Guides — 48hrs

Palm Springs, California

The landscape of this destination is absolutely stunning. Truly, we found ourselves on multiple occasions unable to put together words of how insanely gorgeous these middle-of-the-desert views made us feel. That, coupled with the heavy influence of art and a massive annual music festival made this trip one we won’t soon forget. Grab your palo santo, people, we’re heading to Palm Springs!

M | K | N

DAY 1

8:00am | If you could imagine the perfect hideout in the middle of the desert, it would be FOLLY Collection. Their “off-grid architecture” really immerses you in the area, making you truly get the full desert life experience (surrounded by the most beautiful aesthetic). There’s no doubt why they’ve been featured in countless publications for the stunning exterior and interior designs that allow you to focus on being present in the environment you’re in. Soak up every minute in your private sanctuary underneath this vast desert sky.

Exact location provided after booking.

9:00am | No matter what time your internal alarm clock goes off, you’re guaranteed to be able to enjoy the all-day breakfast at Norma’s, inside of the Parker Hotel. This property is absolutely stunning, and we highly recommend a tour if you’re not staying there. Norma’s is one of the publicly-facing restaurants that is part of the five that are within the hotel compound and it’s 100% worth going, even if you’re not a guest. The lobby decor alone could keep you entertained for hours! We definitely have this hotel as a must-stay next up on our list.

4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264

10:30am | Desert X is a site-specific, contemporary art exhibition held in the Coachella Valley. It is the exhibition of Desert Biennial, a charitable organization that’s meant to bring attention to the valley’s environment through the display of works by emerging artists. Themes include: climate change, immigration, tourism and Native American culture. These installments are temporary and based around the Coachella music festival. We were lucky enough to be visiting during this time, so we made sure we were able to catch some of these extremely unique displays.
Pro Tip: If you’re not traveling during this short period of time- don’t fret! You can still get your art fix at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Palm Springs Art Museum has 28 galleries, two sculpture gardens, four classrooms, a resource centers, an artists center, five storage vaults, a 85-seat lecture hall, a 433-seat theater and a super cute restaurant. There are 3 local locations within Palm Springs that all feature a wide scope of artwork and countless activations.

101 Museum Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262

1:00pm | The brainchild restaurant by the duo of chef Micah Wexler and partner Michael Kassar, Wexler’s Deli plays on traditional deli menu items with a modern twist. Born from the duo’s desire to serve classic Jewish deli food made by people who care, the menu features favorites including corned beef, pastrami, lox, and sturgeon – all cured and smoked in-house using old-school methods and served alongside house-made fresh breads and bagels. This was a much needed stop in our journey and really catered to all of our cravings (Jewish girl bagels all around, please!). Pro Tip: If you know someone staying at the Arrive Hotel, definitely get a day-pass to the pool. We walked through and almost dove in with our clothes on!

1551 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262

2:15pm | Cartel Coffee Lab is next door to Wexler’s and was calling our names as our bread soaked stomachs started to weigh us down. We all grabbed our iced Americanos at and hit the ground running!

1551 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262

2:45pm | There are plenty of fun antique stores lined throughout the Joshua Tree and Palm Springs areas. One of our favorites was Pioneer Crossing Antiques, which offers a huge selection of old-timey knick knacks and fun western collectables.

55854 29 Palms Highway
Yucca Valley, CA 92284

If you’re looking for more designer-based styles, head to Deja Vu Vintage Finery. Some of the best LA hand-me-downs live there. Don’t tell your friends ;)

664 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Not an antique shop, but one we also loved was the eclectic style of Wabi Sabi, Japan Living. They offer sake, home goods and more unique authentic Japanese goods. We could have stayed here for hours! (Quite possibly the Sake talking, but we’re not mad about it).

258 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, Greater Palm Springs, CA 92262-5510

5:45pm | Pre-dinner drinks are an absolute must at Workshop. Located in the historic El Paseo building near plenty of additional shopping options. The interior is a complete show-stopper and is well deserving of it’s James Beard design award. Either dining inside under the modern aesthetic and cool tables or underneath olive branches in the exterior garden, this is a must-go for some libations and an unwind prior to dinner.

800 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262

7:30pm | Sandfish is newer to the neighborhood, but definitely deserving of the line that forms quickly outside of the door during the dinner hour. Chef Engin Onural’s award-winning sushi paired with the best possible Japanese whiskey is just what the doctor ordered for a perfect evening in the desert heat. These drinks were not only stunning, but the flavors were out of this world. Take a cue from your server on which order to go with based on your preferred tasting notes- the Norwegian Garden hit us in all the right places. You physically cannot go wrong with any order on the menu, so get one of everything and pass it around! Pro-Tip: For any vegheads in attendance, there’s an off-menu veggie roll.

1556 North Palm Canyon
Palm Springs, California 92262