Travel Guide: Palm Springs, California

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Palm Springs has ALWAYS been a favorite vacation spot for my family.  We try to go every year, because we are total pool people that love to layout and just soak up the sun.  Palm Springs is the perfect place for us to do that since it’s a good drive from home and we get the pool and the sun.    This year we weren’t able to make it out for a family vacay, so instead I went with my girlfriends for my birthday.  We only went to Palm Springs, but since I’ve been in the area so much I’m going to share my favorite hotels and restaurants from Palm Springs and Palm Desert.  Pretty much everywhere good to go, and fun things to do out here!  Let’s get started…

FOOD://

Trio Restaurant:  This is where we went for my birthday dinner!  I thought it was delicious- and that says a lot because I am such a picky eater.  I’m an appetizer lover, and they had excellent calamari and great spinach and artichoke dip!  As well as great entree’s.  We for sure weren’t the only other party at this place also.  There was at least two more bachelorette parties that I saw and another birthday dinner!  This place is really popular, and is also located in Downtown Palm Springs.

Lulu’s California Bistro: This restaurant is also located in Downtown Palm Springs, and this is where we got breakfast.  I loved this restaurant because the interior totally went along with what the Saguaro Hotel looked like- it was full of fun colors and pictures of Hollywood stars visiting Palm Springs.  Old pictures make me happy!

Great Shakes:  This is where had dessert.  The only thing I can say is so. much. sugar.  Holy crap!  If you aren’t a big sweets person, this probably isn’t the place for you.  Each shake comes with a mini donut on the straw, and they also sell malts.  I got a s’mores malt that was really delicious- but I was somewhat full from dinner so I didn’t drink that much.  If I lived in Palm Springs and got a sugar craving though… this would be my place!

Woody’s Palm House:  If you are craving a cheeseburger, then this is the place to be!  Tasty burgers, onion rings, and so much more.  They also have live music I believe on certain nights, but I would double check on that.  This place is also in Downtown Palm Springs.

Lappert’s Ice Cream: Yum…Lappert’s.  If you have ever been to Disneyland, you know (or I hope you know) that they have the best dole whip EVER!  This place sells dole whip as well, and it isn’t quite as good as Disneyland of course, but it does the trick.  This is the perfect place to go on a hot day in PS, which is everyday, ha.

 

HOTELS://

The Saguaro Palm Springs: I will be doing a review on the hotel later this week, but I loved this hotel!  If you follow me on Instagram, you would have noticed how bright the hotel is and also how popular it is.  If you look at the location, you will see tons of pictures from a lot of people, and mostly all of them are trendy.  I loved this hotel and would totally go back!  It just definitely isn’t a family vacation type place- more of a girls weekend or bachelorette location.  Definitely no kids!

The Marriott Shadow Ridge: This is one of the hotels we have stayed at for our family vacation spots.  We haven’t stayed at this one recently, but I do remember this being a great hotel.  Usually when we go on vacation we get a condo type room with multiple bedrooms and baths, and then a kitchen and a family room.  This way it feels like a somewhat home and we are able to really relax and eat in our room too.

The Marriott Desert Spring Villas:  This is the hotel we have been staying at more recently.  This one I have more of a clear memory of because we’ve been at this place almost every summer.  This is the same type of deal as Shadow Ridge, except it is connected to the JW Marriott and you have access to the hotel.  The JW Marriott is a really nice hotel, but it is the hotel setting and not condo like type rooms.  I think this is why we choose the villas, specifically because we like the condo layout and not a hotel room layout.  It is much bigger! 

La Quinta Resort and Spa: We’ve only been here once but I totally fell in love!  We got a mini house with two bedrooms and two bath and a backyard, and it was a dream!  This definitely felt more like a house then a condo to me for some reason, mostly because it had a front door and we weren’t connected to anyone.  It was our own little casa 🙂 The only complaint I had here was how many bees there were. 🙁
 

Where are your favorite places to stay around here?  I’m out here almost every summer, so suggestions would be awesome!  My next vacation spot is Big Bear, my first time to the mountains!  🙂

XO, 

Danielle Alana

 

 

 

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