(Illustration by Ana Miminoshvili / For The Times)
11 extremely cool things to do in Palm Springs when it’s 111 degrees
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Call it the Palm Springs conundrum: Each summer, prices for hotel rooms and Airbnb rentals plummet at the same time that temperatures climb to intolerable heights. It’s enough to make the savvy vacation bargain hunter wonder: How hot is too hot?
For some, the idea of spending any time in a place where the thermometer reading might soar past 110 is simply a nonstarter. Fair enough. Even Palm Springs’ ubiquitous swimming pools and patio misters have their limits. But if you’re willing to brave a blast of extreme heat during the short walk from your car to one of the desert haven’s cooler experiences — a dark movie theater showing cult classic films or the hidden door to a well-air conditioned speakeasy, for instance — then a summer getaway in Palm Springs might be worth pursuing.
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“Yes, it’s hot sometimes, but you just have to have the sense not to be out in it,” said Matthew Reader, a local real estate agent and longtime Palm Springs resident. “And there are good things about the summer too. It’s quiet. You don’t have to wait as long at restaurants. That’s when all our families come and visit us.”
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As any local will tell you, the key to successfully navigating summer in Palm Springs is to channel your inner vampire and avoid the sun at all costs. Lounging, hiking and strolling through downtown while sipping one of the Coachella Valley’s famous date shakes can still be part of your vacation experience — just make sure to do these activities early in the morning or after the sun has set and the desert begins to cool.
On a recent visit, I discovered that there’s plenty of activities to fill a weekend itinerary, including a massive indoor flea market complete with a bottle shop on site, one of the best-rated escape rooms in the country and an adult-only nighttime party at a desert surf club where you can float down a lazy river beneath the stars.
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
Some places have limited hours so make sure to check websites or call ahead first, but if you plan thoughtfully, you can have a wonderful time in Palm Springs in the summer.
Do still keep an eye on the weather. When it gets above 120 degrees, even seasoned locals like Reader try to leave town.
“That’s when I go to Malibu,” he said.
Showing Places
Relax on a magical patio at Spencer’s Restaurant
Palm Springs Restaurant
(David Fouts / For The Times)
Located in the historic Palm Springs Tennis Club, Spencer’s Restaurant is the pinnacle of old-school civility. The staff is gracious and welcoming, the tables are covered with cloth tablecloths and the spacious outdoor patio is perfectly shaded by large trees adorned with dangling orbs that glow in the evenings. One fan described it as where Lucille Bluth of “Arrested Development” fame would dine if she lived in Palm Springs. The menu features a lot of lobster (lobster benedict, lobster potstickers, gazpacho with lobster) and even some caviar, but most decadent of all is the cool breeze that blows consistently, thanks to the swamp cooler vents that encircle the patio. It’s lovely on a warm day when temperatures outside this manufactured oasis rise above 100, but even the swamp cooler has its limits. Restaurant staff said that when outdoor temperatures climb to 110 and beyond they close the patio and serve meals inside instead. A glass room off the main dining room offers much of the same pleasures as that dreamy patio, but it’s not quite the same. Important note: Spencer’s is 12 and older, no little kids allowed.
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch, 5 to 10 p.m. dinner, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday brunch. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch, 5 to 10 p.m. dinner, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday brunch. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Enjoy a desert rain shower at Terra
Palm Springs Hotel
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
Terra is a serene, well-appointed boutique hotel decorated in a soothing variety of earthy shades. Formerly the site of a clothing optional resort that served a mostly gay male clientele, it has since been reimagined as a wellness retreat with Himalayan salt sauna, cold plunge tub and free iced hibiscus tea with lemon upon arrival to help guests relax and unwind. All that is very nice, but what drew me to this spot was the “immersive rain room” advertised on its website, complete with sound effects and jungle plants. It sounded very soothing on a hot summer day. When I arrived at the hotel I quickly changed into my bathing suit, eager to see the rain room for myself. Located just off the central pool, it’s a small room big enough for two people with soothing sea green glossy tiles on the walls and a white pebble floor. Turning what looks like a shower knob activates the experience, which starts with a soundtrack of soft, rumbling thunder. Green lights flash on the ceiling and the “rain” begins to trickle down from small nozzles above your head, growing steadily stronger over time. A cynic might call this a glorified shower, but I found myself laughing in delight. It was funny, weird and most importantly, refreshing. I returned to my chaise lounge thoroughly soaked and sat comfortably in the heat of the day, knowing that a cool summer rain was just a short walk away.
Summer hours: Open 24 hours a day for guests of Terra.
Summer hours: Open 24 hours a day for guests of Terra.
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Shop for vintage treasures at high-end indoor emporium Market Market
Palm Springs Flea Market
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
If it’s too hot to comfortably pop in and out of the shops downtown, consider spending an hour or two at Market Market, a high-end emporium that specializes in vintage, repurposed and one of a kind goods. The 40,000 square-foot space (that’s nearly a whole acre) once housed a Stein Mart department store. Now it’s home to about 100 vendors selling art, clothing, vintage furniture, home goods and jewelry. You’ll also find the well-stocked Palm Springs Bottle Shop right on the premises, with an impressive array of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic canned cocktails among other beverages and snacks. Shoppers have been known to pick up a cold cocktail at the Bottle Shop before wandering around the rest of the space. If you’re feeling social, Market Market hosts mahjong every Thursday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. and occasionally has coffee pop-ups or, better yet, grown-up slushies made with Champagne. If you love the idea of a one-stop shop, the similarly structured Mojave Flea Trading Post is less than two miles away where the vibe is younger, brighter and more affordable. There’s a Palm Springs Bottle Shop there as well with wine tastings.
Summer hours: Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Duck into the darkest speakeasy at the Evening Citizen
Palm Springs Speakeasy Bar
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
Ask Palm Springs locals where to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail on the hottest days of summer and they will direct you away from the city’s many outdoor patios and their ubiquitous misters to the coldest, darkest bars in town where the AC is blasting and the sun is never seen. The coldest and darkest of these might be the Evening Citizen, a tiny speakeasy-style bar with just 30 seats. It took my eyes a good 10 minutes to adjust to what initially seemed like a pitch black interior lighted by a few dim table lamps. As the room slowly came into focus I could make out the velvety textured wallpaper, the ornate old fashioned cash register and eventually, the words on the cocktail menu embedded in a tongue-in-cheek newspaper broadsheet titled, appropriately, “The Evening Citizen.” Someone clearly had a ball putting the broadsheet together and if you visit, I recommend taking a copy home for the joke-laden “Missed Connections” section alone. Drinks here are not cheap: My friend and I ordered a total of four very good, very strong old fashioneds and the bill came to $88 with tip. But our heavily tattooed bartender, dressed in a starched white collared shirt and wearing what looked like a leather holster over his shoulders, was friendly and attentive and the longer we stayed in that dark, sunless interior, the more we forgot about the baking heat outside. Reservations are available and encouraged. And one word of warning: The Evening Citizen is deliberately difficult to find. I think that’s part of the fun, so I’m not going to spoil it, but here’s a hint: Back of the building, red light. Good luck!
Summer hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Summer hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
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Take an early morning micro-hike at South Carl Lykken Trail
Palm Springs Hiking Trail
(Emily Hochberg)
Hiking in Palm Springs is possible, even in the summer, but you’ll have to proceed mindfully. Nothing ruins a vacation like heat stroke. My suggestion: An early morning micro-hike that lasts exactly as long as you choose, regardless of whether you reach a summit or not. The North Section of the South Carl Lykken Trail is a short drive from most hotels and has no entrance fees. Technically it’s a moderately challenging 3.2 mile out and back trail that takes you up the side of a mountain, but on a recent visit I shortened it to about 1.5 miles out and back — long enough to enjoy sweeping views of the desert, but short enough to ensure I didn’t overheat or run out of water. On the hottest days of summer, you’ll want to hit the trail as close to sunrise as you can manage. A local hiker I met said he often sets out at 5:30 a.m. and sometimes as early as 5 a.m. using a headlamp to light the way for the first 15 or 20 minutes. Regardless of what time you begin, remember to bring plenty of water, load up on sunscreen and give yourself permission to turn around as soon as it’s no longer fun. Street parking is available along W. Mesquite Ave. after 7 a.m. Before then, you can park one block over on Morongo Road at any time.
Summer hours: Trail closes at 5 p.m.
Summer hours: Trail closes at 5 p.m.
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Transport yourself to another world at Escape Room Palm Springs
Palm Springs Escape Room
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
If you’re visiting Palm Springs with a group, consider booking one of the seven escape room experiences at Escape Room Palm Springs. The space is dark and cool with doors along the long turquoise hall that serve as portals to other worlds. Game rooms include the spaceship setting of the player versus player game “A Traitor Among Us” similar to the popular video game “Among Us,” the luxuriously outfitted “Vampire’s Lair” where players are tasked with helping a vampire open his locked coffin and “Titanic” where participants go in search of a hidden lifeboat to save them from a sinking ship. You’ll find information about which escape rooms are best for newbies or more experienced players on Escape Room Palm Springs’ thorough website. Each game lasts for 60 minutes and the owners, Dominique and Mark Fructman, will reassure you again and again that the rooms are never locked. “I’m ethically opposed to locking people in a room,” Dominique said. Attentive game runners will also offer clues when asked. The goal here is always fun, not stress.
Summer hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Price: $42 for adults. $37 for children 5 to 12.
Summer hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Price: $42 for adults. $37 for children 5 to 12.
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Rise above the heat on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Palm Springs Park Trail
(David Fouts / For The Times)
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has been carrying visitors above the scorching low desert heat to San Jacinto State Park for more than 60 years. In the summer, the temperature relief begins as soon as you arrive at the Valley Station departure point where the elevation is 2,643 and often 5 to 10 degrees cooler than in downtown Palm Springs. From there, a ten minute tram ride in a rotating glass-sided car takes you 2 ½-miles up the mountain, offering breathtaking views along the way. And once you get to the Mountain Station, the temperature is 30 to 40 degrees cooler than it was in Palm Springs: A summer miracle. Now you have choices. A self guided nature trail will take you on an easy ¾-mile loop, while the 1 ½-mile Desert View Trail takes you to five look out points with spectacular views. More ambitious hikers can try the five-mile Round Valley Trail or the 12-mile San Jacinto Peak Trail. You can also grab a meal at the Peaks Bar and Restaurant or the more casual Pines Cafe. Tickets are slightly discounted after 4 p.m. and the last tram down the mountain departs at 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bring a picnic dinner and a bottle of wine in the late afternoon and watch the sky change color as the sun sets. Just remember that at high elevation, one drink feels like two. You can make reservations online, but don’t panic if it says it’s sold out. The Tramway reserves 90% of its tickets for walk-ins.
Summer hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., last tram down 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., last tram down 10:30 p.m.
Price: Parking is $15. Adult round trip fares are $32.95 for adults, $18.95 for kids 3 through 10, $29.95 seniors aged $65 and up before 4 p.m.
Summer hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., last tram down 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., last tram down 10:30 p.m.
Price: Parking is $15. Adult round trip fares are $32.95 for adults, $18.95 for kids 3 through 10, $29.95 seniors aged $65 and up before 4 p.m.
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Dine and hide from the sun with the locals at Billy Reed’s
Palm Springs Diner Food
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times )
When summer hits, Palm Springs’ residents make like vampires, sheltering indoors during the day, not daring to venture out until darkness falls. “We desert rats, we don’t come out until the sun goes down,” one local told me. One exception might be for a daytime meal at Billy Reed’s, which first opened its doors in 1975 and has a menu nearly as sprawling as its many dining rooms. The food here, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner options served all day, is often described as “diner style” or “comfort food.” The portions are large and the dessert case, still overseen by Billy himself, is vast. But most importantly for the local clientele, nary a ray of sunlight penetrates the original ‘70s style, vaguely Victorian, saloon-esque, totally kitsch interior. “When you’re in Billy’s it’s like the outside doesn’t exist anymore,” another local told me. On the hottest days of summer he likes to shelter in Billy’s with a shrimp cocktail. “It comes on ice,” he said smiling.
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
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Float in a lazy river under a twilight sky at Palm Springs Surf Club
Palm Springs Hotel
(David Fouts / For The Times)
There are lots of compelling reasons to spend a day at the Palm Springs Surf Club even if you don’t surf: gorgeous mountain views, plenty of comfortable lounge chairs, three high-speed waterslides, a better-than-adequate restaurant and the surreal experience of watching machine-generated waves break in the desert. But unless you love to bake in the extreme heat, this surprisingly upscale water park is not a great place to spend a scorching summer day. There are times when it’s just too hot even to float down a lazy river. Fortunately, there is another option: From June 28 through Aug. 30, the surf club is hosting an Adult Swim every Saturday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. As twilight descends, the temperature should drop enough to make the prospect of spending some time in a pool a whole lot more fun. Drinks and food are available for purchase and the evening also includes a live DJ. If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll have to leave them at home, however. Adult Swim is 21 and over.
Adult Swim hours: Saturdays 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from June 28 to Aug. 30.
Price: $21.20 for entry. $159 VIP Lounge Pool Bed Rental (max four people)
Adult Swim hours: Saturdays 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from June 28 to Aug. 30.
Price: $21.20 for entry. $159 VIP Lounge Pool Bed Rental (max four people)
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Chill out with a classic movie at the Palm Springs Cultural Center
Palm Springs Movie Theater
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
Spending a few hours in a movie theater is a great way to lower your internal body temperature and fortunately, Palm Springs has options. If it’s a summer blockbuster you’re looking for, head to the Festival Theater in downtown Palm Springs where you’ll find first-run films and all-you-can-eat popcorn if you buy the large size. For a more curated experience check out the Palm Springs Cultural Center, which has the largest movie screen in town and is running two film festivals all summer long. This year Saturday nights are reserved for sci-fi movies, alternating between classics like “Aliens,” “Planet of the Apes” and “The Matrix,” and cult films like “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai,” “The Thing” and “Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy.” If musicals are more your speed, save some time in your Sunday schedule for Musical Matinees at 3 p.m. where offerings include “Hello, Dolly!,” “West Side Story,“ “My Fair Lady” and weirder fare like “Phantom of Paradise,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Cabaret.” The cultural center also hosts plays and musical performances in its three plush theaters and has a full bar. Parking is free and ample. Check out the website for details and other showings.
Summer hours: Sci-Fi Summer, Saturdays pre-show talk at 6 p.m., film at 7 p.m. Musical Matinees, Sundays 3 p.m.
Price: Movie tickets, $12.
Summer hours: Sci-Fi Summer, Saturdays pre-show talk at 6 p.m., film at 7 p.m. Musical Matinees, Sundays 3 p.m.
Price: Movie tickets, $12.
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Cool down with a date shake at Great Shakes
Palm Springs Ice Cream Shop
(Deborah Netburn / Los Angeles Times)
The date shake — a vanilla milkshake made with chopped dates — has been an icy staple of the Coachella Valley since the 1930s. You’ll find it on menus all over the low desert including at historic establishments like Hadley Fruit Orchards right off the 10 Freeway in nearby Cabazon and Shields Date Garden in Indio, but if you want to stay in town, locals recommend heading to Great Shakes. It’s a 1950s themed ice cream and candy shop in downtown Palm Springs. The floor is white and black tile, the stools are made of chrome and you’ll find dozens of shake options written on a big blackboard along with no less than seven types of date shakes. Some incorporate bananas, others walnuts, malt or fudge swirl. During the high season a line of customers often stretches beyond the front door, but on a recent summer afternoon I was among just a few other customers in the store. I kept my order as simple as possible: classic date shake in a 9-ounce cup, but like all shakes in this establishment, it still came with a mini-dougnut around the straw. I’ll admit that the cup did look petite, especially considering I spent more than $9 for one shake with tax and tip, but the creamy treat filled me up quickly and I found the size was just right. Local residents say the best time to hit Great Shakes is after the sun has set and it’s cool enough to walk the streets and sip your shake without it melting in minutes.
Summer hours: noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Friday, noon 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday
Summer hours: noon to 9 p.m. Sunday through Friday, noon 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday
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