THINGS TO DO

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—the world’s largest rotating tram car—travels over two-and-one-half miles along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon, transporting riders to the pristine wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. During your approximately ten-minute journey, tram cars rotate slowly, offering picturesque and spectacular vistas of the valley floor below.

Once you reach the Mountain Station—elevation 8,516 feet—enjoy two restaurants, observation decks, natural history museum, two documentary theaters, gift shop and over 50 miles of hiking trails.

IPalm Springs Art Museum was founded in 1938 as the Palm Springs Desert Museumat La Plaza in downtown Palm Springs. Natural science exhibits, Cahuilla Indian artifacts, and hiking excursions dominated the institution’s programming.

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Palm Springs Art Museum has 28 galleries, two sculpture gardens, four classrooms, resource centers, five storage vaults, an 85-seat lecture hall, a 433-seat theater, a 1,000-square-foot store, and a popular local bistro.

Coachella Valley Preserve System, consists of a 20,000-acre sanctuary that is home to several unique species of increasingly rare wildlife. The giant red velvet mite, the flat-tailed horned lizard and the giant palm-boring beetle. The Coachella Valley Preserve also contains several palm oases, formed because San Andreas Fault lines allow water flowing underground to rise to the surface.

The spectacular Thousand Palms Oasis includes a mile-long trail that winds past pools containing endangered desert pupfish.

The Cove offers some of the best best hiking trails in La Quinta. Hiking enthusiasts seek out La Quinta because of its many thrilling trails surrounded by preserved natural beauty and spectacular mountain views. AllTrails has 9 scenic trails in the La Quinta area that are perfect for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts at any skill level. You can typically find hikes each month in La Quinta: Full Moon Hike and Night Sky Star Observations. These hikes typically occur during our cooler months from November – March. The meeting point is at the Top of the Cove Parking Lot at Avenida Bermudas & Calle Tecate.

Nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in Palm Desert, The Shops on El Paseo is a curated collective of shops, boutiques, and eateries independently situated on the west end of El Paseo and Monterey, amidst the El Paseo district – the premiere shopping destination in the Coachella Valley.

Smoke Tree Stables Trail Rides can provide your group with a picturesque horseback ride through the historic Agua Caliente Indian Canyons that offer year-round streams and beautiful palm oasis. Explore the stunning Indian Canyons and enjoy a few hours of peaceful solitude on a beautiful trail. Offering both serenity and breathtaking views. Smoke Tree Stables, located near the Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, provides guided rides.

The Living Desert, Zoo | Gardens. Rated as one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S. by Conde Nast Traveler and recognized as a premier attraction for all ages in Greater Palm Springs, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens welcomes adventurers of all ages to explore the plants and animals of the world's deserts. Amidst breathtaking desert landscapes, visitors can discover a stunning array of wildlife from around the globe. Witness graceful giraffes grazing alongside greater kudu and ostriches on the expansive plains, all set against the majestic San Jacinto Mountain range.

March 2-16, 2025

The BNP Paribas Open is the largest ATP Tour and WTA Tour combined two-week event in the world and is held annually at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. More than 475,000 fans attend the event each year, which features the best players in the world competing for more than $17 million in prize money.

Painted Canyons Located in the Mecca Hills about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs. Throughout Painted Canyon, there is a diverse range of wildlife and plant life, including smoke trees, palo verde trees, bighorn sheep, spotted bats, and desert tortoises. Within Painted Canyon, you can go on a short, scenic tour by car, a nature hike, or a walk. The canyon’s dynamic colors make it a prime choice for taking pictures.

For more than 40 years, Ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg welcomed political, business, educational, and entertainment leaders to Sunnylands, their 200-acre winter home in Rancho Mirage, California. In 2001, the couple established The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands to preserve the estate as a place where world leaders could meet to discuss issues of national and international importance.

Tahquitz Canyon is one of the most beautiful and culturally sensitive areas of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation. Tahquitz Canyon is home to a spectacular seasonal 60-foot waterfall, rock art, ancient irrigation systems, native wildlife, and plants. Located at the entrance to the canyon, the Tahquitz Canyon Visitor Center offers educational and cultural exhibits.

The Indian Canyons are the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. These canyons are especially sacred to the Cahuilla people today and are historically important to scientists and nature lovers. The Cahuilla people have thrived here for thousands of years. Rock art, house pits, foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons.

Joshua Tree National Park area know for rugged rock formations, stark desert landscapes, and named for region’s distinct Joshua trees. Numerous hiing trails and camping spots.

BMW Driving Experience. Learn driving maneuvers from racing professionals at BMW. An open track, the Ultimate Driving Machine, and you in the driver’s seat. Prepare for a BMW driving experience like no other.