. From above, check out expansive desert views and walk or hike more than 50 miles of trails.The ride takes 10 minutes, travels 2.5 miles and temps drop nearly 30°F compared to the valley floor. Looking for snow? During winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow camping (permit required) are possible.7. Explore desert tiki cultureAmerica’s tiki (a Maori word for a carved figure) culture dates back to the 19th century. The rise of vaguely Polynesian-themed bars encompasses an exaggerated perspective of Oceania that became an escape for Depression-era Americans following WWII, especially among US soldiers returning home from the South Pacific.And while the movement isn’t without criticism of cultural appropriation, Palm Springs establishments such as Bootlegger Tiki, Tonga Hut and Toucans Tiki Lounge and Cabaret – that also offers weekly drag shows – celebrate the cultural phenomenon with kitsch and tropical layered-rum drinks (though rum was originally a Caribbean thing). Colorful performers march in the Palm Springs Gay Pride Parade, California. Kamil Zelezik/Shutterstock 8. Party at Palm Springs PrideWhat began as the LGBTIQ+ community's nationwide organization for social equality and acceptance during the 1980s and '90s has grown to one of the most widely recognized celebrations around the world.Palm Springs’ Pride is no exception. Its initial iterations began as song and dance performances as part of the “Sizzle” event at the Riviera Hotel. Now revelers can expect a full week in the fall packed with a parade, parties and events from a golf tournament to rainbow art installations, and a children’s garden hosting arts, crafts and games.Similarly, Dinah Shore Weekend is arguably the world’s largest lesbian and queer women event. The music festival began in the early '90s and has since hosted a number of famous musical acts like Salt-N-Pepa, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. It’s also held in the fall.Planning tip: If you’re planning travel in the fall, book accommodations well ahead and expect to make restaurant reservations as well. Visitors flock from all over for the festivities. Entrance to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs. Claudine Van Massenhove/Shutterstock 9. Feed giraffes at the Living Desert Zoo and GardensFeed a towering, gentle giraffe, and observe zebras, jaguars and more at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. Its Rhino Encounter gives visitors the opportunity to see one of the zoo’s two black rhinos up close. Parking is free; the last admission is at 1:30pm during summer and 5pm all other months.The zoo offers resources for guests with sensory needs, such as bags filled with fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones and weighted lap pads.10. Get yourself in hot water at Agua Caliente Cultural PlazaVisitors to downtown Palm Springs can experience Indigenous history and culture at Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza. Relax at The Spa at Séc-he (meaning boiling water), where geothermally heated water from nearby, magnesium-rich Agua Caliente Hot Spring is pumped in for various treatments. These waters have collected underground for more than 12,000 years and were originally used by the Cahuilla Indians for bathing, healing and communicating with spirits.Local tip: When you're done relaxing, stop by the 48,000-sq-ft Agua Caliente Museum, which houses cultural artifacts, an art gallery, an education center and a garden.

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