Palm Springs Travel Essentials

• Part of the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley, Palm Springs has a desert climate. With about 300 days of sunshine, it’s a significantly hot destination with average temperatures ranging between 58°F in winter and 92°F in summer.
• The time of the year with the most rainfall is December–March, but even this time has only 4 wet days a month.
• With a yearly average temperature of 75°F, getting sunburned is more of a risk than catching a cold in Palm Springs. In summer, July–August, record highs have reached up to 123°F.
• With that being said, the peak tourist season is in winter, between January and May. The temperature remains bearable, but you can expect higher hotel rates and more crowds.
• The best time to visit Palm Springs is the October–December period. Temperatures are cooler than in summer, and despite the fact it’s the time of the year for conventions and business travelers, hotel prices are more affordable and attractions less crowded.

• Plug type: A and B
• Electricity: 120 V
• Currency: United States Dollar (U.S.$)
• International dialing code: +1 760 and +1 442
• Emergency telephone number: 911

Palm Springs International Airport is the main arrival hub to Palm Springs. It’s served by all major airports around the USA, as well as by Canadian airports.

You can also get to Palm Springs by Amtrak train, though it’s a less convenient option due to the small number of trains stopping there each week.

If you’re on a budget or want to travel through the States the same way that Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and other writers of the Beat Generation did, you can get to Palm Springs by Greyhound or Amtrak bus.

Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)

Palm Springs International Airport is only 2 miles east of the city centre and serves not only Palm Springs but the 9 cities within the Coachella Valley. It’s been named one of the most stress-free airports in the U.S..

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout all public neighborhoods of the terminal. The ground transportation options with which you can get to your hotel are as follows:

• There are 3 taxi cab companies as well as many towncar and motorcoach services licensed to serve Palm Springs International Airport. The taxi stand is outside the terminal, in front of the baggage claim area.
• Uber and Lyft services are allowed at the airport. The pick-up area is at the south end of the terminal. Simply follow the signage to get there.
• Sunline Transit Agency operates a network of bus lines throughout the Coachella Valley. You can find bus stops within 3 blocks of the airport.
• A handful of major automobile rental agencies are located after the baggage claim area.           

Palm Springs bus stations

Greyhound and Amtrak are the 2 main companies serving Palm Springs by bus. The Greyhound station is on Indio Boulevard, 20 miles east-southeast of downtown Palm Springs, while the Amtrak bus stop is at the airport.

Transfer options to your hotel from both the Amtrak and the Greyhound bus stations include taxi cab, rideshare, and public bus.

Travel tips

Home to a lively scene of restaurants, shops, and bars, downtown Palm Springs is very pedestrian-friendly. Thanks to the all-year-round warm climate, cycling is also a healthy option to wander around the city centre.

For longer distances, you can get around by taxi cab, rideshare, public bus, and rented automobile, according to your budget and preference.

Taking a taxi cab in Palm Springs

From Yellow Cab of the Desert (+1 760-340-8294) to Desert City Cab (+1 760-328-3000), Coachella Valley Taxi cab (+1 760-992-5337), and many more, Palm Springs has no shortage of taxi cabs. You can easily find taxi cab lines in front of hotels and attractions. You can also hail them easily on the street.

Convenient yet expensive, getting around Palm Springs by taxi cab is not your best option if you’re on a budget. Note that tipping for taxi cabs in the States is usually 15-20% of the fee. Most taxi cab drivers accept credit cards, though sometimes reluctantly.

Uber and Lyft are the 2 main ride-sharing apps used in Palm Springs. Their rates are slightly cheaper than standard taxicabs.

Traveling by bus

Sunline Transit Agency is the main public transportation company operating in Palm Springs and throughout the Coachella Valley. The upside of traveling by bus is the affordable cost and the many routes that let you go nearly anywhere. The downside is the slower speed and long waits between buses.

Single tickets can be purchased on the bus, while single- or multi-day passes must be purchased online.

Renting a automobile in Palm Springs

Renting a automobile is a favorite choice for exploring Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. It’s certainly more expensive than public transportation but it gives you the freedom to go anywhere, whenever you want.

Foreigners can use their standard driving license for up to 90 days in California. You can find automobile rental companies at the airport and throughout the city.

Cycling around Palm Springs

Hiring a bicycle is a cool way of getting around Palm Springs. Many off-road biking trails for all levels are available around the city. Sunline Transit Agency buses have bike racks that allow you to ride and easily reach biking trails outside the city. Cycling route maps are available online.

You can hire a road, electric or mountain bike at rental companies like Palm Springs Bike Rentals (+1 760-548-0500) and BIKE Palm Springs Rentals & Tours (+1 760-832-8912), just to name a few.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

• April
• A major counterculture event held since 1999, featuring famous and emerging bands of a wide range of music styles, from rock to indie to hip hop and more.
• Where: Empire Polo Club in Indio

Comic-Con Palm Springs

• August
• An annual pop-culture celebration where you can meet art creators and artists, with interactive animations and cosplay parades as well as merchandising shops and more.
• Where: Palm Springs Air Museum

Fall Joshua Tree Music Festival

• October
• A 3-day multicultural music festival that also features shamanism and meditation workshops, as well as self-healing courses, yoga lessons, and more.
• Where: Joshua Tree Lake Campground

Village Green Heritage Center

The place where the first building was built in Palm Springs in 1893 – home to McCallum Adobe, Miss Cornelia White’s House, Ruddy’s General Store, and the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.

Palm Springs Air Museum

A museum that hosts aircraft and related artifacts and where you can go through U.S. military aviation history spanning from World War II through to today.

Indian Canyons

Home of challenging hiking trails through Andreas, Victor, Murray, and other canyons within the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation.

Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway

An iconic mid-‘60s modernism house where ‘The King’ and Priscilla Presley lived in 1966 and 1967. It’s also named the Alexander Estate and known as The House of Tomorrow.