There are many paths to bliss in Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley playground that’s attracted a glamorous, vacation-minded crowd since the 1920s. Whether you prefer a more calming route of spa treatments, yoga, and vegetarian restaurants, or you want a more adventurous stretch of off-road adventuring, horseback riding, and hiking, Palm Springs has you covered.
Spa Your Way to Wellness
Korakia Pensione caters to those who prefer bliss that starts (or ends) at the spa. The villa-style Mediterranean retreat eschews TVs and phones, which leaves time for a chakra-balancing Eucalyptus Rock massage. (Don’t forget to sneak in a poolside yoga session.) Or, for relaxation at your leisure, stay at the 16-room boutique hangout, The Monkey Tree Hotel, and use the property’s Scandinavian spa—a dry sauna and hot and cold plunge pools.
A more traditional spa experience can be had at Estrella Spa, part of Avalon Hotel. The spa offers a full menu of massages, nail treatments, facials, scrubs, and even a new CBD Spa Experience, using CBD-infused massage treatments. Yoga classes on the weekends and an outdoor hot tub are just a few of its many amenities.
The Spa at Palm Mountain Resort, which uses only natural, cruelty-free and organic ingredients, is another haven for relaxation in the area. The spa’s treatments—such as Golfer’s Massage and Sunburn Rescue and Repair—know just how to work out a vacation’s kinks, and after your treatment, you have access to the resort’s climate-controlled pool and hot tub.
Find Your Inner Culinary Yogi
To find inner culinary peace, head to a Palm Springs restaurant specializing in vegetarian or vegan cuisine. Start the morning on Mid-Mod Cafe’s patio with a root veggie hash or hummus avocado toast and maybe a mimosa or a vegan date shake.
Another Palm Springs favorite for chef-owned plant-based food is the all-vegan Chef Tanya’s Kitchen. Housemade tempeh and seitan anchor a menu of sandwiches and salads—try the El Cubano—with can’t-believe-it’s-vegan sides of potato salad and slaw. Given the cafe’s limited seating, it’s best as grab-and-go.
On the higher-end, there’s 4 Saints, perched on the rooftop of the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel. Executive chef Stephen Wambach’s menu of seasonally driven cuisine includes veggie-friendly panzanella salad and house cavatelli, which go well with a creative house cocktail from the bar.
Stoke the Adrenaline-Fueled Fun
Adventurous spirits have many paths to travel in and around Palm Springs. Those looking to go off-road can rent an ATV from family-friendly Off Road Rentals for a self-guided romp through a private desert area. Alternatively, visitors can take a Jeep tour through the San Andreas Fault with Desert Adventures Red Jeep Tours, which includes a visit to a private palm oasis and a trained guide.
For a little less zip but the same on-the-ground feel, go horseback riding with Smoke Tree Stables and soak in the solitude along 150 miles of riding trails near the Santa Rosa Mountains and Indian Canyons. Guided rides are available privately or in a group by the hour or the day.
Hikers gravitate to Joshua Tree National Park, where the Mojave and the Colorado deserts meet. Walk short nature trails that highlight the ecosystem of desert plants and animals, or choose a more challenging route—there’s plenty of both. Trail Discovery Hiking Tours leads guided hikes to Joshua Tree, as well as to nearby Mount San Jacinto, Indian Canyons, and Whitewater Canyon Preserve for no-fuss outdoor adventure (snacks included).
Whatever your vacation happy place, you’ll find it at VisitPalmSprings.com.
