Even Californians seek out warmer climates as the chilly coast ignites ‘hoodie weather’.
There’s no better place for Vitamin D and summer attire than a quick road trip to Palm Springs, California’s sunniest city.
This classic getaway, made famous by Hollywood’s elite before the TMZ era, has long been the ultimate hideout for anyone looking to recharge under the beaming desert sun.
Palm Springs is a throwback, where some would say the 60s never ended as there are still retro motels decked out in hippie van artwork among other various odes to the past.
This was my third visit to Palm Springs and as they say, “the third time’s a charm”.
This trip was the best one yet thanks to Palm Mountain Resort & Spa, mere steps from an array of downtown delights, including trendy restaurants, art museums, and towering Marilyn Monroe statue.
Moreover, as tempting as it was to explore the main strip, I found myself doing far less urban exploration than I normally would.
With their unmatched hospitality (especially treating my dog like the princess she is), a year-round climate-controlled pool, steamy hot tub, fire pits, and on-site day spa, why would I want to leave?
When Hunger Strikes: The Main Reason To Leave Resort Grounds
Palm Mountain does not have a restaurant, but being so close to endless food options, that’s why palm-tree laden downtown is a must-visit, mostly to grab a bite to eat or find a happy hour.
In fact, that should be your exact game plan, as Palm Canyon Avenue’s food scene can drain your bank account quickly.
But hey, you’re on vacation. Everyone deserves to splurge every now and then.
Before diving further, this is everywhere my girlfriend and I ate on our 3-day trip. Every meal was fantastic:
First stop: Jimmy B’s Steakhouse
Jimmy B’s is probably the shortest walk from Palm Mountain. Their ‘famous’ meatballs live up to the hype, and the $20 burger was surprisingly worth stretching my usual burger budget.
Second stop: Hot Cookie
Let’s just say this wasn’t the only visit. Their cookies are so good (Betty White-approved) that we had to go back on our last night to snag some road snacks for the drive back to San Diego.
Third stop: Las Casuelas Terraza
No wonder this place has been around since the 50s! If there’s one dish I’d like to think of myself a connoisseur, it’s fajitas.
Las Casuelas nailed it. Our guacamole app was overpriced, but the sotol margs were spot on given how hard it can be to find sotol.
Live music was great too, and even my doggie and I were movin’ and groovin’ on the dance floor. Yeah, those margs hit hard…
Fourth stop: Coachella Valley Brewing Co.
This unsuspecting upper-level hangout was a great spot to watch a football game, sip a local beer, and indulge in bar food that far exceeded our expectations for such a hole-in-the-wall.
Definitely get the buffalo fries!
All that said, every place we went was roughly a 5-10 minute walk from the resort. Plus, you don’t have to worry about drinking one too many since you don’t need to drive.
The resort offers bike cruisers to explore downtown too.
Palm Mountain does have The Marketplace located in the lobby, which is essentially a mini convenience store for poolside snack attacks such as chips, beer, and sports drinks.
Skip The Tram: 2 Hours Is Better Spent Poolside
To clarify, we did not book the Palm Springs popular Aerial Tramway through the hotel, but fellow guests who were loving their stay as much as we were told us they had a magnificent time.
But I knew driving in that the wait was 2 hours long. To make that even less enticing, those same people told us the ride only lasts about 15 minutes up.
Even though it’s said to offer gorgeous, sprawling views 6,000 feet up, that math wasn’t mathin’ for us.
We would much rather spend those lost 2 hours enjoying the crowd-free oasis that is Palm Mountain.
There was never a crowd the whole time we were there, even during the International Film Festival with red carpet events nearby.
Like the coast, come sundown, the desert can get chilly, but we took advantage of their climate-controlled pool that was set perfectly the ward of the nippy air.
The temperature was so perfect, we didn’t feel like we were doing the cold-plunging trend when we swapped the hot tub for the pool.
We spent a solid 6 to 7 hours at the pool and fire pits, overall, all while our dog Reyka supervised us from our room’s shaded patio looking down on us enjoying a glass (or 4 ) of wine.
Is This California’s Most Pet-Friendly Resort?
Reyka ‘supervising’ us speaks to how pet-friendly Palm Mountain truly is.
She was welcomed with her own goodie bag of treats, swag, and of course, a waste bag (gotta go when you gotta go!).
Their staff seemed totally cool having your dog left in the room unattended. In fact, rather than a ‘do not disturb’ door hanger, they offer a ‘pet in room’ sign instead.
As someone who has tried to travel with dogs before, it’s super annoying when hotels treat you like an irresponsible pet owner, forcing you to sign waiver after waiver and claiming your dog can never leave your side.
That’s not the vibe here.
Reyka was treated like royalty the whole time and fell in love with our spacious room for some indoor fetch and sunny patio where she kept stealing my seat!
Talk about spoiled…
We Were Spoiled Too: The Day Spa Is A Must!
Whatever wizardry Nadia conjured made me and Sara feel like brand new people compared to when we walked in.
Sara opted for a Deep Tissue massage and sung Nadia’s praises before it was my turn to be twisted into a human pretzel in the best of ways.
I chose a Swedish massage, which incorporated some deep elbow work into back muscles I didn’t know I had and various stretches I didn’t know my body could make as I creep up on 40.
The spa was spotlessly clean and ambient. Nadia made sure both of us felt comfortable before, during, and after our sessions.
Everything was flawless accept their Venmo account was down, so be prepared for alternative ways to pay.
No More Resort Fees: What You See Is What You Get!
As someone who has sworn off Vegas for good, you don’t have to tell me how much resort fees can deflate a fun vacation.
The goods news at Palm Mountain is there are no hidden fees in their rates, so you don’t have to worry about the ol’ “gotcha” trick.
From May – December, you can expect to see rates as low as $189 per night, while major events may drive that up to $229.
From January – April, winter sun seekers may pay slightly more withs lows of $209 per night and highs of $429 for special events in the area.
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