The best time to visit Palm Springs is late October through early December. The heat has broken, the light goes gold on the San Jacinto mountains by four in the afternoon, the pool is still the centre of the day, and the evenings are finally cool enough that a fire pit makes sense.
We manage homes here year round, which means we also know when not to come. September in the low desert is still hot. Not pleasant-warm. Hot. If your only option is early September, come anyway and plan the day around water and shade — but if you have the flexibility, wait six weeks.
What is fall actually like in Palm Springs?
Three things change at once. Daytime highs come down to something you want to be outside in. Nights get cold enough that the hot tub stops being decorative. And the desert reopens: the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the Indian Canyons, and the drive out to Joshua Tree National Park all go from an endurance test to the best day of your trip.
It is also the last quiet stretch before the calendar fills up. By spring the valley is booked around festivals and tennis. In November it is just a warm, walkable town with good food and empty hiking trails.
One honest planning note: a desert pool loses heat fast once the nights turn. From November on, expect to want the pool heated. It is optional at Oasis Del Sol and Ultimate Outdoor Oasis, and Acacia Retreat has a heated pool and spa. Message us with your dates and we will tell you what that week will actually feel like instead of letting you find out on arrival.
Where to stay in Palm Springs this fall
Acacia Retreat — for the group that wants the backyard to be the trip
Acacia Retreat sleeps 8 across 4 bedrooms in a quiet neighbourhood close to downtown, with a heated pool and spa looking at the mountains, a fire pit, and built-in hammocks. Inside there are desert murals and themed bedrooms, which sounds gimmicky until you see it. A recent group summed it up: it really felt like a private resort. 4.83 across 477 reviews.
Oasis Del Sol — for a rainy-evening, board-game, arcade kind of group
Oasis Del Sol is a 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath house sleeping 8 with a private pool running 3 to 6 feet deep, a hot tub, a natural gas fireplace, and a game room with arcade games and foosball. There is an EV charger and central air. Minutes from the Indian Canyons and the Palm Springs Art Museum. 4.87 across 169 reviews.
Sip Sip Away — for couples and small groups who want character
Sip Sip Away is the most colourful house we manage: three bedrooms sleeping up to 8, a pool and hot tub, a firepit under a pergola, a putting green and a mural built for photographs. Contactless check-in around the clock. 4.79 across 442 reviews — and worth reading, because the reviews are mostly couples on short getaways.
Ultimate Outdoor Oasis — for a pet-friendly stay five minutes from downtown
Ultimate Outdoor Oasis is a fully renovated 3-bedroom sleeping 8, five minutes from downtown, with a pool, hot tub, mini putting green, outdoor dining, BBQ, fire pit and a hammock. Family and pet friendly. One family stayed nine nights and used the kitchen for all of it. 4.85 across 364 reviews.
Fall in the wider Coachella Valley
If Palm Springs itself is booked, the rest of the valley opens up in the same window. Salida Del Sol in Desert Hot Springs sleeps 8 with a pool, hot tub and fire pit, and the Indio homes are a short drive east. Everything is on the Coachella Valley page.
Related reading: best neighborhoods to stay in Palm Springs, things to do in Indio outside festival season, and how to book a Palm Springs rental direct.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Palm Springs?
November is the sweet spot. Days are warm and dry, evenings are cool enough for a fire pit, and the crowds of festival season have not arrived. October and early December are close behind.
Is Palm Springs too hot in the fall?
Not by late October. September is still genuinely hot in the low desert and we will tell you so rather than sell you a September week you will spend indoors. If you are coming in early September, plan on being in the pool by day and out at night.
Do I need to pay to heat the pool in the fall?
By November, yes, if you want to swim comfortably. Pool heating is optional at Oasis Del Sol and Ultimate Outdoor Oasis. Acacia Retreat has a heated pool and spa. Ask us before you book and we will tell you honestly what a given week will feel like.
How far is Joshua Tree National Park from Palm Springs?
Close enough for a day trip, and the drive is one of the reasons to come in the fall rather than the summer. Acacia Retreat, Sip Sip Away and Ultimate Outdoor Oasis all list it among their nearby attractions.
Is it cheaper to book a Palm Springs rental direct?
On a like-for-like comparison against a flexible platform booking, about 10 percent. There is no platform service fee on our site.
Fall dates go quickly once the heat breaks. Book on our site and there is no platform service fee, you get us on the other end of the message, and the cancellation terms are shown before you pay. Here is the full comparison with Airbnb and VRBO.
Because there’s no place you’d rather be.
