Palm Springs has been a popular year-round SoCal getaway since the 1930s, when it first earned a reputation as a celebrity hot-spot – yielding its “Hollywood’s Playground” nickname. The desert city’s legacy is intertwined with the likes of Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Hope, among many more, and the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age has endured even as it has evolved over the last century.
Warm-weather seekers find respite in Palm Springs October through May, but there’s so much more to the city than just sunshine – from Michelin Guide-recognizing dining to the largest concentration of preserved mid–century modern architecture in the world, and otherworldly desert landscapes.
STAY
It’s no accident that the Parker Palm Springs tops nearly every guide to Palm Spring accommodations. The 13-acre one-time estate of actor and singer Gene Autry, purchased to shelter his MLB team during spring training, was reimagined in a whimsical Hollywood Regency-style by Jonathan Adler. Stay in the original two-bedroom Gene Autry Residence with multiple private outdoor spaces, treatment room with a dry sauna, and screening room (hidden behind a door that doubles as a framed vintage Western movie poster).
Make yourself at home in the heart of Palm Springs at the historic La Sirena Villas, just a short walk from all the action on buzzy Palm Canyon Drive – home to some of the city’s best restaurants, boutiques, and galleries. Dating back to 1933, the 28-room all-suite property is at once ultra-private and centrally situated. The stunning San Jacinto Mountains offer the perfect backdrop to the villa’s private patios, complete with firepits and clawfoot tubs.
DINE
In 2022, Michelin Guide landed in Palm Springs, further legitimizing the city as a foodie destination. James Beard Award-winning Workshop Kitchen + Bar incorporates sustainably sourced ingredients, some are even grown in Chef/operator Michale Beckman’s home garden. Considered one of the most coveted reservations in the city, Bar Cecil, serves up seasonally-driven, bistro-style fare and cocktails, including an over-the-top martini with a caviar-topped deviled egg for a garnish. No visit to the desert is complete without a brunch outing to Cheeky’s, the cuisine is quirky (and indulgent) but boasts only ingredients sourced within 100 miles of the restaurant and eggs laid by its very own chickens! For a transportive old-school steak and martini dinner iconic Mr. Lyons has authentic 1940’s Rat Pack vibes, down to the green tufted leather banquettes. Which is apropos, since the steakhouse first opened (as Lyons English Grille) in 1945 and was frequented by Sinatra and pals..
DRINK
Cocktailing is a serious pastime in Palm Springs. High Bar atop the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel is Palm Spring’s only rooftop hotel and its seventh floor perch is ideal for catching spectacular desert sunsets. Paul Bar is a moody, semi-hidden cocktail bar inside Mr. Lyons – just don’t call it a speakeasy. Find the unmarked entrance behind a black curtain near the restrooms. Blink and you’ll miss Tailor Shop’s unmarked facade. Sit at one of the sophisticated cocktail bar’s banquettes for tableside cocktail service.
DO
Play a round at Nicklaus-designed Escena Golf Club, one of the best courses in Palm Springs with stunning views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Design lovers will enjoy a private, guided tour experience of the city’s famed midcentury modern architecture. Visit Sunnylands Center and Gardens, a 200-acre estate completed in 1996 for the Annenberg Family. The stunning nine-acre garden is a must-see and was inspired by their collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. Gearheads should head to the BMW Performance Center, at the Thermal Club, for an adrenaline-pumping day at the track with private instruction from a BMW Professional Driving Instructor.
HOW TO GET THERE:
At just under 30 minutes of charter flight time from Southern California to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), just two miles east of downtown Palm Springs, Palm Springs is the perfect “amouse-bouche” to a multi-destination private jet charter itinerary. Clock in some time poolside before boarding your private jet charter to hit the slopes in Jackson Hole or as a warm-up to a sun-soaked stay in Bora Bora. Find the right private jet for your trip and price your charter flight by contacting our 24/7 air charter advisors at 800-214-8215.
