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Even Californians are looking for warmer climates as the cold coast ignites “hoodie weather.”
There’s no better place for vitamin D and summer clothes than a quick road trip to Palm Springs, California’s sunniest city.
This classic getaway, made famous by Hollywood’s elite before the TMZ era, has long been the ultimate hideaway for anyone looking to recharge under the radiant desert sun.
Palm Springs is a throwback to the past, where some would say the 1960s never ended, as there are still retro motels decorated with hippie vans and other odes to the past.
This was my third visit to Palm Springs and as they say, “the third time’s the charm”.
This trip was the best yet thanks to Palm Mountain Resort & Spajust steps from an array of downtown delights, including trendy restaurants, art museums, and the towering Marilyn Monroe statue.
Furthermore, as tempting as it was to explore the main strip, I found myself doing far less urban exploration than I normally would.
With their unparalleled hospitality (especially treating my dog like the princess she is), an air-conditioned pool open year-round, a steamy hot tub, fire pits and an on-site spa, why would I want to leave?
When hunger strikes: the main reason to leave the resort grounds
Palm Mountain does not have a restaurantbut because it’s so close to the endless food options, the palm tree-filled center is a must-visit, especially to grab a bite to eat or find happy hour.
That should actually be your exact plan, as Palm Canyon Avenue’s food scene can quickly drain your bank account.
Anyway, you’re on vacation. Everyone deserves to splurge every now and then.
Before we dive any further, this is everywhere my girlfriend and I ate during our three-day trip. Every meal was fantastic:
First stop: Jimmy B’s Steakhouse
Jimmy B’s is probably the shortest hike from Palm Mountain. Their “famous” meatballs live up to the hype, and the $20 burger was surprisingly worth stretching my usual burger budget.
Second stop: Hot Cookie
Let’s just say this wasn’t the only visit. Their cookies are so delicious (Betty White approved) that we had to go back on our last night to get some snacks for the drive back to San Diego.
Third stop: Las Casuelas Terraza
No wonder this place has been around since the 50’s! If there’s one dish I’d like to consider myself a connoisseur of, it’s fajitas.
Las Casuelas has done well. Our guacamole app was overpriced, but the sotol margins were perfect considering how difficult it can be to find sotol.
Live music was great too, and even my dog and I were moving and dancing on the dance floor. Yes, those margins hit hard…
Fourth stop: Coachella Valley Brewing Co.
This unsuspecting top floor hangout was a great place to watch a football game, sip a local beer, and enjoy bar food that far exceeded our expectations for such a hole in the wall.
Definitely get the buffalo fries!
That said, every place we went was about one 5-10 minutes walk from the resort. Plus, you don’t have to worry about drinking one too many since you don’t have to drive.
The resort also offers bike cruisers to explore downtown.
Palm Mountain does have that The Marketplace located in the lobby, which is essentially a mini supermarket for poolside snacks like chips, beer and sports drinks.
Skip the tram: 2 hours is better at the pool
To clarify, we did not book Palm Springs’ popular Aerial Tramway through the hotel, but other guests who enjoyed their stay as much as we were told had a great time.
But I knew the wait was 2 hours long. To make that even less appealing, those same people told us the ride only takes about 15 minutes.
Although it is said to offer beautiful, expansive views at 6,000 feet, that math wasn’t for us.
We’d much rather spend those wasted two hours enjoying the crowd-free oasis that is Palm Mountain.
There was never a crowd the entire time we were there, even during the International Film Festival with red carpet events nearby.
Like the coast, the desert can get chilly at sunset, but we took advantage of their climate-controlled pool that was perfectly set to protect from the fresh air.
The temperature was so perfect that we didn’t feel like we were joining the cold plunge trend when we swapped the hot tub for the pool.
We spent a total of 6 to 7 hours by the pool and fire pits, with our dog Reyka guiding us from the shaded patio of our room and looking down on us as we enjoyed a glass (or 4) of wine.
Is this California’s most pet-friendly resort?
Reyka giving us ‘supervision’ shows how pet friendly Palm Mountain really is.
She was welcomed with her own goodie bag of treats, swag and of course a waste bag (gotta go when you gotta go!).
Their staff seemed totally cool with leaving your dog unattended in the room. Instead of a “do not disturb” door hanger, they provide a “pet in room” sign instead.
As someone who’s tried to travel with dogs before, it’s super annoying when hotels treat you like an irresponsible pet owner, forcing you to sign waiver after waiver and claiming that your dog should never leave your side.
That’s not the atmosphere here.
Reyka was treated like royalty the entire time and fell in love with us spacious room for some indoor work and a sunny terrace where she kept stealing my chair!
Speaking of spoiled…
We were also spoiled: the Day Spa is a must!
Whatever magic Nadia conjured made Sara and I feel like brand new people compared to when we walked in.
Sara opted for a Deep Tissue massage and sang Nadia’s praises before it was my turn to be twisted into a human pretzel in the best way possible.
I opted for a Swedish massage, which included deep elbow work on back muscles I didn’t know I had, and several stretches I didn’t know my body could do while crawling at age 40.
The spa was spotless and atmospheric. Nadia made sure we both felt comfortable before, during and after our sessions.
Everything went smoothly, accept that their Venmo account was down so be prepared for alternative ways to pay.
No more resort fees: What you see is what you get!
As someone who has sworn off Vegas for good, you don’t need me to tell you how much resort fees can deflate a fun vacation.
The goods news at Palm Mountain is that there are no hidden fees in the rates, so you don’t have to worry about the old ‘gotcha’ trick.
By May – Decemberyou can expect rates to be as low as $189 per night, while major events can push this up to $229.
By January – AprilWinter sun seekers can pay a little more with lows of $209 per night and highs of $429 for special events in the area.
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