
City in California, United States
Photo: Wikitravel user:Friedpez, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Palm Desert is a city of 53,000 people (2018) in the desert of California between Palm Springs and Indio. It lies in the Coachella Valley at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The city is home to many golf courses, attractions, luxury hotels and shops, and spas that make the region a famous getaway for much of Southern California.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
For close-up encounters with spectacular desert plants and animals. People of all ages will have fun. During the summer, due to extremely hot temperatures, the preserve closes at 1:30PM.
Nice park with occasional musical performances, basketball courts, and a nice atmosphere.
Has great shows going on all the time.
There are several balloon ride companies in Palm Desert.
Great Mexican food with good fajitas.
A more expensive restaurant with great chop salad.
Seafood at the Gardens on El Paseo.
Near plenty of golf course and tennis courts. Beautiful views! Complimentary WiFi in rooms and lobby. The Bistro offers breakfast, dinner, cocktails and Starbucks coffee.
All hotel suites are two rooms, with a bedroom and separate seating area that includes a sleeper sofa. Hotel amenities include six lighted hard-court tennis courts, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, complimentary evening reception (21 and over only), and the Sonoma Grill restaurant.
Clean, comfortable, spacious accommodations at a reasonable price. All rooms and suites include complimentary hot breakfast, high speed internet access, use of pool, spa, fitness center, and business center.
An all-suite hotel with fully-equipped kitchens. Complimentary hot breakfast daily, dinner with beverages M-Th, high-speed Internet, and grocery shopping service.
Extended Stay with full-size kitchens. Free WiFi and complimentary daily breakfast buffet.
Shadow Mountain Resort & Club opened in the late 1940s and is within walking distance from El Paseo. The club offers a figure-8 swimming pool; a large whirlpool spa; men’s & ladies saunas and fitness studio; and sixteen tennis courts (including six lighted courts, and three clay), home to the highly acclaimed Desert Tennis Academy. Other amenities include game and bicycle rentals at the registration lobby and a variety of meeting spaces. Dining choices include the Top of the Courts Café and Corner Bar & Grill. Neighboring Shadow Mountain Resort & Club is the 18-hole Shadow Mountain Golf Club.
A very nice shopping area on El Paseo. There are lots of good stores.
Nice mall right in the heart of Palm Desert.
At Bob Hope Drive and Highway 111 in the neighboring city of Rancho Mirage. The center has great shopping with restaurants, shopping, movies, and more. There actually is a river there, too!
By car
is the main artery serving the Coachella Valley. From Los Angeles, take Interstate 10 east towards San Bernardino, Indio, and Phoenix. Palm Desert is about a two-hour drive if traffic is not heavy.
By train
Nearby Palm Springs is served by Amtrak via its Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle routes, which run thrice-weekly.
By car
The main highway serving the city is State Highway 111, which links many of the Coachella Valley cities, from Palm Springs to Indio and beyond to the Mexican Border at Calexico.
By shuttle
The City of Palm Desert operates the El Paseo Courtesy Carts. The shuttle runs along El Paseo and is free of charge.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Palm Springs · International · PSP
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Palm Desert and United States.
Find the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Find the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
8 min read
Discover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
A practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.