Palm Springs, the desert oasis of California, has long been a popular tourist destination for escaping the chilly winter months and seeking warm sunny vacations filled with outdoor adventures. However, this city is more than its luxury resorts and Palm oasis. There are several other less-traveled hidden gems waiting to be explored.
From scenic mountain trails to off-the-beaten-path museums and galleries, this article lists some of the intriguing hidden treasures of Palm Springs, offering an experience of a lifetime. So, let's begin!
10 The Moorten Botanical Garden
Spanning over one acre of land, the Moorten Botanical Garden is more of a small version of the New York Botanical garden in Palm Springs, showcasing over 3000 different desert plants, succulents, cacti, and other arid-adapted species from across the world. Visitors can walk around and explore a wide variety of rare cacti and desert plants, including agaves, yuccas, aloes, a butterfly garden, a miniature train display, and souvenir gift shops offering desert-themed plants and other gift items.
9 The Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture And Design Center
Residing in the mid-century modern former bank building, Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center promotes modern architecture, designs, and photography approaches. The exhibits at the museum include a wide selection of architectural artifacts, furniture, decorative crafts, and photographs of architectural design movements. Besides various exhibitions and showcases, the Art Museum offers a variety of educational programs and events for the artist, including art workshops and tours to dig deep into the history and architecture scene of the city.
8 The Backstreet Art District
Situated in the former industrial area near downtown Palm Springs, the Backstreet Art District comprises various art galleries and studios offering artworks, including paintings, mixed media, sculptures, and other contemporary works. Besides the incredible exhibits, the highlight of this place is its emphasis on community development and engagement. The galleries often organize special events such as art shows, workshops, art walks, and other activities to offer visitors an opportunity to interact with artists and relish the spirit of a community.
7 The Indian Canyon
Nestled in Palm Springs, the Indian canyons is a series of sacred canyons for the ancient Cahuilla community living in the region for thousands of years. With its incredible natural scenery, scenic mountains, and cultural heritage, the canyons offer a variety of summer outdoor activities, such as camping, bird-watching, hiking, and sightseeing. Each canyon in the area offers unique features with multiple streams, rock formations, cascades, and lush green plantations, including wildflowers, fan palms, and other desert plants.
6 The Cabot's Pueblo Museum
Located in Desert Hot Spring on the outskirts of Palm Springs, Cabot's Pueblo Museum is a historical museum built by a famous explorer Cabot Yerxa in the early 20th century. The museum architecture displays a series of interconnected buildings constructed by using ancient tribal techniques and materials. The visitors to the museum can explore the building, witnessing various artifacts, artworks, and other interesting items collected by Yerxa during his various expeditions.
5 The Tahquitz Canyon
A beautiful desert attraction in Palm Springs, Tahquitz Canyon is a less traveled Canyon offering incredible natural views and opportunities for hiking and sightseeing. The Canyon features beautiful 1.8 miles relatively steep trail climbing up to the viewpoint, providing breathtaking panoramic canyon vistas. The other main highlight of the canyon is the Tahquitz Falls, a waterfall pouring down through the gigantic mountains, giving the visitors a spectacular view.
4 The Coachella Valley Preserve
Covering an area of 20,000 acres, the Coachella Valley Preserve in Palm Springs is a natural oasis, inhabiting a variety of rare wildlife and desert plants, a haven for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts. The highlight of this place is the Thousand Palm Oasis, a scenic oasis with numerous elevated palm trees and crystal clear water reservoirs with a diverse ecology. The visitors can explore the oasis while hiking on the beautiful trails or indulge in recreational activities such as birdwatching and photography.
3 The San Jacinto Mountain
Spanning from southern California into Mexico, the San Jacinto mountain range offers stunning natural views and a diverse range of wildlife. Mount San Jacinto, located in the heart of Palm Springs, with an elevation of over 10,000 ft, is the highest peak in the range. Visitors can access the mountaintop station via the Palm Spring Ariel Tramway, providing various hiking trails, incredible panoramic views, and a visitor center to learn more about the ecology and natural history of the region.
2 The Sunnylands Center And Gardens
Located in Rancho Mirage, Sunnylands is a cultural center and garden near Palm Springs, California. With an array of indoor and outdoor exhibits and event spaces, including galleries, meeting rooms, and theaters showcasing history, art, and culture from around the world, the center offers an unforgettable experience to visitors. The other main highlight of this place is the remarkable garden, covering over 70 acres of land with stunning desert landscapes, waterfalls, and exotic plant species.
1 The Palm Springs Windmill Tour
The Palm Spring Windmill tour is a unique and informative experience that takes you through the wind farms of the San Gorgonio Pass, the largest wind farm in the world focused on generating clean, renewable energy for Southern California. The tour is led by learned guides, offering visitors an in-depth insight into the history of wind energy and power generation in the region. The visitors can get up close to the gigantic wind turbines elevating up to 300ft with sharp 100 ft blades approximately, making it an unforgettable experience.