Your Day 1 itinerary in Palm Springs should offer some flexibility. After all, it depends on your arrival time. Here is a glimpse into our first day!
Get There
Our Palm Springs itinerary started the moment we landed in the cutesiest little outdoor airport – PSP! Flying directly into the Palm Springs airport (vs LAX) makes for a super slick arrival. We grabbed our bags and rental car and off we went! I’d definitely recommend renting a car if you plan to do some nearby hiking, but if you are staying conveniently in town you should be fine getting around by walking, renting bikes or taking an Uber.
Check-In
We stayed at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge – The Enclaves in Palm Desert (about 20 miles from the PSP airport). It’s part of the Marriott Vacation Club, which is why we stayed there – my family has a Marriott timeshare. It’s a beautiful resort with tons of amenities and a great spot for families, but there are definitely a lot of other great lodging options. If you need any recommendations let me know!
Get Settled
We were able to check-in to our room right away and get settled. Are you the type of person who totally unpacks or lives out of a suitcase? I love unpacking like I live there … I always get annoyed if there aren’t enough hangers or drawer space 🙂 Our villa definitely had enough space and also had a full kitchen so we stopped in the nearby Albertsons grocery store to stock up on some essentials (water, wine, coffee & snacks!) for the weekend.
Dinner
That evening, we headed into downtown Palm Springs for a delicious early dinner at Tac/Quila. The modern-Mexican eatery is super hip with bold tiled floors, plant walls and cozy seating. We sipped on a refreshing “Refrescado” (made with Blanco Tequila, agave, lime, lemon and cucumber water) and munched on crunchy fresh chips & quac while deciding what to order. Everything sounded so delicious it was hard to choose. We decided on the seared Ahi Tuna tacos (incredible!) and the short rib enchilladas. Food and drinks were fresh and tasty, the atmosphere was inviting and the service was delightful. Definitely a 10/10 recommend in my book!
Evening Activity
Every Thursday evening the main street shuts down from 6-10 PM for a street fair called Village Fest. The street is flooded with vendors … street food, sweets, makers, crafts, art, live entertainment and more. Some of the main shops are open too so it’s a fun to go pop in and out.
If you’re looking for something else to do on a Thursday evening, the Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission on Thursdays from 5-8 PM, but we opted to see it in the daylight.
That’s all for an eventful day 1 itinerary in Palm Springs!
Much love,
SS
Hours may vary – always check local websites or Fbook pages for updated info on restaurants and attractions.
What do you like to do on arrival day? Be adventurous (no time to waste!) or lay low (travel is exhausting!)? Comment below!
