By Bill Malcolm (he/him)*

 

There’s always something going on in the desert— that would be Palm Springs and the other cities in the Coachella Valley. Just 100 miles east of Los Angeles, there is so much to do. This trip was no exception. 

I love how the city is nestled in the desert with palm trees framed by stunning views of the nearby snow capped mountains. There is nowhere else like it. Like Wilton Manors in south Florida, it is a LGBTQ+ oasis—and both have a Hunter’s bar with great happy hours. 

 

Palm Spings Sunnyland

Image Credit: Sunnylands

 

DO

  • Explore the great outdoors of Palm Springs. We took a walk with the Oswit Land Trust (https://oswitlandtrust.org) at the new Desert Dunes Preserve. The former golf course is a delight for bird watchers and plant lovers. Beware of (unmarked) golf signs, though. 

  • Visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens (Annenberg Estate) in nearby Rancho Mirage. The winter home of the Annenbergs offers beautiful gardens and optional house tours. Details at sunnylands.org.

  • Walk with the Frontrunners through the Prescott Preserve (another Oswit site). They meet at 8am in the parking lot of the Mizell Center.

  • Enjoy the Queer+Art exhibit of the works of David Hockney (David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed) at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The Museum is free Thursday nights during the Village Festival downtown. Another exhibit not to miss is To Move Towards the Limits of Living, which examines how LGBTQ+ artists have used diverse strategies to respond to experiences of exclusion and discover new possibilities.

  • Swim at the Palm Springs Swim Center although nonresidents pay a $16 fee. 

 

Palm Springs Arenas Crossing

Image Credit: Visit Palm Springs

 

EAT

  • Enjoy a lemon tart at the Peninsula Bakery. The French bakery is open Thursday through Sunday. You will find them at 611 S. Palm Canyon. Pratiquez votre Francais ici. (The owner is from France.)

  • Have a delicious bagel sandwich and Americano coffee at the Townie Bagel. The place has a cult-like following. Weekend lines can be long. They open at 6:30 a.m. daily. You will find them at 650 East Sunny Dunes. 

  • Sit in a first class airline seat for a cocktail in dinner in the PS Air Bar inside Bouschet. Or you can sit in a Southwest coach seat. The bartender dresses like a pilot. Airline paraphernalia adorns the walls. Fasten your seat belts! 

  • Enjoy a fresh squeezed carrot juice stir fry at Nature’s Health Food and Café (555 S. Sunrise Way). The fajita plate (vegan) is excellent as is the stir fry with brown rice and vegetables. 

  • Have a sandwich on homemade sourdough at Aspen Mills (various locations). I liked the Aspen sandwich with turkey. They have a location at 555 S. Sunrise. 

  • The Tool Shed has food as well as special events every night. 

  • Many of the bars are on Arenas Street and they all have specials or happy hours. I like Hunters and Street Bar. 

 

Palm Spings Motel 6

Image Credit: Motel 6

 

STAY

The Motel 6 Palm Springs Downtown is close to the bars on Arenas Street with lots of shops and restaurants nearby. Best of all, they don’t charge a resort fee (aka amenity fee). Check out a show at the Revolution Stage Company or pick up some gently used merchandise at Revival across the street (also home to the French bakery, Peninsula, the Palm Greens Café, and Bouschet/PS Air Bar). The Twin Palms is nice as is the Descanso. My friend liked the All Worlds Resort (which has a new name). We both also liked the Courtyard by Marriott. The new Thompson Hotel is now open complete with a wine lounge. I always check hotel reviews at Trip Advisor and avoid hotels with resort/amenity/destination fees or other such charges. 

 

Palm Springs Airport

Image Credit: Engage Palm Spings

 

GETTING THERE 

I took Southwest to the extremely cute Palm Springs International Airport. The airport is mostly outdoors and very handy. Warning: Southwest will charge for baggage, seat selection, and more starting soon. You may want to try Delta or American instead where they have the same policies but the service and often fares are better. I am switching. 

 

MORE TIPS

GayDesertGuide has a map and listing of things to do. GED is one of the several LGBTQ magazines. 

Pride this year will run from November 6-9, 2025. 

Ride the SunLine bus for just $1. You can catch it to downtown across the street from the Airport (#2 line) for the 2 mile ride downtown. Otherwise I walked or took Uber. Rental car is not needed. 

The iconic Marilyn Monroe statute has been moved a few feet away  but is now in a new city park (near the Art Museum downtown). 

You will always find something new on your visit to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. I do. 

 

*Bill Malcolm’s syndicated travel column now appears in Sacramento’s Outlook and OutSFL in South Florida as well as GRAB Chicago and other select LGBTQ+ publications as well as being posted on the IGLTA website. He received no compensation of any kind for this column from anyone.

 

Feautured Image Credit: Unsplash