Vacation rentals in Palm Desert

Palm Desert is a lesser known gem in the Greater Palm Springs area of California’s Coachella Valley. The small city has it all, from spectacular canyon and desert parks, to historical museums, and upscale shopping and dining options. It’s the perfect place to get outdoors and explore the desert region of Southern California while enjoying modern comforts like retail shopping and top-rated restaurants. Come enjoy Palm Desert with your family or significant other, and be sure to give yourself plenty of time to fully experience it all!

Stay near swaying palm trees and postcard-worthy desert scenes in a vacation rental in Palm Desert. The upbeat Southern California city has something for every type of traveler. Book a luxurious, oversized vacation rental with a private pool and garden. Rentals in Palm Desert are sleek and chic with ultra-modern design features and upscale amenities. Large groups and families can choose from properties equipped to comfortably accommodate several people. While small groups and couples can opt for smaller, more intimate rentals. Pet-friendly rentals are available for people traveling with pets.

If you’ll be arriving to the Palm Desert area by airplane, the nearest major airport is Palm Springs International Airport, which is just a 10 mile, or 15-minute drive away from Palm Desert. Palm Springs is a larger neighboring town just next to Palm Desert. There are several rental car companies at the airport, as well as in Palm Springs and in Palm Desert.

Palm Desert is not considered a walkable city, and a car is needed for getting around. However, the downtown district and El Paseo strip are quite walkable, with plenty of shops and restaurants just a stone’s throw away from each other. You will need to rely on a car to reach other attractions outside of the downtown area, such as any nature preserves, hiking areas, and the aerial tram.

Couples will find an endless variety of ways to spend some romantic quality time together in Palm Desert. Explore one of the most beautiful outdoor areas around Palm Desert at Indian Canyon's nature preserve. This stunning desert and canyon park features a wide variety of hiking trails and picnic areas. You can even opt for a horseback riding tour of the nature preserve. After you’re done exploring, head to Cuistot for an upscale date night over modern French cuisine. Or, dine at Mastro’s Steakhouse, which offers an upscale menu in an ambient fine-dining setting.

Palm Desert is the perfect family vacation destination. Spend the day outdoors hiking the popular Bump and Grind Trail. The moderate level hike has an 1,000-foot elevation gain and leads to a spectacular overlook that boasts unmatched views of Palm Desert. Learn a little about the local history of Palm Desert by stopping by Cabot’s Pueblo Museum. This historical house museum is set inside an oversized pueblo home with a Hopi-tribe design style. The entire 4-story house was built by Cabot Yerxa, who was an explorer and an activist who constructed the house entirely from materials he found in the desert and lived in the house from the 1940s until the late 1960s. Nowadays, you can explore the museum which is filled with artifacts, artwork, and personal items from Yerxa’s life.

Learn all about the desert at this botanical garden and desert park. Here you’ll find a variety of desert animals from around the world, including giraffes, zebras, camels, and Mexican wolves. The garden area showcases desert plants, like cacti, succulents, and a palm oasis. It’s the perfect place for a nice walk, and there are plenty of things for children to enjoy.

Coachella Valley is most well known as the venue of one of America’s most famous music festivals, but it has a lot more to offer than a music festival! The Coachella Valley area is an arid rift valley surrounded by the San Bernardino Mountains. Hike along the many trails to explore the scenic views of the valley area, dine at the top-rated eateries, and drive around the neighborhoods to view iconic Hollywood homes. A visit to Coachella Valley is an absolute must for any traveler in Palm Desert.

El Paseo is a mile-long stretch of shops, art galleries, cafés, bakeries, and restaurants in downtown Palm Desert. Spend a few hours browsing the 300+ retail stores and boutique shops. When you’ve worked up an appetite from all the shopping, you can choose from over 25 restaurants to grab a bite to eat from.

The San Andreas fault line is one of the most famed fault lines in the world. It divides the North American and Pacific tectonic plates and stretches nearly 745 miles through California. While it's not a massive crevice in the earth that people tend to imagine, it is well worth a visit with a tour guide or geologist who can tell you all about the fascinating lay of the land.

Just a short drive from downtown Palm Desert, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world and boasts a breathtaking two-and-a-half mile aerial ride through the cliffs of Chino Canyon to the top of San Jacinto Peak. There’s a restaurant at the top, and you can hike around the mountain from the peak. It’s a must-do activity for families, couples, and outdoor enthusiasts visiting Palm Desert.