Sunnylands Gardens, David Hockney Exhibit, Prescott Preserve Hike Highlight Palm Springs Vacation

By Bill Malcolm*

Palm Springs Swim Center

There's always something going on in the desert. That would be Palm Springs and the other cities in the Coachella Valley. Just 100 miles east of LA, there is so much to do. This trip was no exception. I love how the city is nestled in the desert with palm trees but with stunning views of the nearby snow capped mountains. There is nowhere else like it. Like Wilton Manors, Florida, it is a LGBTQ oasis. And they both have a Hunter's bar with great happy hours.

Do

Hike with Great Outdoors Palm Springs (https://greatoutdoors.wildapricot.org/ps). We took a walk with the Oswit Land Trust (https://oswitlandtrust.org) at the new Desert Dunes Preserve. The former golf course is a delight for bird watchers and plant lovers. Beware of golf signs (unmarked) though.

Visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens (Annenberg Estate) in nearby Rancho Mirage. The winter home of the Annenbergs, you can also tour the house. Details at sunnylands.org.

Prescott Preserve in Palm Springs former Mesquite Golf Course

Walk with the Frontrunners through the Prescott Preserve (another Oswit land). They meet at 8am in the parking lot of the Mizell Center.

David Hockney Exhibit at Palm Springs Art Museum

Enjoy the Queer+Art exhibit of the works of David Hockney (David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed) at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The Museum is free Thursday nights for the Village Festival downtown. Another exhibit not to miss is "To Move Towards the Limits of Living which examines how LGBTQ_+ artists "have used diverse strategies to respond to expe4riences of exclusion and discover new possibilities.

Swim at the Palm Springs Swim Center although nonresidents pay at stiff $16 fee.

Eat

Enjoy a lemon tart at the Peninsula Bakery. The French bakery is open Thursday through Sunday. You will find them at 611 S. Palm Canyon. Pratiquez votre Francais ici. (The owner is from France.)

Have a delicious bagel sandwich and Americano coffee at the Townie Bagel. The place has a cult like following. Weekend lines can be long. They open at 6:30 a.m. daily. You will find them at 650 East Sunny Dunes.

Sit in a first class airline seat for a cocktail in dinner in the PS Air Bar inside Bouschet. Or you can sit in a Southwest coach seat. The bartender dresses like a pilot. Airline paraphernalia adorns the walls. Fasten your seat belts!

Enjoy a fresh squeezed carrot juice stir fry at Nature's Health Food and Cafe (555 S. Sunrise Way). The fajita plate (vegan) is excellent as is the stir fry with brown rice and vegetables.

Have a sandwich on homemade sourdough at Aspen Mills (various locations). I liked the Aspen sandwich with turkey. They have a location at 555 S. Sunrise.

The Tool Shed has food as well as special events every night.

Many of the bars are on Arenas Street and they all have specials or happy hours. I like Hunters and Street Bar.

Stay

The Motel 6 Palm Springs Downtown at 666 S. Palm Canyon is close to the bars on Arenas Street with lots of shops and restaurants nearby. Best of all, they don't charge a resort fee (aka amenity fee). Check out a show at the Revolution Stage Company or pick up some gently used merchandise at Revival across the street (also home to the French bakery, Peninsula, the Palm Greens Cafe, and Bouschet/PS Air Bar). The Twin Palms is nice as is the Descanso. My friend liked the All Worlds Resort (which has a new name). We both also liked the Courtyard by Marriott. The new Thompson Hotel is now open complete with wine lounge. I always check hotel reviews at Trip Advisor and avoid hotels with resort/amenity/destination fees or other such charges.

Getting There

I took Southwest to the extremely cute Palm Springs International Airport. The airport is mostly outdoors and very handy. Warning: Southwest will charge for baggage, seat selection, and more starting soon. You may want to try Delta or American instead where they have the same policies but the service and often fares are better. I am switching.

More tips

GayDesertGuide has a map and listing of things to do. GED is one of the several LGBTQ magazines.

Pride this year will run from November 6-9, 2025.

Ride the SunLine bus for just $1. You can catch it to downtown across the street from the Airport (#2 line) for the 2 mile ride downtown. Otherwise I walked or took Uber. Rental car not needed.

The iconic Marilyn Monroe statute has been moved a few feet away but is now in a new city park (near the Art Museum downtown).

You will always find something new on your visit to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. I do.

*Bill Malcolm's syndicated travel column now appears in Sacramento's Outlook and OutSFL in South Florida as well as GRAB Chicago and other select LGBTQ+ publications as well as being posted on the IGLTA website. He received no compensation of any kind for this column from anyone.

About the Author

Bill Malcolm Bill Malcolm is North America's only syndicated travel columnist. He focuses on value and pays his own way. He takes local transit and seeks to go where the locals go. He has appeared 100 times in LGBTQ publications and on websites including the IGLTA travel blog. You can find his work in GRAB Chicago, Erie Gay News, Seattle Gay News, and other places. He does this as a volunteer and does not charge for his work. He boycotts hotels and hotel chains with resort fees, amenity fees, destination fees, and other made up junk charges. He resides in Indianapolis. Follow him on Facebook.