I love Palm Springs for so many reasons. For one, it really feels like an adult playground – amazing shopping, excellent bar scene, and more recently, some really fabulous hotels that really cater to the young adult crowd. Secondly, it’s where my husband, Jordan, proposed to me – so it will ALWAYS have a special place in our hearts.
We recently drove out for a long weekend to celebrate Father’s Day with my parents (they retired out there a couple of years ago and let me tell you – they are living the LIFE!!) We wanted to hit up some of the new bars, restaurants and hotels in the area to see what all the fuss was about! 100% worth it.
Jordan and I moved back to Orange County and live in Newport Beach, CA so the drive out to Palm Springs can be totally hit or miss depending on traffic. Everyone who lives in SoCal knows that you avoid the 91 freeway during rush hour AT. ALL. COSTS. So we left on a Friday around noon and that time worked out perfectly. It took us about an hour and a half to get out there which was really great timing. (In my experience, anything later than 1:30 and you’re really pushing your luck).
Of course, I had to make a pitstop and have a mini photoshoot at the windmills because…why not? These giant structures are all over the desert and make for a great photo op if you know where you’re going. Plus, they’re just really cool to check out!
What we did was take the Indian Canyon Road exit off the 10 freeway going eastbound. From here, we turned right on Garnet Avenue. This is a great route if you want to get up close and personal to these awesome structures. The road will eventually turn into a kind of service road with random dirt/gravel paths that you can choose to drive down. Any of them will take you closer to the windmills so you can get the perfect shot. Be forewarned – it’s VERY dusty, and bumpy, and there may be a tumbleweed or two! But it’s definitely fun, especially if you have a good copilot!
After we adventured around and felt like we were trespassing (don’t worry, we definitely weren’t, these are public roads haha), we hightailed it to meet my parents at one of our favorite hotels, The Saguaro (pronounced sa-WAH-ro…. has anyone else been pronouncing that wrong their entire lives?! Guilty.)
This hotel is so funky! For one, it’s basically a glorified motel. But it’s so awesome! The colors! The vibe! The pool! Everything about it is #winning. Jordan and I got there first so we wandered the grounds and enjoyed the dry, desert heat with a margarita in hand, thanks to the onsite bar, El Jefe, which has an amazing happy hour. Check out that menu! $5 margaritas? Honestly, you had me at $5….LOL.
After my parents joined us and enjoyed a couple of margs, we decided it was time to move on to destination numero dos, which is the newest and hottest hotel in town, The Rowan Palm Springs. Now let me just say, I may be biased here, because I am a huge fan of Kimpton Hotels in general, so when I heard there was one coming to Palm Springs, I was so stoked. Then, when I heard it had a rooftop…sold!
Upon entering the hotel, I was immediately impressed. It had a beautiful staircase that was basically the centerpiece of the lobby. The check-in desk had an elaborate macramé piece hanging on the wall above the desk…nice touch. AND it’s very dog-friendly. LOVE THAT!
We went straight to the rooftop to enjoy their breathtaking city and mountain views. The rooftop is host to the hotel’s pool, pool bar, and restaurant 4 Saints, which looked amazing. We were on a mission for cocktails, so we didn’t venture into the restaurant, but it is definitely on my to do list next time I’m in town. It has great reviews and the menu looks so good, I can’t wait to try it.
The ambiance of the rooftop was excellent. There were poolside cabanas and lounge furniture to enjoy – no reservation required for a casual evening night with a small group. We did miss happy hour though, so make sure you check out that link if you want to get those discounted drinks and apps! We still had a great time enjoying the views (tallest building in Palm Springs!) and great company!
Look how cute my parents are!
After we enjoyed a couple of cocktails there, we went to our 3rd and final stop of the night, La Serena Villas. While this hotel isn’t necessarily new to the area, it has been getting more press as of late. And lucky for us, it was in walking distance from the Rowan.
This hotel is a bohemian lover’s dream. Check this out!!
This is another beautiful rooftop spot to soak up the colors cascading over the San Jacinto Mountain range at sunset. La Serena Villas has a great restaurant called Azúcar (Spanish for Sugar) and its rooftop bar is called Sugar High….Oh I see what you did there.
The décor is boho meets Dia de las Muertos meets desert-chic meets Andy Warhol. Sipping cocktails while sitting on Moroccan poufs and basking in the desert heat and gazing on the sherbet colored sky as it paints these gorgeous shadows on Mount San Jacinto was truly the ultimate desert experience. For a moment, you forget you’re in Palm Springs, California, and are transported to another world completely.
Spending that magical evening with the ones you love is just the cherry on top of it all. Isn’t Palm Springs the best?
The next day was met with a full spread for breakfast (YAS) and a ton of relaxing by the pool. Whether you’re at a hotel, an AirBnB, a friend’s house, or a family member’s home…this is basically a must do when you’re in the desert. Especially when the temperature is in the triple digits. What’s the point in getting all dolled up when you’re just going to sweat all your makeup off anyway, amiright?!
That night, however, we did something totally different than what I’ve ever experienced, but apparently is something my parents do frequently with their friends, and Jordan and I were 100% game. Plus, it was an excuse to wear these cute pants I just got from Anthropologie.
We went to this awesome jazz club called Vicky’s of Santa Fe to see Kal David perform, who, if you don’t know, was like this big jazz artist back in the day. (Don’t worry, I didn’t know either). We get there early, secure a seat, order our drinks and food. We’re listening to the opening act and she’s great. It’s 6:30 and there’s an okay crowd. I ask my parents when Kal comes on and they tell me not until like 8:30 or 9:00. What?! Why did we get here so early?! And they assure me that the place will fill up. WELL. Within the next hour, people of all ages just start to pour in and the entire place is PACKED!!! It’s the last night of the “season” (which, for the desert, is essentially NOT the summer haha). Now I’m super glad we got there early!
So, Kal David and his band start setting up and the mood shifts and everyone’s getting super excited. He starts playing, and…wow. I’m really impressed. They are really GOOD!
Then Kal brings this kid on stage with a saxophone. The room goes silent. This kid is SO TALENTED. Look at the video below. I’m amazed!! Like I said – this was something totally different than anything we’ve ever done in the desert before. The crowd was great, everyone was dancing, and the best part was – it was the last night of the season, so after the night, the restaurant closes for the summer…which means they were pouring generously to get rid of all of their alcohol!! HAHA!!
What a high note to end the weekend on. We barhopped around town and then listened to some insane jazz, something we never would’ve done without the recommendation of the older generation. So thanks Mom and Dad! Because now this is definitely something that Jordan and I will go back and do again!
With that said, I hope this helps you map out your next trip to the desert! It’s definitely a magical place, and somewhere Jordan and I go often! I feel like every time we go, we discover something new.
Enjoy!
xo
Kelsey