How to Plan a Palm Springs Trip for Relaxation and Adventure
Dear Traveler,
In this post, I will share the details of planning a trip to Palm Springs, where you can enjoy a perfect balance of relaxation and small adventures in nature. Before you start, it’s essential to think about what you ultimately hope to experience from your trip. By reflecting on your expectations, you can begin crafting a plan that aligns with your goals. Once you’ve defined the theme of your journey, it’s time to plan the details—such as where you’ll stay, what you’ll see, and the activities you’ll enjoy. I’m excited to share the process of preparing for this Palm Springs trip with you, along with helpful tips and information to make your planning easier.
TRAVEL JOURNAL by Alice January
PALM SPRINGS RELAX and EXPLORE
TRAVELERS
Jazz
Ellie
DESTINATION
Palm Springs, Indian Canyons,
Joshua Tree National Park
PROLOGUE
We enjoyed a relaxing vacation in the vibrant downtown of Palm Springs, soaking in the desert sun. Our little adventures into the natural beauty of Indian Canyons and Joshua Tree National Park added layers of excitement to this desert retreat. Through this Journal, we’ll keep our experiences chronologically.
DATES
March 2024. 2 nights 3 days
MODE OF TRAVEL
Toyota Sedan
RELATED TRAVEL JOURNALS
Travel Plan. Plan Palm Springs Trip: The Perfect Blend of Relaxation and Adventure
Day 1. Downtown Palm Springs Exploration and Indian Canyons Oasis Hiking
Day 2. Joshua Tree National Park Adventure: Skull Rock Trail and Stargazing
Day 3. Downtown Palm Springs Art Museum Free Night
Stays. Review of Hyatt Palm Springs Hotel: Detailed Look at Our Stay in March 2024
Travel Goals and Themes
The theme of this trip is to enjoy a relaxing retreat while experiencing small adventures in nature. I plan to explore downtown Palm Springs as a peaceful getaway, enjoying delicious food, taking photos, and soaking in the laid-back atmosphere. In addition, I want to step outside the city and experience a sense of adventure at places like Indian Canyons and Joshua Tree National Park. This trip will be a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, offering the best of both worlds.
Stays
One of the best things about a resort destination is having plenty of attractions within walking distance from the hotel. To enjoy downtown Palm Springs as a resort-like getaway, we chose a hotel that’s ideally located for exploring on foot.
As shown on the map, the green-highlighted area marks the part of downtown that’s perfect for leisurely walks, centered around S Palm Canyon Dr, which runs north-south between E Alejo Rd to the north and W Baristo Rd to the south.
Staying within or near this area offers easy access to everything downtown Palm Springs has to offer. For our 3-day, 2-night stay, we selected the Hyatt Palm Springs.
Stays. Review of Hyatt Palm Springs Hotel: Detailed Look at Our Stay in March 2024
Research. Places to Visit & Things to Do
Turning on Google Maps, we looked for places to explore around downtown Palm Springs and ultimately chose Indian Canyons and Joshua Tree National Park. Although we’ve visited Joshua Tree a few times before, this trip’s circumstances were different, so we needed to do a bit more research. Our focus was on finding dining and entertainment options in Downtown Palm Springs, along with exploring hiking trails in both Indian Canyons and Joshua Tree National Park.
1. Downtown Palm Springs
Events and Current Conditions
Before traveling, I always begin by checking the local destination’s official website. As a city where tourism plays a significant role in the economy, Palm Springs offers a wealth of detailed and diverse tourism-related information. On the city’s official website, which is linked to https://visitpalmsprings.com/events/, you can find information on local events, including happy hours at restaurants, interpretative hikes in the surrounding nature, performances, art exhibitions, and many other large and small events, organized by date. I review the events happening on my travel dates and include the ones that interest me in my trip plans.
If your travel dates include a Thursday, consider checking out VillageFest, a local festival held every Thursday in downtown Palm Springs. Our last day was also a Thursday, but due to a change in plans, we couldn’t make it to the festival this time. Instead, we wrapped up our trip at the Palm Springs Art Museum, which offers free admission on Thursday nights.
Since I visited downtown Palm Springs all three days, I’ve included parts of it in each section of my travel journal.
Day 1. Downtown Palm Springs Exploration and Indian Canyons Oasis Hiking
Day 2. Joshua Tree National Park Adventure: Skull Rock Trail and Stargazing
Day 3. Downtown Palm Springs Art Museum Free Night
2. Indian Canyons
Research about Indian Canyons
Indian Canyons is truly expansive, divided into Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, and Murray Canyon. We decided on the Andreas Canyon loop trail because it’s the closest and easiest option. With a child along, we needed a simple trail with plenty of shade. Hiking wasn’t our primary focus for this trip—our main goal was to experience the naturally formed palm trees and the oasis. The 1.2-mile loop offered just the right length and scenery. [Day 1. Downtown Palm Springs and Indian Canyon]
Most essential information can be found on the official website.
Hours
Oct. 1 – July 4: daily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(Last vehicle in at 4 p.m.)
July 5 – Sept. 30: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(open only Fri., Sat., Sun. – Last vehicle in at 4 p.m.)
Admissions
Adults $12 | Seniors $7 | Students $7 | Children (6-12) $6
3. Joshua Tree National Park
Current Conditions
If planning a trip to a national park, the first place I check is always the official website. The small alert button on each park’s site can be surprisingly precious, providing essential, up-to-date information on conditions and closures. Next, I look over the park map to get oriented and plan our route.
Places
Skull Rock: This trip was meant to be a relaxing getaway based out of Palm Springs, so we planned to explore only a small part of Joshua Tree National Park. Unlike our usual goal of covering as much ground as possible, we decided to pick just one trail. We chose the Skull Rock Trail, a route that would offer a safe and enjoyable adventure with our child, allowing us to experience a bit of nature without a demanding hike. Across the road from Skull Rock Trail lies the Discovery Trail. After hiking Skull Rock Trail, we decided to cross the road and explore the Discovery Trail if time allowed.
National Park Visitor Center: Joshua Tree National Park has three visitor centers, and we decided to stop by the one near the North Entrance, closest to our destination.
Stargazing Spot: On our way out, we planned to enjoy a stargazing stop at Sky’s the Limit while having a packed meal in the car. While stargazing deeper within Joshua Tree National Park might offer darker skies, we wanted a place outside the park to ensure we could return to the hotel at a reasonable time with our child. Sky’s the Limit came to mind as it was conveniently located nearby. Checking the park’s official event calendar confirmed there were no stargazing events scheduled during our visit, meaning the spot would likely be quiet and ideal for our plans.
Routes
Day 1. Home – Downtown Palm Springs – Indian Canyons – Hotel (105 miles)
Day 2. Hotel – Downtown Palm Springs – Joshua Tree National Park – Hotel (123 miles)
Day 3. Hotel – Downtown Palm Springs – Palm Springs Art Museum – Home (100 miles)
Itinerary
Day 1.
Morning/Afternoon
Downtown Palm Springs
Brunch @ Wilma & Frieda’s
Coffee @ Starbuck
Hotel Check-In
Evening
Indian Canyons
Early Dinner @ Hotel
Dessert @ Lappert’s Super Premium Ice Cream
Walk on Downtown Park
Day 2.
Morning/Afternoon
Downtown Palm Springs
Evening
Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center
Skull Rock Trail & Discovery Trail
Dinner & Stargazing
Day 3
Morning/Afternoon
Downtown Palm Springs
Evening
Palm Springs Art Museum
