Palm Springs has been on my travel wish list for years and now that LA is only an hour flight away, it’s the perfect weekend getaway. We made our first trip to Palm Springs over the 4th of July weekend and had the absolute best time soaking up the sun and scenery in the desert. Some favorites from our weekend in Palm Springs:

Where to Stay:

We stayed in an Airbnb resort called The Wesley and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! From the mid-century modern decor to the incredible pool and amenities, we loved how relaxing and quiet it was at The Wesley (we’ve heard some of the hotels have a party vibe going on… no thank you). Our unit was spacious and had everything we could have asked for, including a full kitchen and its own private patio with grill. The pool area at The Westley was the perfect spot to kick back and relax and we spent most of our days lounging in the pool or cooling down in a cabana with a beer in hand.

Where to Eat:

• Norma’s at The Parker:  The Parker is Palm Springs at its finest and brunch at Norma’s was the perfect way to wind down our trip. Ask to be seated outside and grab an iced coffee to cool down – we loved the smoothie “shooters” that started our meal and I loved the blueberry pancakes. Be sure to spend some time wandering around the hotel grounds afterward (it’s very Alice in Wonderland!) and grab an Instagram shot of the fireplace and famous orange front door ;)
• Workshop: I’ve got three words for you: $12 bottomless mimosas. We had brunch at Workshop and loved the modern industrial decor; the space is gorgeous! Workshop would be great for large groups because of family-style seating options and the food was awesome.
• Great Shakes: This place has the most insane milkshakes around! Each shake comes with a mini donut garnish – try the cake batter shake which is made with actual funfetti cake batter blended in for an over the top treat.
• Sherman’s Deli: Sherman’s Deli has a very old school diner feel – they’ve been a Palm Springs classic for years! Come hungry and order a sandwich and fries to split and be sure to save room for dessert.
• Chi Chi’s at The Avalon: Chi Chi’s was an awesome date night spot with poolside dining and great cocktails. We opted to share a bunch of starters and their kabobs instead of getting entrees and everything we tried was amazing. Definitely get the ceviche!

What to Do:

Come to Palm Springs ready to kick back and unwind! We flew into LAX and made the 2 hour drive to Palm Springs – flights were significantly cheaper and it was an easy little road trip with gorgeous scenery through the mountains and desert. Staying at a hotel or Airbnb with a pool is a must in Palm Springs; the dry desert heat and sunshine makes it perfect for catching some rays and unplugging from the craziness of everyday life. A few other things we did during our trip:

• Stop at Randy’s Donuts by LAX: We definitely consider ourselves to be donut connoisseurs and knew we wanted to take advantage of LA’s donut scene as part of our road trip from LAX to Palm Springs. Randy’s is super close to LAX (and easy to spot thanks to their giant donut sign) and was a solid choice for the classic donut flavors.
• Visit the Cabazon Dinosaurs: Gigantic dinosaurs? Why not?! The Cabazon Dinosaurs are an easy pit stop on the way back from Palm Springs and are definitely a fun thing to check out while you’re on the road. Grab some photos but skip going inside the “museum”… it’s actually a creationist museum (odd!)
• Do a little house hunting: Palm Springs is full of beautiful, mid-century modern homes that are perfect for some  house hunting and daydreaming. We found “that pink door” thanks to a little Google searching and were in love.

And a few other things we have on our list for our next trip:

• Rent ATVs: It was a little too hot on our trip for many outdoor activities but Palm Springs has several options for ATV riding through the desert. It looked like SO much fun!
• Take the tram up through the mountains: The landscape in Palm Springs is a stunning mix of mountains, palm trees and desert and on our next trip we plan on soaking it all in from the mountain tram. Those views have got to be insane!
• Have drinks at the ACE Hotel: We’ve visited the ACE Hotel in New York and love the decor and vibes – unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit the ACE Palm Springs but definitely will be going next time.

Have you ever been to Palm Springs? What are some of your favorite spots there?