Weekly Happenings in Palm Springs

Keep in mind that many places close on Monday and Tuesday Nights

Sunday

  • Yoga in Ruth Hardy Park – 8:45am
  • Oscars: Outdoor Sunday tea dance party 4-7pm. There will be a line, but moves quickly. A site to see. All the old queens will be here. The line moves fast. Bring cash for faster cash only bar. No cover if you get there early. You can also buy a ticket online and skip the line.
  • Toucans drag show 7 PM. Looks like they also have shows on other evening.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • All night happy hour at Tropicale in the bar. Belly up to the bar, this is the place to be.

Thursday

– Weekly night market Village Fest downtown Palm Springs. 6-10 pm. Hundreds of vendors. My favorite are the two partners with homemade greeting cards.

Also, Palm Springs Art Museum is free on Thursdays.

Friday

Hunters early (5pm) for cheap $3 Happy Hour drinks

Saturday

Excursions in Palm Springs

Palm Springs Art Museum. Free on Thursdays and open until 8. Great 1 hour tour prior to Palm Springs Village Fest Thursday night street market.  Architecture Design Center downtown is also cool. Both free Thursday evening

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to top of San Jacinto. About $35. Great to escape the heat or do a bit of hiking. Special price can include dinner in the cafeteria up top. Not bad! Serious hikers may want 5 hours to climb the peak. Super serious can hike from top to Idyllwild, 11 miles down (and will need a ride home)

Idyllwild. About an hour from PS. Beautiful drive on windy mountain road. A few shops and restaurants to tour (Ferro/dinner and Idyllwild Brew Pub are great! – Same owners – closed Wednesdays, in fact, many places closed Wednesdays in this town)

Joshua Tree National Park. About 1.5 hours away. Great hiking. After, go for dinner at Joshua Tree Saloon.

Pioneertown – on the way to Joshua Tree. Western town built by Gene Autry for Western films in the 40s. The few shops there only open on weekends. Must eat or have a drink at Pappy and Harriett’s.

Yucca Valley Flea Market – Lots of junk, but a feast of desert culture. Weekends. The town of Yucca Valley is also worth walking for vintage stores.

La Copine restaurant in Yucca Valley – highly recommended. Lunch only. Make a reservation.

Sunnylands. Tour the Annenberg Estate. Advance reservations required to tour the home, but grounds tours typically available on site day of.

SPA Casino – Downtown Palm Springs. Pretty small. I was able to find a $3 blackjack table. Warning, you have to pay for your drinks at this casino.

Steel Gym – Off Sunrise at Vist Chino. Large. Very old gym rats. $18 visit. $75 for 5 or $120 for 10 visit punch cards.

EoS Gym – Near the airport.  My favorite. Better scenery and air conditioning than Steel. Easy to get a free week, then plans from $10/month

Yoga:  Free 6pm Sunset Yoga at the Ace Hotel and free Saturday yoga in the park at Ruth Hardy Park, 8am Saturdays s by Power Yoga. $10 donation on Saturdays. Yoga at Sunnylands:  10 am Fridays, November – April. Free.  Check schedule. Sponsored by Urban Yoga Center – also has classes at Desert AIDS Project (DAP) Bldg.

 

Hikes in Palm Springs

Araby Trail Loop: It’s about 1.6 miles, 45 minutes, 1,000 foot gain to the top of Araby (first rock pile). You can turn around and head back down from here, or continue for a longer 6.2 mile loop hike by connecting to the Berns trail (go left at the Berns sign).  Park beneath the Bob Hope house in the dirt lot, at the start of Southridge Drive.

Garstin Trail: Park on Barona Road, just off Bogart Trail. Follow trails to the right, which will take you to the same rock pile reach from Araby Trail. My favorite is to do the Garstin trail up, and then follow signs to Shannon trail down and back. Full loop around 3.7 miles. Good amount of morning shade compared to other hikes.   Or, for a real climb continue to the right to the top of Murray Peak.

Museum Trail: park in the free garage by the museum, trail is right up the hill behind the museum. This trail leads all the way to the top of the tram, but we usually hike up to the picnic tables.

South Lykken Trail: My favorite! 4.5 miles, 2 ¼ hours (with some breaks) easy to follow trail. 1,300 foot elevation gain. Steep, unshaded 1 mile up, then relatively flat until a steep 1 mile decline. Beautiful view over Palm Springs and Indian Canyon. Frequent mountain goat sightings. A few picnic tables. Best if you can leave a car at trail’s end (Park at Mesquite and Belardo – near mobile home park), then drive other car to trail head on South Palm Canyon (Trailhead is just past Canyon Heights, near end of development). If you don’t have two cars you can always Uber back to starting point.

Favorite Restaurants in Palm Springs

Farm: $69 prix fixe 3 course dinner is well worth it. Friday – Tuesday. Also recommended for breakfast or lunch any day. And/or try their separate cocktail bar with bites Front Porch

Copleys: Carey Grant’s former get away. Beautiful fine dining in an outdoor courtyard (with great heaters). One of the nicest places in Palm Springs. Reserve early

Lola Rose: Great Mediterranean cuisine up at the pool deck leven in the hip new Thompson Hotel.

Bar Cecil: Trendiest nicest place in town. Reserve a month in advance.

Spencer’s: A Palm Springs classic. Part of Palm Springs Tennis Club. Beautiful outdoor seating. Great for any meal.

John Henry’s: 1785 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, Friendly gay restaurant. Nice outdoor seating. Off the beaten path. Closed Monday

8Four9: Trendy, great food (Seabass); Near Trio.

Mr. Lyons Steakhouse: 50’s type fancy martini bar. Great happy hour 5-7 in the bar. $9 Manhattans/Martinis. Closed Mondays/Tuesdays.

Workshop Kitchen: Cool place and space. Innovative small plates

Johannes: Austrian flair, closest nice restaurant to Gay Arena’s street. I like to sit at the bar. Closed Monday/Tuesday

Melvyn’s: 50’s type martini and piano bar

Alice B: Don’t let the fact that it’s in a retirement home complex scare you away. Great new place!

Trio: Another gay standard. Good menu. Casual. Happy Hour 4-6 and all night on Tuesday.

Paul Bar/Food:  In a strip mall at Vista Chino/Gene Autry – so doesn’t look like much from the outside. Go for the popular Happy hour 4-6:15.  Paul will seat you. Closed Monday/Tuesday. This is a New York indoor cocktail bar (think Mr. Lyons) with perfect  happy hour craft cocktails (Frozen Sidecar is a treat). Limited inexpensive menu with a special each evening (Meatloaf Monday; Taco Tuesdays). Try to score a seat at the bar – which would be hard to do with more than 2 people. Often a wait to get in. Pretty easy to get in after 8pm. Open late.

1501 Uptown Gastropub: Great space with plenty of room for a larger crowd. North end of town

Azucar: In the beautiful La Serena Villa’s resort. Happy hour 4-6. Great Margarita’s and guacamole. Sugar High is the bar on the roof.

Tac/Quila: From the owners of Farm. Super high quality Mexican. More expensive than most Mexican, but with a delicious organic menu. Very popular. Be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes as a walk in. Or try their smaller more intimate Clandestino, near the museum.

Jakes: A gay favorite. Indoor and outdoor seating. Brunch and Lunch too. Great food and drink!

Brunch 101: Cathedral City best place for Brunch and Lunch. Closed Tuesday. No reservations.

Grand Central: French sort of Bistro that seems to be easy to get into when everything else is closed or full for dinner. Closed Tuesday. Breakfast and lunch daily.

Crudo: Love this place! They specialize in Ceviche, but you’ll find all sorts of other great mexican specialities. Good prices. A bit undiscovered.

Willies: My favorite in Rancho Mirage! Skip the restaurant and head right for the no reservation lounge. Wonderful lighter fare lounge menu with a great $10 martini and $7 wine pours.

More Casual

Tropicale: No trip to gay Palm Springs would be appropriate without a visit to Tropicale. The place to be for happy hour 4-7pm, or 4-10pm on Wednesdays. Casual, crowded. Fun. Has fallen out of favor with the gays over politics and COVID of recent.

Fisherman’s Market and Grill: Casual, order at the counter excellent affordable seafood. But the real treat is: Shanghai Reds: Fish Taco hideaway within Fisherman’s. Head inside and toward the back internal courtyard. A local secret! No reservations. Live music often (Thursday-Sunday). Calamari, fish tacos and margaritas are the things to order here. Closed Monday/Tuesday.

Ruben and Ozie’s: Spin off from Shangi Reds. Go for the fish tacos (other fish specialties). Another local find! Not much atmosphere, but inexpensive great fish tacos.

Cheeky’s: Breakfast and lunch. Expect to wait 30-60 minutes, but a nice area to walk/shop around until they call you. Fun, casual, very gay. One of my favorites.

Felipe’s: Great local Mexican near the airport. Good lunch spot. Good Ceviche. Great Happy Hour 2-5pm M-F

El Patio: This may be my favorite casual Mexican place in Palm Springs. Charming outdoor seating. Good food, margaritas and atmosphere. $12 three taco Tuesday special as well as wonderful happy hour 2-5 M-F. Sister restaurant of Felipe’s

Lulu’s: Palm Springs standard. Where everyone goes. Opens right onto Palm Canyon Drive. In the center of everything. All day happy hour menu at the bar. A bit too touristy for my tastes, but great place to bring visitors.

Rooster and Pig: Vietnamese – American. Casual place. No reservations – be prepared to wait. Best if only 2 of you to get in. Closed Tuesday. Order the fried rice ball.

 533 Viet Fusion: A great find near Smoke Tree. Healthy Asian. Good drinks and prices. Try here when you can’t find reservations in town. Closed Monday.

Tylers: Lunch in downtown Palm Springs. Burgers and great order off menu items like kale salad with chicken.

Chicken Ranch – Next door to Crudio. Casual. Safe Nice outdoor seating. Happy hour 3-6. Mostly a lunch place. My favorite is the chicken salad wrap.

Ricks – Woth stopping by for the Giant homemade cinnamon roll after a high. Standard diner, typically good breakfast items. Cheap drinks ($8 Bloody Mary)

Tommy Bahamas Marlin Bar – Great lunch spot. Try the Poke or Salmon bowl. Good margarita and Frozen Mai Tai. Happy hour 3-6. Near the Marilyn.

Happy Hours in Palm Springs

Tommy Bahamas Marlin Bar:  Happy hour 3-6. $4 off specialty cocktails and appetizers. Frozen Mai Tai is my favorite. Near the Marilyn.

Top Hotels & Accommodations in Palm Springs

InnDulge: Gay Inn. Many of our friends have stayed here and recommended.

El Mirasol Villas: Another nicer gay place

Twin Palms Resort: Nicer gay place. They own others. Check them all on website

Hacienda Palm Springs: Another nicer gay resort in Warm Sands

Thompson Palm Springs: Finally this place is finished! and it’s the coolest place right downtown. Great poolside bar and restaurant.

Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs: Very nice, always a winner. Highrise right downtown.

Arrive Palm Springs: New hipster place. North end of town.

Ace Palm Springs: Another hipster place. Great pool vibe.

Avalon Hotel: Boutique high end hotel right near town. Beautiful, small, hip.

La Serna Villas: Another Boutique high end hotel right near town. Beautiful, small, hip. Great bar and restaurant. Azucar.

The Hideaway: Small boutique midcentury modern within a block from town. Only about 8 rooms around a pool.

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