Going to Palm Springs CA --- Need Suggestions for things to do on a Thursday & Friday

[Sugarcubesea]

Heading to a Family Wedding next week --- Sept 5th thru September 8th and need ideas for things to do or must see for Thursday and Friday...I have never been to Palm Springs, CA and looking forward to going on this trip

 

[BrianinCA]

The tramway and hiking up top to escape some of the heat. There is an aviation museum that was a nice break. For food Townie Bagles, Sherman’s Deli, the Colony Club at The Colony Palms Hotel with great poolside views.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

The tramway and hiking up top to escape some of the heat. There is an aviation museum that was a nice break. For food Townie Bagles, Sherman’s Deli, the Colony Club at The Colony Palms Hotel with great poolside views.

@BrianinCA , my husband will be having hip surgery when we return from this trip and he can not walk or move to well, do you have to hike if you take the tramway? Can you take the tramway all the way to the top? I'm trying to find activities we can do that do not involve walking long distances or stading up too long...

 

[alwysonvac]

Favorite Restaurants and things to do in Palm Desert

Hubbie and I will be traveling to Palm Springs next week. We will be staying at Marriot DesertSpring Villas . We are looking for some good restaurant recommendations and fun things to do. We will have a car

tugbbs.com

 

[clifffaith]

@BrianinCA , my husband will be having hip surgery when we return from this trip and he can not walk or move to well, do you have to hike if you take the tramway? Can you take the tramway all the way to the top? I'm trying to find activities we can do that do not involve walking long distances or stading up too long...

We just took it to the top and looked around for a few minutes and came back down.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We just took it to the top and looked around for a few minutes and came back down.

@clifffaith , thank you for telling me this, I'm going to book this for us...thanks

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Another idea is to visit Joshua Tree National Park. You can easily traverse the park as a day trip from PS. Understanding that your husband will have limited mobility, there is much that can been from a car or with limited walking on flat ground. The Choalla Garden is pretty neat. The Joshua Tree forest is in the higher elevations of the park - Joshua trees are unique to the high desert (i.e., higher elevations) portion of the park.

September is still summer, so it will be hot. But much of the park is >3000' elevation, which makes it slightly cooler (10-15° F) than PS environs.

When we go, we like go in at the south entrance, via the Cottonwood Springs exit off I-10. That's the reverse of how most people enter the park.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Another idea is to visit Joshua Tree National Park. You can easily traverse the park as a day trip from PS. Understanding that your husband will have limited mobility, there is much that can been from a car or with limited walking on flat ground. The Choalla Garden is pretty neat. The Joshua Tree forest is in the higher elevations of the park - Joshua trees are unique to the high desert (i.e., higher elevations) portion of the park.

September is still summer, so it will be hot. But much of the park is >3000' elevation, which makes it slightly cooler (10-15° F) than PS environs.

When we go, we like go in at the south entrance, via the Cottonwood Springs exit off I-10. That's the reverse of how most people enter the park.

One of the goals of Joshua Tree NP is to acquaint visitors with the Sonoran and Mojave desert environments and biomes. There are lots of roadside information areas that provide information. It's a newer National Park, so limited mobility access has been considered in many park features.

Going south to north means that you end your day in the Twentynine Palms/Yucca Valley area. That gives you options to stop for refreshments or dinner before you head back to PS. If you do it the other way and exit the park at Cottonwood Springs Road, services are scant until you get back to the Coachella Valley area.

The Twentynine Palms/Yucca Valley area is also a hotbed for modern residential architecture - like what Palm Springs was in the 1950s - 1970s. If modern residential architecture is of interest, you may be able to find a local guide to provide a tour that can mostly be done by vehicle. This would be mutually exclusive with a day trip to the National Park.

 

[Luvtoride]

Another idea is to visit Joshua Tree National Park. You can easily traverse the park as a day trip from PS. Understanding that your husband will have limited mobility, there is much that can been from a car or with limited walking on flat ground. The Choalla Garden is pretty neat. The Joshua Tree forest is in the higher elevations of the park - Joshua trees are unique to the high desert (i.e., higher elevations) portion of the park.

September is still summer, so it will be hot. But much of the park is >3000' elevation, which makes it slightly cooler (10-15° F) than PS environs.

When we go, we like go in at the south entrance, via the Cottonwood Springs exit off I-10. That's the reverse of how most people enter the park.

We’ve done a jeep tour of Joshua tree where they pick you up at your hotel. A neat way to cover this great national park.


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[Snazzylass]

I've heard their botanical garden is nice and there are the fun shops to explore.

 

[Sandi Bo]

It's crazy to me how popular Joshua Tree is. I lived in California when I was 12-14 years, went countless times, it was boring for a teenager (except when my brother crashed his carmen ghia into a rock). But wow, it is popular and I know today my grandkids love climbing the rocks and such! We took the tram up Mount San Jacinto about 8 years ago or so. We had all ages and health conditions. About half stopped midway at the restaurant, half of us hiked the rest of the way to the top - some pretty awesome memories all the way around - highly recommend it!

 

[dazzlingheart]

We will be going to Palm Springs during fall, too. We’re planning on visiting the zoo.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

We’ve done a jeep tour of Joshua tree where they pick you up at your hotel. A neat way to cover this great national park.


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@Luvtoride, I will look into the Jeep Tour, thanks

 

[Sugarcubesea]

It's crazy to me how popular Joshua Tree is. I lived in California when I was 12-14 years, went countless times, it was boring for a teenager (except when my brother crashed his carmen ghia into a rock). But wow, it is popular and I know today my grandkids love climbing the rocks and such! We took the tram up Mount San Jacinto about 8 years ago or so. We had all ages and health conditions. About half stopped midway at the restaurant, half of us hiked the rest of the way to the top - some pretty awesome memories all the way around - highly recommend it!

@Sandi Bo , hubby really wants to go on the tram and stop at the restaurant, do you know if we need reservations for the restaurant?

 

[louisianab]

@Sandi Bo , hubby really wants to go on the tram and stop at the restaurant, do you know if we need reservations for the restaurant?

they have dine and ride package, it's a great deal for the Pines. If you want the nicer restaurant, I would recommend a reservation.

 

[Cornell]

Rent e-bikes! I did that last time I was there & did some major exploration .

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I just got back from our trip in Palm Springs, it was a wonderful trip. Due to the very hot weather, it was a 120 degrees on our first day, so we pivoted and went to the Aerial Tramway, what an awesome experience that was, we went to the Twin Palms home of Frank Sinatra, we had brunch at Melvyn's --- Frank had a table at this restaurant that was always reserved for him and I got my picture taken with some bubbly. Had dinner with friends at a cool place called Enzo's Rancho Mirage.

We did a tour of the Movie Colony Neighborhood and loved that experience

I would love to go back someday to Palm Springs, but next time I would like to go in October, so it would be a bit better temp wise but not yet in season, so that I could get a deal on a hotel...

​

 

[easyrider]

it was a 120 degrees on our first day

Wow, that is hot.

Bill

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Wow, that is hot.

Bill

Yeah - she should have gone to the Palm Springs of Washington instead.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Wow, that is hot.

Bill

@easyrider , Yes, it was so hot and it got me so overheated that I knew we could not do our initial event of the Jeep Tour...I found that if I got up super early and did stuff then it was only 90 and that was more bearable to handle

 

[Sugarcubesea]

My hubby and I enjoyed Palm Springs so much that he asked me to try and do an exchange with one of our timeshares into Palm Springs, which TS should I try and exchange into. We are looking for October of 2025

 

[BJRSanDiego]

My hubby and I enjoyed Palm Springs so much that he asked me to try and do an exchange with one of our timeshares into Palm Springs, which TS should I try and exchange into. We are looking for October of 2025

I own at DSV1, DSV2, and Shadow Ridge Enclaves. All are nice. In addition, the Westin Desert Willow (either the 2 br - - hard to get - - or the large side of the 1 BR) and Shadow Ridge Villages is very nice. You'll have fun at any of them. Each has some slight advantage over the other ones. My preference is DSV2, DSV1, SRV, and then SRE. But the difference isn't much. I prefer a 2 BR. So, if I find a 2 BR in the date range that I'm looking for, I'll book it. If I find a rare 2 BR Desert Willow, I'd book that ahead of the others.

 

[easyrider]

My hubby and I enjoyed Palm Springs so much that he asked me to try and do an exchange with one of our timeshares into Palm Springs, which TS should I try and exchange into. We are looking for October of 2025

The Vacation Internationale Oasis Resort in Palm Springs is where we stay in Palm Springs. The Worldmarks in Palm Springs are on the small side but there is a WM in downtown Palm Springs. The reason we like the Oasis is the units are huge and include an enclosed garage with two bikes. The decks are large with a BBQ and table with four chairs. I used two SFX bonus weeks to grab two weeks in a two bed unit for 2025. It was less than using my VI membership.

Bill

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I own at DSV1, DSV2, and Shadow Ridge Enclaves. All are nice. In addition, the Westin Desert Willow (either the 2 br - - hard to get - - or the large side of the 1 BR) and Shadow Ridge Villages is very nice. You'll have fun at any of them. Each has some slight advantage over the other ones. My preference is DSV2, DSV1, SRV, and then SRE. But the difference isn't much. I prefer a 2 BR. So, if I find a 2 BR in the date range that I'm looking for, I'll book it. If I find a rare 2 BR Desert Willow, I'd book that ahead of the others.

@BJRSanDiego, Thank you so much, I will be using a non westin or mariott trader, in II, do you think I will have difficulty to book this for September / October 2025

 

[dioxide45]

@BJRSanDiego, Thank you so much, I will be using a non westin or mariott trader, in II, do you think I will have difficulty to book this for September / October 2025

Both should be easy trades. Or even available as getaways or on an AC through II.