When the winter months get a little cold and dreary in Los Angeles, I love that I can hop in the car for a short ride to sunshine, bright colors, delicious food, and high style. A Palm Springs Weekend is one of my favorite escapes from L.A. — just far enough to feel like a vacation, but close enough that I’m not driving for days.
— Andrea Ament
FRIDAY afternoon
Cabazon Dinosaurs
On your way into Palm Springs, visit Mr. Rex, one of the Cabazon
Dinosaurs. A $12 ticket ($10 for kids) lets you climb all the way up to his teeth. While you’re there, try a date shake at Hadley Fruit Orchard and explore the outlet stores.
SATURDAY MORNING
The Saguaro
Palm Springs
Pack your favorite floaty and
spend Saturday morning lounging
on a chaise in the sun. There’s
no shortage of pools in
Palm Springs, but this one
is the most colorful.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
The Shops at Thirteen Forty-Five,
Palm Springs
Lighten your wallet at the Shops at Thirteen Forty-Five. A collection of 14 boutiques, housed in an E. Stewart Williams–designed building, showcases modern décor, clothing, artisan jewelry, and new and vintage art.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Parker Palm Springs
Dine at one of the Parker’s three restaurants and feast on the eccentric stylings of interior designer Jonathan Adler. His over-the-top work includes a 900-pound bronze banana on the hotel lawn and Overlook Hotel–inspired carpet on the lobby stairs.
SUNDAY MORNING
King’s Highway, Palm Springs
Grab Sunday brunch at King’s Highway, a modern roadside diner located within the Ace Hotel & Swim Club offering an eclectic Cal-Mexican menu. Opt for the avocado toast and a frozen watermelon margarita with chili rim because, well, you’re still technically on vacation.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Moorten Botanical Garden,
Palm Springs
Before you hit the road, tour the
Moorten Botanical Garden and
Cactarium — a local treasure
hidden behind an unassuming wall,
brimming with thousands of
cactuses and succulents.
Andrea Ament is an attorney and the author of lifestyle blog Salty Canary. Follow her on Instagram at @thesaltycanary and view more of her adventures at saltycanary.com.