Fun, sun and killer views: How to spend 72 hours in Palm Springs

I just got back from a fabulous three-day weekend in wonderful Palm Springs. There’s not only unlimited sunshine and warm weather, but Palm Springs also offers a ton of fun activities, no matter what time of year you go.

I’d been a few times over the years, but it had been more than a decade since I visited, and I’m not sure why I waited so long to return. I had a blast and found a welcoming desert oasis with much more than swimming pools and midcentury house tours.

I used to come for the once-wild White Party, but that was many years ago now, and I’d actually like to come back for Palm Springs Pride Days, which take place annually on the first weekend of November. Although some businesses start their celebrations as early as October 31. It can be a great choice for the holidays as well, when it starts to get cold nearly everywhere else in the U.S. Palm Springs Holidays runs in November and December.

Year-round, though, you’ll find a welcoming town with incredible restaurants, a ton of great hotels and a surprising amount of things to do.

It’s also a great place to use your points and miles. Read on for all the details.

How to get to Palm Springs

Several major airlines have added or resumed routes to Palm Springs in the past few years, including Alaska, American, Delta and United. Alaska, American, Delta and United have also extended seasonal flights that used to only fly in the winter.

And points can get you a great deal to The Playground of the Stars.”

Here’s a quick search I did for Palm Springs in November on Seats.aero.

As you can see, I can fly all the way from New York for as few as 15,500 American Airlines AAdvantage miles or 15,000 United MileagePlus miles.

I also looked for a week-long trip from Seattle in December. Our friends at Points Path report that you can book round-trip reward flights on Delta Air Lines for as few as 18,200 SkyMiles or 17,500 Alaska Atmos Rewards points.

Cash fares from New York can be as low as $296 round trip. From Chicago? As low as $230.

Where to stay in Palm Springs

There’s no shortage of fabulous places to stay in Palm Springs, from chic midcentury Airbnbs to full-service resorts. Of course, I was focused like a laser on hotels you can book with points.

I ended up choosing one of the newest offerings in the heart of Palm Springs from the World of Hyatt.

Thompson Palm Springs by Hyatt

We booked three nights at one of the newest stars of the Palm Springs hotel scene: Thompson Palm Springs by Hyatt.

This chic midcentury-inspired resort has 168 rooms and 18 suites in the main hotel, along with two swimming pools and some incredible restaurants.

I was upgraded to a roomy suite with a separate living area and a terrace.

I also got a peek at Thompson’s adults-only tower called Upper Stories. It’s got its own pool, free drinks and a lounge with some separate facilities. Rooms here come at a premium, with an additional 42 rooms and 5 suites.

The best part of the hotel is the location: It’s right on Palm Canyon Drive in the heart of the city and next to incredible dining and some of the most popular attractions in the city.

There are also several incredible restaurants either attached to the resort or within the complex. More on that below.

You can book Thompson for between 20,000 and 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night. That’s a great deal considering room rates can climb as high as $887 a night for a standard room. Cash rates start at $285. Look for our full review later this year. Suffice it to say that I can highly recommend the Thompson Palm Springs.

Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel

Another option we considered was Kimpton’s The Rowan. This IHG property opened in 2018 with 153 rooms in the tallest building in the city.

That means sweeping views of Palm Springs. On the weekends, you’ll find a live DJ spinning with a packed pool area.

There’s also a rooftop dining and drinking spot called High Bar, and their fine-dining restaurant, 4 Saints, which was given a rave review from one of the locals I spoke with.

My former colleague Benji Stawski reviewed the hotel when it opened. Here is a photo of one of the rooms that he took.

Room rates start at just $169 (but can climb over $500 during peak demand), and you can book the hotel with your IHG One Rewards points starting at just 38,000 points per night. Rates during the high season can exceed 100,000 IHG One Rewards points.

I look forward to a stay here on my next visit to Palm Springs.

Hyatt Palm Springs

Hyatt Palm Springs is just down the street from the Thompson. It’s one of the few Hyatt-branded properties in the world and features some 197 rooms, all of which are suites.

It opened in 1990 as the Hyatt Regency Suites but was rebranded back in 2014. It’s got a swimming pool and 24-hour gym, but the great selling point is the location on Palm Canyon Drive, right in downtown Palm Springs.

Out front, you’ll find a section of the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars.

While the hotel is overdue for a renovation, it’s a great value on cash or points.

You can book the Hyatt Palm Springs for as few as 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night. The hotel maxes out at just 15,000 World of Hyatt points per night. Cash prices are as low as $140 per night.

Parker Palm Springs

Here’s a fun non-traditional hotel option for fans of Old Hollywood and midcentury modern design. Parker Palm Springs has a legendary history. While it’s not part of a traditional points program, it’s bookable with points through the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), a collection of more than 400 independent luxury hotels. The program is also now an American Express transfer partner.

The property was the site of the world’s first Holiday Inn, but it was purchased by Hollywood celebrity Gene Autry in 1961 and turned into a ranch. Later, it was owned by talk show host and TV producer Merv Griffin.

The 13-acre compound was turned into a resort in 2014, and New York designer Jonathan Adler gave it a distinctive Hollywood-meets-Old West theme that reads as campy fun.

Parker Palm Springs is in the middle of a renovation, but I got to check out some of the public facilities.

I also took a quick tour of a room that was open to visitors. The hotel has a total of 144 rooms on the expansive property.

A brief search of pricing shows room rates starting at more than $600 a night, or 7,613 Leaders Club Points a night. I did see room rates in the low season for as low as $499 or 4,000 points.

Though it’s not in a central location, I’d love to come back for a visit once the renovations are completed.

Holiday House Palm Springs

One final hotel I need to mention came highly recommended by locals I spoke with. The Holiday House Palm Springs is an old 1950’s motel that’s been turned into a luxury showpiece.

You’ll find pop art and stylish furnishings throughout the public spaces and a fun swimming pool in the center of the resort.

The best part about the renovation, though, is that you can book it using World of Hyatt points. This is a Mr & Mrs Smith property. That means you can earn and burn World of Hyatt points for a stay. You can book for as few as 16,750 World of Hyatt points per night, but can go as high as 92,000.

Cash rates at this adults-only property start at just $199 a night but can go as high as $999 per night.

What to do in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

One of the activities I got to try out that I didn’t even know existed before I was assigned to write about visiting Palm Springs was the Aerial Tramway. What an adventure!

Tickets cost about $37 for adults and $21 for children, and I recommend booking early, as many time slots do sell out. It’s a popular activity.

Once inside the tram car, you hear a bit about the attraction, and then it starts rotating as it ascends on a 10-minute journey to an elevation of 8,516 feet. It’s a whole other climate up there, where you hike or dine.

Once up at Mountain Station, you’ll have sweeping views of the Coachella Valley and some 50 miles of hiking trails within San Jacinto State Park.

I can’t recommend it enough, but be warned that you may need to bring a sweatshirt or sweater. It is often more than 20 degrees cooler on top of the mountain.

Palm Springs Art Museum

I also got to explore the Palm Springs Art Museum, which had a fascinating exhibit on LGBTQIA+ art (Queer Arcana). Entry costs $25, but includes access to special exhibits.

Of course, no visit to Palm Springs would be complete without a selfie at the giant statue of Marilyn Monroe.

“Forever Marilyn” is a 26-foot-tall statue by artist Seward Johnson of the blonde bombshell modeled on the famous scene in the movie “The Seven Year Itch.” Monroe was said to have been discovered in Palm Springs at Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club.

Where to eat in Palm Springs

I dined like a king in Palm Springs. I ran out of days to dine long before I actually ran out of intriguing restaurants to try.

Two of the hardest reservations to get in town are at Bar Cecil and its next-door sibling, Beaton’s. Both establishments were named for the legendary gay artist Cecil Beaton. I recommend booking early, as it’s the hottest ticket in town.

Another hot spot? Bar Issi is part of the Thompson Hotel complex, and it was buzzing whenever I walked past on Palm Canyon Drive.

I had an amazing salad and delicious pizza, but the menu has a bit of everything. Bar Issi describes the menu as an “… elevated Coastal Italian dining experience.”

Also part of the Thompson Palm Springs, Lola Rose serves eastern Mediterranean food with style. Service was excellent both at the bar and at breakfast during my stay at the hotel.

Definitely add this restaurant to your list of places to dine in Palm Springs. I’m still remembering the kabobs I enjoyed.

I also got to try the popular Mexican restaurant Tac/Quila for some yummy fajitas. Outdoor seating is available for walk-ins, but make reservations if you don’t want to sit in the Palm Springs heat.

Honorable mention goes to Las Casuelas, where I got my fix of a California-style Mexican burrito, which I’ve never been able to quite replicate dining in New York City.

Rooster and Pig also came highly recommended, though I didn’t have enough time to go myself. No matter what you choose, though, you’re likely to meet some friendly neighbors.

“One of my favorite things about Palm Springs is that no matter what restaurant you go to, it is very easy to strike up a conversation with a fellow diner,” said James Hunter, a design director at The Wiseman Group in San Francisco.

Indeed, I found the locals and visitors extremely friendly and welcoming, whether at the restaurants I tried, at local bars like Chill or Tool Bar, or even just hanging out by the pool.

Speaking of which, I got invited to the home of an old friend of mine while I was in town.

Gene Howell is the co-host of The Desert Brew on NBC Palm Springs. He told me, “Palm Springs has the best of both worlds. It’s a small town with a big-city soul — small enough that you run into people you know everywhere you go, but still worldly and sophisticated, and you never run out of things to do.”

Howell called the city immaculate and said, “And of course, we live and breathe mid-century here.”

Bottom line

I thoroughly enjoyed my long weekend in Palm Springs. It’s so much more than just swimming pools and movie stars. There are a ton of activities, and it’s an excellent destination for foodies, too.

It’s also a surprisingly great place to use your valuable points and miles. There are plenty of points hotels and easy flight award redemptions to get you to PSP.

I can’t wait to go back (and maybe stay a little longer next time).