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Palm Springs was never on my radar as a vacation destination or even a weekend getaway. Growing up, this place was a too-hot-for-comfort, barren retiree community with nothing really interesting to see or do. Now, Palm Springs is a paradise with plenty of Instagram-worthy backdrops and the premier destination for the annual Coachella music festival in the spring. Funny how things change…

Phil and I were initially interested in solely visiting Joshua Tree National Park over the winter holidays. In fact, we wanted to camp under the stars and embrace nature. But, we were aptly warned that in the middle of winter, camping would be very very cold in the evening. Scratch that. We’re staying in a hotel.

With a few days in Southern California, we were able to explore Joshua Tree, as well as visit a few Palm Springs favorites.

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Where to Stay

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Indio which made for a perfect base for our travels around Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. You can also stay right in the heart of Palm Springs if you want to be closer to the action or in Joshua Tree if you plan to spend more time in the park.

3 Day Itinerary in Palm Springs in the Winter

Day 1

We checked out the adorable Moorten Botanical Garden, snapped a pic in front of the famous Palm Springs pink door (at 1100 E Sierra Way) and did an afternoon mineral waters spa session at Desert Hot Springs.

Day 2 & Day 3

We visited Joshua Tree National Park with some new friends and we absolutely love this park! Joshua Tree National Park is interesting in that the northern part of the park is the Mojave Desert with the famous Joshua trees and yucca plants. In the southern part is the Colorado Desert where the Joshua trees disappear and you see pockets of cholla cacti and other Sonoran vegetation. Two days were definitely not enough to cover the entire park, but we tried to explore as much of the park as we could!

Ryan Mountain

We started the morning with a moderate to strenuous short hike up to Ryan Mountain (3 miles round trip). When we reached the top, were were rewarded with fantastic views of Joshua Tree. There were also plenty of little nooks and rocks to perch on to have a snack and rest

Skull Rock

Skull Rock was right off the main road. It’s not so much a trail, but a huge jungle gym of rocks and boulders to climb on for all ages. If you want to do some actual bouldering or rock climbing, you should check out other spots that are more challenging and have less crowds.

Keys View

This view point is the best for a Joshua Tree sunset, and you will not be disappointed! We went a little bit early to stake out a spot.

Lost Horse Mine

This was a fun hike to the Lost Horse Mine and back (about an easy to moderate 4 mile roundtrip). It was interesting to read about the history of the mine and explore the ruins. Parking was a bit of a pain when we visited, so get there early for a spot!

Cholla Cactus Garden

We visited the garden right before sunset, which made for some pretty pictures with the beautiful cholla cacti. It’s closer to the southern entrance of the park, so plan accordingly. Cholla cacti, also known as jumping cacti, attach onto and hook into anything that brushes up against it, so the park had huge signs warning visitors to stay on the trail to avoid any injuries. As Phil has had plenty of encounters with these “jumping” cacti growing up in Arizona, I, on the other hand, have not. And of course, I was so focused on not brushing up against these cacti that I unintentionally stepped onto an arm that had fallen to the ground. Just last month, I accidentally sat on a cactus in Tucson. I guess I have the worst luck with these desert plants… Thank goodness for my super patient husband!

Things we wish we had time for

• Offroading jeep tour in Joshua Tree National Park
• Hiking in Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve to see a palm-filled oasis
• Taking the Palm Spring Aerial Tramway to 54 miles of trails to explore

What an amazing few days exploring Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park! If you haven’t already, add both places to your travel bucket list!