Girlfriends’ Guide to Palm Springs: Eat, Drink, Play and Stay
Palm Springs is built for a girls’ weekend: brunch patios, tiki bars, a pool in the backyard, hikes you can finish before lunch and a downtown you can wander in sandals. As a married mom of two, my bachelorette days are behind me, but a weekend away with girlfriends is still one of my favorite things in the world, and when we chose our Palm Springs homes, this trip was exactly what I had in mind. Here is our guide to eating, drinking, playing and staying.
Everything below is in Palm Springs proper unless noted. Restaurants and bars change, so a quick check of hours before you head out is always worth it.
Where should we go for brunch?
- Cheeky’s is the Palm Springs brunch: a rotating weekly menu, famous mimosas and a line that moves faster than it looks.
- King’s Highway at the Ace Hotel is a revamped roadside diner with plants, vintage decor and a local, organic menu.
- Norma’s at the Parker Palm Springs is the indulgent one: an open-air terrace, lush grounds and rich breakfast dishes that feel like an occasion.
- Tac/Quila for Jalisco-style Mexican, bright tiles and fruit margaritas when brunch slides into afternoon.
- Pinocchio in the Desert for a lively, no-fuss brunch with bottomless mimosas.
Where should we book dinner?
- Eight4Nine for a spacious, elegant room and a menu that keeps everyone at the table happy.
- The Tropicale for a retro, tropical setting and a patio that is also a wonderful happy hour spot.
- Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey for fresh sushi and a deep whiskey list in a calm, minimalist room.
- Birba for wood-fired pizza and pasta under string lights in a garden. It is our most-requested reservation.
- Spencer’s Restaurant or Melvyn’s if the group wants one dressed-up, Old Palm Springs dinner.
Where do we go out at night?
- Bootlegger Tiki, a small, dark tiki bar with inventive cocktails. Start the night here.
- El Jefe at The Saguaro, bright, lively and outdoors, with a long tequila list.
- Toucans Tiki Lounge for drag shows, Polynesian decor and a dance floor that fills up.
- The Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel for an eclectic crowd and DJs on weekends.
- High Bar at the Kimpton Rowan for a rooftop sunset cocktail with mountain views.
What should we do during the day?
- A pool day. Honestly the heart of the trip. Make a playlist, bring floats and let the afternoon disappear. Every one of our Palm Springs homes has a private pool.
- The Aerial Tramway. Ride the rotating tram car up Mount San Jacinto for forest trails and the best view in the valley. Time it for sunset if you can.
- A party bike. Group pedal tours stop at bars and sights downtown and are as silly and fun as they sound.
- In-home massage. Mobile therapists will set up by the pool. We list names in our guide to private chefs, yoga and bachelorette planning.
- Horseback riding through the Indian Canyons with local guides.
- A hike. The Indian Canyons, Tahquitz Canyon or a Joshua Tree day trip. Go early, carry water, wear sunscreen.
- A candle-making workshop for a creative hour and a souvenir to take home.
- Shopping and strolling. Palm Canyon Drive and the Walk of Stars downtown, El Paseo in Palm Desert for boutiques, and VillageFest on Thursday nights for crafts, food and music.
When is the best time for a girls’ trip to Palm Springs?
This is the question we get more than any other, and the honest answer is late October through spring. That is the stretch when you can sit outside at Birba at nine at night, hike without setting a sunrise alarm and actually use the pool in the afternoon. Summer is the caveat: July and August are brutal, and a bachelorette planned around an August pool party turns into a weekend indoors with the air conditioning on. If summer is the only time everyone can get away, plan early mornings and late evenings and write off midday. It is doable, it is just not the trip the photos promise.
Which of your homes suits a girls’ weekend?
- Sip Sip Away is the one built for photographs: colorful decor, a whimsical mural, a putting green and a pool and hot tub under a pergola. Three bedrooms, best for six adults.
- Oasis Del Sol has four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, which matters more on a girls’ trip than anything else on this page, plus a game room and pool.
- Acacia Retreat has four bedrooms, a heated pool and spa with mountain views, a fire pit and hammocks. A guest called it a private resort.
- Ultimate Outdoor Oasis is three bedrooms close to downtown, with a pool, hot tub and putting green, and it is pet friendly if someone cannot leave the dog.
One gentle note: these are homes in residential neighborhoods, not venues. Celebrations are welcome; extra guests beyond the booking are not. Ask about pool heating from November on, because desert nights get cold.
Frequently asked questions
Is Palm Springs good for a girls’ weekend?
Yes. It is one of the most popular girls’ trip and bachelorette destinations in the country, with brunch patios, tiki bars, private pools, hiking and shopping all within a short ride of each other.
What is the best month for a girls’ trip to Palm Springs?
Late October through April. Days are warm, evenings are comfortable and the pools are usable all afternoon. July and August are very hot and best avoided for a pool-focused trip.
Which Palm Springs restaurants are best for a group?
Eight4Nine, The Tropicale and Birba all handle groups well. Book ahead, especially on weekends in season.
Can we have a bachelorette party at your vacation rental?
Celebrations are welcome. Our homes are in residential neighborhoods, so guest counts stay at the booking number and outdoor noise winds down at the local quiet hour. Tell us your plans and we will help.
Which of your homes is best for a group of six to eight women?
Oasis Del Sol for its four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, or Sip Sip Away for its colorful, photo-ready style, pool, hot tub and putting green.
Book your desert stay direct
A girls’ weekend deserves a home with a pool you do not have to share, enough bathrooms for everyone to get ready at once and a host who answers her messages.
Booking on our own site rather than through a platform means no service fee and about 10 percent less on a like-for-like booking, with our cancellation terms shown before you pay. Browse every home we manage on our Coachella Valley vacation rentals page, or call us at (949) 407-7448 or email support@ratherbeproperties.com and we will help you choose.
Because there’s no place you’d rather be.
