Palm Desert travel guide

Palm Desert Tourism | Palm Desert Guide

You're Going to Love Palm Desert

With a population of 48 445, Palm Desert is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Palm Desert deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Palm Desert

If you’re looking for affordable options, Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar - Palm Desert (73595 El Paseo #2200) and Kaiser Grille - PALM DESERT (74040 Highway 111) are great picks.

When to visit Palm Desert

Palm Desert in July
Estimated hotel price
$181
1 night at 3-star hotel
Palm Desert in July
Estimated hotel price
$181
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Palm Desert

Plane

When flying to Palm Desert, you’ll arrive at Palm Springs (PSP), which is located 17 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Palm Desert include American Airlines, Air Canada and Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Palm Desert departs from Santa Rosa and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Palm Desert.

Car

Another option to get to Palm Desert is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 183 km from Palm Desert. You’ll find branches of Ace and Kyte, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

FlixBus operates bus routes to Palm Desert. From Las Vegas, the bus ride to Palm Desert takes 974 km and will cost you around $92. From San Francisco, the ticket costs about $138 for a journey of 1143 km. Palm Desert’s bus station is located 2.0 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Palm Desert, you’ll arrive at Palm Springs (PSP), which is located 17 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Palm Desert include American Airlines, Air Canada and Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Palm Desert departs from Santa Rosa and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Palm Desert.

Car

Another option to get to Palm Desert is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 183 km from Palm Desert. You’ll find branches of Ace and Kyte, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

FlixBus operates bus routes to Palm Desert. From Las Vegas, the bus ride to Palm Desert takes 974 km and will cost you around $92. From San Francisco, the ticket costs about $138 for a journey of 1143 km. Palm Desert’s bus station is located 2.0 km from the city center.

Airports near Palm Desert

Airlines serving Palm Desert

Lufthansa
Good (4,679 reviews)
KLM
Good (857 reviews)
SWISS
Good (928 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,510 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,610 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,304 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,565 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (479 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,943 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,133 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,479 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,815 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (878 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,168 reviews)
LOT
Good (685 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (917 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,611 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Palm Desert

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn & Suites Palm Desert and Inn at Deep Canyon.

Where to stay in popular areas of Palm Desert

Most booked hotels in Palm Desert

Marriott's Shadow Ridge I - The Villages
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 648 reviews)
$164+
The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 592 reviews)
$174+
Courtyard by Marriott Palm Desert
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 568 reviews)
$106+
Best Western Plus Palm Desert Resort
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 575 reviews)
$121+
Hyatt Reg Indian Wells Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 512 reviews)
$328+
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 461 reviews)
$301+

Renting a car in Palm Desert

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $56 per day, on average, or $111 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Avis, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Palm Desert is the Hertz branch at 74855 Country Club Dr., which is 4 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Palm Desert (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Palm Desert is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $56 per day, on average, or $111 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Avis, Hertz and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Palm Desert is the Hertz branch at 74855 Country Club Dr., which is 4 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Palm Desert (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Palm Desert is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.