The Best Things to Do in Downtown Palm Springs, Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs, California is a desert oasis known for its mid-century modern charm, Hollywood history, and laid-back resort atmosphere. Its downtown section offers activities that combine history, culture, shopping, and entertainment.

My sister and I were given a gift from my daughter of two nights in Palm Springs, a popular side trip if you live near or in Los Angeles. She came from Quartzite, Arizona and I came from Sherman Oaks. The distance between both locations and Palm Springs was two hours and 7 minutes.

Palm Springs is more built up than when I was there last. (about 10 years ago) It’s grown with over $3 billion invested in commercial developments, airport expansion, and cultural projects.

We stayed at the new Thompson Palm Springs Hotel (414 Palm Canyon Dr.) which features 168 bungalow-inspired guest rooms and suites, two rooftop pools, coming soon retail stores, and restaurants. It was gorgeous and the staff was super friendly.

Our only complaint was that the self-parking, behind the hotel, was not finished and did not lead to the hotel, which was a little confusing. I’m sure it will be worked out as parts of the complex are still under construction but not noisy or annoying. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).