The greater Palm Springs desert region consists of nine cities that are all worth visiting. We recently had the opportunity to visit. In the past, the Palm Springs area has been a destination for bachelorette parties and music festivals. This trip was for a quick family getaway. It’s great that no matter the reason of why you are headed to the area, you are sure to find several fun things to do. Whether you are traveling with friends or with children, I have a few highlights that you’ll want to check out during your next visit to these desert cities.

A Quick Weekend Itinerary

When I travel, I like to make the most of the time I have in that area. Whether I have been to the place several times or I am a first time visitor, there is always a new restaurant I want to try or a new hotel I’d like to check out. It sure makes the trip more adventurous. Don’t get me wrong, I do like a mix of sightseeing and relaxation.

Hotel

There are numerous hotels in the area that are incredible. When I selected our hotel, I was looking for a place that was family friendly. There are amazing boutique hotels that are worth staying at, but for this trip the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa was a great fit for us. The resort has three large pools, gorgeous views, and really all of the amenities that you could need. This hotel is quite large, but is simple to find your way around. Pool time was an essential part of our getaway and the pools were great. It was also fabulous that the pool service was on point and the drinks were delicious.

Restaurants

Eating at a hotel is always convenient. We made sure to mix up our weekend with breakfast at the resort and for other meals were at restaurants that we found on Yelp. The breakfast at the JW Marriott had all that you could imagine in their buffet. Everyone in our family was pleased with the hotel food. The two meals that stood out the most were at well-known locations, King’s Highway and Eureka!

King’s Highway has become an extremely popular stop for visitors. It is located at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club. The restaurant was once a Denny’s restaurant. It is a hip place to eat. I would recommend ordering the fish tacos. You’ll definitely find something that you like on their cocktail menu, my favorite was the Palm Springsteen. I loved that they have a photo booth, just off the restaurant. Make sure to get a few photos! If you love mid-century modern architecture then this is a restaurant that you’ll be happy you visited. I sure loved the stained-glass windows.

A dinner spot that we all enjoyed and were still talking about the next day was Eureka! It is located in the city of Indian Wells. It was a quick Lyft ride from our hotel to the restaurant. The service was fantastic and so was the atmosphere. If you get the chance to eat at Eureka!, try to sit outside. The patio is really wonderful! This is a great restaurant to go to if you like beer, they have quite the selection of beers on tap. The brussel sprouts were the best we have ever tasted. Even if you don’t love brussel sprouts, you’ll need to order this appetizer when you visit. I was torn between a few menu items, but I was beyond pleased with the waiter’s recommendation of the fried chicken sandwich sliders. They are full of flavor, a little spicy, and it will be a meal you won’t forget.

Sightseeing

The greater Palm Springs cities really offers something for everyone. Whether you are a golfer, shopper, hiker, sightseer, partier, this is the place for you. Each visit to the area, I tend to see a little more.

On our recent trip we visited the Moorten Botanical Gardens and Joshua Tree National Park. The botanical gardens were beautiful. This can be a quick stop, but well worth the visit. The gardens were established in 1939 by Mr. and Mrs. Moorten. There are numerous amounts of desert plants and they even have some available for purchase. You can guide yourself through the gardens or you can take a tour. This is a definite stop for plant lovers.

There are several things that I would still like to do such as ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway as well as take part in an architecture tour. The good thing is, is just a short trip away.

We made the most of our time out of town. I was impressed with all that we saw during our quick getaway. I look forward to visiting the area again and exploring even more!

What is your favorite thing to do in the Palm Springs area?