The Ultimate Girls' Weekend in Palm Springs: 3-Day Itinerary

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.

Are you looking for ideas on how to plan an awesome girls’ weekend in Palm Springs?

From dozens of swanky restaurants, ample opportunities to experience the great outdoors, and an ambiance filled with art and design, the ultimate girls’ weekend in Palm Springs, California awaits!

With a perfect combination of nature and sophistication, Palm Springs has a great year-round climate, stunning natural beauty, and an abundance of activities to keep you busy.

As the ultimate girls’ weekend destination, choose from multiple lodging accommodations including modest hotels and grand resorts.

Of all of the lavish choices in the area, stay tuned to find out why we loved our Palm Springs girls’ weekend at the famous La Quinta Resort & Club!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. For more info, see disclosure.

Read about our girls' weekend in Palm Springs from top US family travel blog, Travel With A Plan! — Palm Springs, California

Table of Contents

Intro to Palm Springs

Palm Springs California is widely known for its reliable sunshine and warmth.

With nicknames like “Hollywood’s Playground” and the “Golf Capital of the World”, it’s a growingly popular vacation destination for both Hollywood A-listers and golfers, as well as snowbirds, family vacationers, and girls’ weekend getaways.

The city of Palm Springs is just one of nine cities that makes up the California oasis more broadly known as Greater Palm Springs.

In fact, when vacationing in this area of Southern California, most people refer to visiting any of the nine cities that make up Greater Palm Springs as either going to “Palm Springs” or “Coachella Valley”.

In other words, Palm Springs, Greater Palm Springs, and Coachella Valley are often referred to interchangeably, when in fact, you may be exploring any of the following cities:

Desert Hot Springs
Palm Springs
Cathedral City
Rancho Mirage
Palm Desert
Indian Wells
La Quinta
Indio
Coachella

Surrounded by four picturesque mountain ranges, these cities share a perfect climate and sensational scenery, each maintaining a personality all its own.

The unforgettable resorts, gourmet restaurants, and gorgeous mid-century modern architecture is mixed with small-town comforts to create both a chic and charming vacation destination.

Likewise, with its mountainous backdrops, exotic palm trees, and sun-kissed skies, it’s hard to not fall in love with Greater Palm Springs!

Palm Springs Girls’ Weekend Getaway

Our girls’ weekend in Palm Springs involved flying into the Palm Springs International Airport and renting a car while spending time at various restaurants, attractions, and shopping centers throughout Greater Palm Springs.

We spent the majority of our great time, as well as chose our overnight accommodations, at La Quinta Resort & Club, located in La Quinta, California.

There are so many amazing things to do right in the town of La Quinta, so we were delighted to have our home base there.

Additional planning tip: It’s incredibly easy to get to Palm Springs as there are thirteen airlines that service the local Palm Springs International Airport (PSP).

And, bonus – PSP hosts nonstop flights to and from more than 30 airports.

Once there, Palm Springs International Airport offers a variety of ground transportation options, from major rental car companies to limousines and Rideshare companies (Uber and Lyft), all conveniently located across from the terminal building.

*We highly recommend renting your own personal vehicle to make your way around this sprawling vacation paradise – especially if you’re considering taking a day trip to Los Angeles which is a 1 hr. 45 min. drive away.

Palm Springs 3-Day Itinerary

There are literally dozens of things to do in Palm Springs and the surrounding area.

What and how much you choose to do will depend on how many days you have to spend in Palm Springs, and just how active you’d like to be.

Here is an example of what we did on our girls’ weekend in Palm Springs which included hiking, shopping, delicious dining, spa treatments, and plenty of pool time.

Day 1:

Arrival and car rental at Palm Springs International Airport
Lunch and midday cocktails at Boozehounds in north Palm Springs
Check-in to La Quinta Resort & Club
Stroll and shop in Old Town La Quinta
Pool time and relaxation in our private hot-tub
Dinner at Morgan’s Steakhouse (onsite at La Quinta Resort & Club)

Day 2:

Head to nearby Joshua Tree National Park for an early morning hike and amazing sightseeing!
Have brunch and midday cocktails on the terrace of the State Fare Bar & Kitchen, located at the Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage
Shopping at El Paseo in Palm Desert
Pool time at La Quinta Resort & Club
Happy hour margaritas at The Adobe Grill, La Quinta Resort & Club
Dinner on the terrace at Lavender Bistro in La Quinta (an amazing ambiance and delicious food!)

*If you’re looking for close proximity to the park, check out our entire article on the best places to stay near Joshua Tree National Park.

Day 3:

A morning hike – Check out the most beautiful hikes in Greater Palm Springs here!
Spa treatments at The Spa La Quinta (a MUST during your Palm Spring weekend!)
Take a short road trip in order to spend the afternoon on Palm Canyon Drive home to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, art galleries, restaurants, pubs, historical buildings, and every kind of shop imaginable.
Other afternoon activity options include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs guided bike tours, Living Desert & Zoo, Mid Century Modern architecture tours, etc.
Cocktails, dinner, and live music at The Nest in Indian Wells

Additional planning tip: Palm Canyon Drive is commonly known as the heart of downtown Palm Springs. Along with being the perfect place to shop, be sure to head to the southern end to visit the breathtaking Indian Canyons and Moorten Botanical Garden.

La Quinta Resort & Club

The ultimate hideaway with a rich history, La Quinta Resort & Club has been the desert destination of choice for Hollywood legends and icons of industry for over 90 years.
Town & Country Magazine

Located at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in La Quinta, California sit La Quinta Resort & Club.

Stretching across 45 immaculate acres, La Quinta Resort & Club is as close to a perfect desert hideaway as you’ll ever find.

In fact, staying here is a vacation destination in itself.

What was a perfect location for our girls’ weekend in Palm Springs, La Quinta Resort & Club is also very popular among families, couples, dining enthusiasts, and multigenerational groups.

With 796 suite-like guest rooms, most of which are set up like private villas and casitas, this red-roofed mission-revival-style resort is home to 41 climate-controlled pools and 23 tennis courts.

You’ll also find 3 onsite restaurants with live music, 5 pristine golf courses, a Spanish hacienda-style spa, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

With garden space, cacti, and citrus trees galore, the meticulous landscaping and patio spaces at La Quinta are elegantly highlighted by decorative white lights at night.

Though it can be quite a walk to get to and fro within this expansive resort, the friendly staff are always around to hitch a ride from in their trusty golf carts.

Additional planning tip: If I haven’t convinced you of this great place, maybe this fun fact will?

Fans of ABC’s The Bachelorette will recognize La Quinta Resort & Club as having hosted the entire filming of season 16 (Clare Crawley’s season).

Best Time to Visit Palm Springs

Contributing to its growing popularity, Palm Springs has excellent year-round temperatures!

In addition, you can always count on the sun in Palm Springs as there is an average of 350+ days of sunshine each year.

It rarely ever rains there (making it a true desert oasis!).

Peak tourism season in Palm Springs is between December and April when temperatures range from a comfortable 67 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fall and spring are also ideal times to visit because the tourist population decreases and temperatures are a bit higher in the 80s and 90s.

Summer temperatures, on the other hand, regularly climb above 100 degrees though there is little to no humidity.

With temps staying in the 80s at night, the summer nightlife in Palm Springs goes well beyond sunset.

Additional planning tip: During the spring, fall, and winter months, be sure to bring along a light jacket or sweater to wear in the early mornings and evenings when temperatures can be cool.

Other Places to Stay in Palm Springs

If you’re looking for the best hotels to stay at during your Palm Springs girls trip, local hot spots and popular boutique hotels include:

The Saguaro, Palm Springs – Colorful boutique hotel near downtown Palm Springs; large pool and hot tub
Parker Palm Springs – Sophisticated and trendy, exclusive to Palm Springs; 3 pools and lush private cabanas
ARRIVE Palm Springs – A smaller boutique hotel with mid-century modern Bohemian vibes
The Ace Hotel & Swim Club – Trendy and hip hotel that caters to a younger crowd; home to The Amigo Room, a fantastic cocktail bar!

Along with our featured Girls’ Weekend in Palm Springs, check out our other popular girls’ weekend getaway ideas:

Before leaving, be sure to check our Travel Resources Page to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*