Every April, the Coachella Valley draws over 200,000 visitors for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, transforming Greater Palm Springs into a busy destination. While festival wristbands are required for entry to the main event at the Empire Polo Club, there are many other activities available in Palm Springs during this period.
The Palm Springs Surf Club offers a daytime retreat with DJ sets, live performances, a wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river. Guests can also access cabanas, wellness zones, gourmet food options, and poolside cocktails.
Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium provides visitors an opportunity to explore more than 3,000 species of cacti on its 1.5-acre grounds. Guided tours led by master gardeners are available daily.
Bootlegger Tiki operates from the former site of Don the Beachcomber’s tiki bar. The cocktail bar serves drinks made with ingredients such as passion fruit and lemongrass.
The Palm Springs Historical Society conducts guided walking tours showcasing Hollywood celebrity homes and notable examples of Modernist architecture in the area.
Desert X is an annual series of outdoor art installations across Greater Palm Springs. In 2025, eleven artists contributed works including Sanford Biggers’ “Unsui (Mirror),” Kimsooja’s “To Breathe—Coachella Valley,” and Sarah Meyohas’ “Truth Arrives in Slanted Beams.” Desert X 2026 will run from March 4 through May 7.
For those interested in shopping for festival attire, The Frippery is a vintage store featuring clothing such as kaftans and boho designs suitable for desert weekends.
Joshua Tree National Park is located less than an hour from downtown Palm Springs. The park features cactus gardens, boulder formations, wildflowers, Joshua trees, and opportunities for stargazing overnight.
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