Kevin has gone on a few football game and golf trips recently so it was time for me to enjoy a getaway too. Destination: Palm Springs, CA! I went with one of oldest friends, Gabrielle, and we had the best time! This was my first time visiting Palm Springs, and I would definitely go back! These was lots to do and the weather was pretty nice (It did rain on us one day. Of course we would be there on 1 of the 5 days a year it actually rains in the desert! Ha!) Here is a guide of everything we did and ate.
Where We Stayed
The Azure Resort & Spa was actually what drew Gabrielle and I to pick Palm Springs for our trip. We wanted to go somewhere we could relax by the pool and enjoy spa amenities. You can get a day pass, but we decided to stay on property that way we had unlimited access to the spa which included the pool, oasis and mineral pools, saunas, salt room, and ice room. We also treated ourselves at the spa- I got a sugar scrub and Gabrielle got a body wrap.
The resort was about a 25 minute drive from the airport and downtown so I would strongly recommend getting a rental car. I didn’t think there was much to do or a ton of restaurants nearby, but luckily the resort had a cafe right in it. The food and drinks were very reasonably priced and tasty!
Aerial Tramway
One of the more adventurous things we did besides lounging at the spa and eating was going up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Located in Mt. San Jacinto State Park, about a 15 minute drive from downtown, you can go up a rotating tram to the mountain station-elevation 8,516 feet. At the top there were gorgeous views, hiking trails, and a bar and restaurants.
Horseback riding in Joshua Tree
One of Gabrielle’s favorite things to do on vacation is go horseback riding. We found a ranch closer to Palm Springs, but then we realized we could go horseback riding IN Joshua Tree National Park. It was awesome! We were short on time so this was a nice way to see a part of the park and the famous Joshua Trees. Barbara at Knob Hill Ranch was so nice and the ride was a lot of fun.
Where We Ate
The cafe in Azure
Over the several days we stayed at the resort, we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the cafe inside of the resort. Everything I had was really good and reasonably priced! Their coffee drinks and freshly pressed juices were great! They also had a bar.
Norma’s
Inside the Parker Hotel, Norma’s is an open terrace restaurant that serves breakfast all day. Reservations are required, no walk-ins. My favorite part of eating here was the complimentary smoothie tasting they gave you when you sat down. It was so refreshing and tasty! On the pricier side, it was a fun atmosphere and cool seeing the hotel! Tip- Make sure to use the valet! There is lots of street parking nearby, but then there are no sidewalks to walk into the gated property.
Copley’s
I think this was my favorite restaurant of the trip! The restaurant is in the courtyard of a 1940s guesthouse. We went for dinner and it was so nice. We were sat by one of the fire pits. I had the smoked duck salad, and Gabrielle and I split the lemon pound cake. Oh! And I has the Godiva Chocolate Martini (SO good!)
On The Mark
On our last day, we grabbed sandwiches at On The Mark in downtown Palm Springs. It’s located down a side street off of the main stretch of downtown. Its basically a build your own charcuterie board shop with a deli in it. Such a neat spot!
Cheeky’s
We stopped at Cheeky’s for brunch! We got there right when it opened and it was instantly packed! Lattes and food was great! I got the Heuvos Rancheros.
