Getaway - Palm Springs

Palm Springs is our go-to getaway.

It’s a 2.5 hour drive from San Diego (and if you accidentally hit “walking” in Google Maps, it’s 44 hrs, not too bad), and 2 hours from LA (west of the 405).

Looking West from the Hyatt, Downtown Palm Springs

We’ve been a number of times over the years. For the first few years we stayed in the cutest boutique hotel called Alcazar. It’s been a while now, but if it still possesses the same quaintness with a gorgeous mediterranean courtyard and vine filled patios, I highly recommend. Find the rooms with no second floor above and cute french doors!

Recently we’ve been lucky enough to stay in properties where we get discounts; Hilton and Hyatt. Both properties are older, a little more basic than the hipster-cool contemporaries, but roomier. Because they are older, everything is a little bigger, enough amenities to be comfortable while lounging by the pool, but not enough to keep you from adventuring into downtown. And, because they are quote-on-quote chains, they come with excellent guest service, rewards opportunities and a little design history (which I’m all about).

Vista Las Palmas

Now, food. My partner and I watch and read lots of travel blogs and one thing they often don’t include is food. What are they eating!? Tell us what you are eating…how you snack and why it seems you’ve gone 3 days without sustenance!? This type of travel is not for us, we eat. We not only love to, we need to, for sanity, and other’s safety. So, we want to tell you how we do it, because we think if we would want to know, so would you! And when in Palm Springs, we love to try new places and what’s pretty cool is a lot of our top choices are still there!

Here are some of our recent top choices: (pro tip: share plates so you can bar/food hop and get as much of the goodness as possible!)
√ Cocktails - Truss + Twine | Excellent Bartenders, classic and craft cocktails and the service was off the charts, bites were sooo yummy too!
√ Food - Workshop | A staple. Beautiful interiors, great food and excellent people watching.
√ Brunch - Boozehound’s | Who doesn’t want to eat breakfast with all the puppies and cute decor?!

Truss & Twine, Palm Springs

Last, but certainly not least - TODO’s (said like the adorable doggie in Wizard of Oz):
√ Ride Bikes - rent some bikes and ride through the neighborhoods. The Vista Las Palmas trail takes you past Liberace’s house and the honeymoon hideaway of Elvis.
√ Architecture Tours - a ‘must’ do. If you don’t want to spend the boo-koo bucks on private tours, do a self guided architectural tour! *cough on your bike. There are some that are free.
√ Sunnylands Estate - it’s a little more specific, but the gardens are open to the public and it’s a beautiful place to spend an afternoon with a historical archive, art gallery and a stunning garden for a leisurely walk.

Palm Springs Vibes

I hope we’ve inspired you to visit!

The surface hasn’t even been scratched - there is SO much to do in Palm Springs. That’s why we always go back; art, nature, architecture, nightlife, food etc. All in the cutest small town in the California desert. How they keep it so small, no idea, but we are grateful.