What to do in Palm Springs | Our Girls Trip Weekend Itinerary to fun, relaxation and adventure |

Whether you’re looking to celebrate a milestone birthday, bachelorette party or simply want to get away with your best girlfriends, a vacation to Palm Springs is a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure and really good food and cocktails. Here is where to stay and what to do in Palm Springs.

If you’re in the mood to spend a long weekend filled with sunshine, desert vibes, spas, shopping and delicious cocktails by the pool, Palm Springs is the perfect backdrop for your next girls trip—or a couple getaway.

1. Where to Stay in Palm Springs

This was one of our most important decisions and we chose well. We wanted to spend as much time by the pool and lounging as possible. And we needed an adult only area and we wanted good size rooms, and also a location that was central to downtown and restaurants we wanted to visit on our trip.

We chose the Avalon Hotel & Bungalows. It’s an boutique hotel close to the historic downtown Palm Springs, and it features three pools, a spa and a cute little bistro called Chi Chi’s.

There is also a private villas and a sister property Ingleside Estate—which I would recommend if you’re heading to Palm Springs for a couples retreat. It’s also a short walk to the iconic Melvyn’s Restaurant, but more on restaurants below.

Honest Review of the Avalon Hotel in Palm Springs

We loved the pool area and genuinely felt relaxed and at ease. We didn’t want the loud pool party vibes you sometimes get on a weekend trip to Palm Springs. The adult pool was quiet and relaxing and dare I say sexy?!

We were able to truly enjoy each other by the pool, even though it was small it felt cozy and other guests were wonderful. The cocktails and snacks by the pool were also great.

The rooms didn’t have enough light for us to get dressed and were a little on the bleak side, but we all agreed this would not stop us from staying there again.

For the location, price and all the right dessert and pool vibes, I would recommend Avalon Hotel.

Other Trendy Boutique Hotels to Consider:

Places like The Saguaro or the Ace Hotel are vibrant and fun, but on weekends these places can get super busy, and we didn’t want to be in a crowded space.

For a more luxury feel I would recommend The Colony Palms, gorgeous and splurge worthy, and very much Palm Springs brand.

If you’re looking for a more hotel like familiarity, I’ve previously stayed at the Ritz-Carlton and it was lovely, especially if you don’t want to venture out anywhere, since it’s far away from most downtown activities.

Another option we considered was the Kimpton. It is in idea location and has the only rooftop pool in Palm Springs, that overlooks the San Jacinto Mountain.

2. Where to Eat and Get Drinks in Palm Springs

The one key thing I learned while creating our itinerary for Palm Springs is that having reservations ahead of time is key. We had to call ahead for almost every restaurant on this list to be able to get a dining spot.

Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch Options

Let’s start with brunch or breakfast. We had a lovely breakfast at Chi Chi restaurant, the dining option at our hotel. It wasn’t anything of note, but it was convenient and delicious.

If you’re looking for the brunch spot in Palm Springs, I would highly recommend Farm, the bloody mary’s were spectacular, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was lovely. My girlfriends ended up going there again for lunch, before departing.

It’s family friendly, casual but you can also make it as elevated and fun as you want it to be.

We had Kings Highway, at Ace Hotel marked for one of our breakfast spots, but didn’t end up going. It’s a classic institution that came highly recommended and I’m adding it to my next trip.

The Colony Club is also on my list to visit next time.

Dining & Late Bites

One of our favorite happy hour stops was on the rooftop at Azucar. The mountain backdrop and the cocktails were a perfect way to start our weekend away. We had a few light bites and cocktails here and would stop again.

We accidentally stumbled upon LG Prime Steakhouse one evening and it ended up being a beautiful dining experience. Standard steakhouse vibe. We ordered martinis and few favorites to share, including their caesar salad made tableside. If you’re looking for a perfect spot to have a classic steak dinner, this is great and in prime location (pun intended).

A girlfriend wanted sushi on another evening and we took our chances at Ponzu Sushi. It was exquisite, and honestly I did not think we could get such great quality and fresh fish in the dessert. We loved everything and would come back.

A few places that were on our list but we didn’t make it there. Nonetheless, these are all on my list for next trip to Palm Springs.

Bar Cecil —upscale and cozy, the current IT place in Palm Springs.
Gigi’s—classic fare of the 40s, 50s and 60s reimagined here, definitely a unique experience and very instagrammable.
Mister Parker—very posh, very sexy, very Palm Springs and they serve butter shaped into a candle.

Cocktails & Vibes

One of the top spots that was on our itinerary was the Tailor Shop, while it was absolutely gorgeous, I would not recommend it for a girls night. Its sexy and very dim lightning lends itself much better for a couples and date nights in Palm Springs.

Instead, head to Bootlegger Tiki Bar, lots of fun cocktail options and practically next door.

Next time around I want to make a stop at Trixie Hotel , for their happy hour.

As we were walking back to our hotel, we were stopped in to a seemingly empty nightclub Reforma.

To our surprise, in just a short few minutes the place was packed and the DJ played a really great set. If you’re looking for a fun place to dance, this one is it.

Another option is to check out Hunters a more popular gay club in Palm Springs, perfect for girls night out in the dessert.

3. What to do in Palm Springs

Our hotel offered free cruiser bicycles, so we took advantage of those in the morning. Depending on how hot it is when you visit, you may want to reserve all activities for early morning. We visited in August ( off-season), and it was in the 90s by 9am.

Palm Springs is famous for its mid-century modern architecture, so book a tour to explore iconic buildings or you could do a self-guided bike tour.

We did hike the Andreas Trail which is a perfect trail for a non hiker or beginner. We enjoyed it and it was just under 45 minutes. Plus we stopped for photo shoots and took in those panoramic desert views.

On the way into Palm Springs we stopped at the Desert Hills, it’s home to high-end shopping stores and local boutiques, with deep discounts. It’s a perfect location to do a little shopping and find splurge worthy designer items.

It’s also worth it to stop at Palm Springs Art Museum for artsy gifts, decor and a little art before brunch.

Next time, renting an ATV to take in the mountains and windmill views is on our list. You could also do a Sunset Jeep Tour or a Hot Air Balloon Ride. We skipped these for this time, but may revisit next time we are in Palm Springs.

The Palm Springs aerial tram is quite popular, but the reviews were not great so we skipped it. Might be a great thing to add to your list if you’re visiting with family and kids.

4. Pamper Yourself Spa and Hot Springs and Desert Vibes

One of the items on our itinerary was to visit a Intergraton’s Sound Bath in Joshua Tree, but it was coincidentally closed that weekend. A friend recommended it and I am putting it on my list of musts for next time.

Another regret is not taking advantage of spa services at our hotel. If we had more time I would have definitely booked a massage.

Also for next time, are the hot springs in Palm Springs.

Pampering yourself in Palm Springs seems like the most important thing to do while on this getaway.

Steal Our Girls Trip Palm Springs Itinerary

We had a lazy long weekend getaway to Palm Springs. It was a trip that was long overdue between marriages, babies and cross-country moves. But, although it was a low-key Palm Springs getaway, we soaked up and loved every minute of these few days in the dessert.