Our Honeymoon Part II: Five Things To Do In Palm Springs
Onto our next stop: Palm Springs (if you wondering where on earth our first stop was, you might want to read Part I first). I’ve wanted to visit Palm Springs, since forever. I definitely did not cry on the drive in, as one of the songs from our wedding came on randomly….ok fine, I wept like a baby. It’s like no place I have ever been, THE PALM TREES, THE BLUE SKY, THE ARCHITECTURE! On four hours sleep it was all too much to take in that we’d finally made it after years of wishing. Our hotel was actually outside of Palm Springs, in Indian Wells, so before we headed there we parked up and went straight to La Bonita’s for guac and more tacos. That was easily the best Guacamole of my trip, which is a bold statement, but definitely worth a pit stop if you’re in visiting. I saw them make tacos from grated cheese, ordered by people who knew what the score was more so than me, and it’s a memory that will stay with me for a very long time.
The Sands Hotel
Everything in Palm Springs is a drive away, you definitely need a car. I was a bit concerned that I’d chosen the wrong hotel, as let’s be honest I mostly chose it based on the fact it was pink. However after visiting The Ace and The Parker, which were my other hotel choices, (you need a car to get to them anyway), it doesn’t really make too much difference. It was like something out the movies, the photos don’t do the hotel justice. The Sands Hotel & Spa is really beautifully decorated and everything feels really carefully considered. I loved the fact it has a restaurant, The Pink Cabana, which you don’t feel out of place getting dressed up to walk to from your hotel room. We ate there 2 nights out of three, as this was the point of the holiday where we did the most ‘relaxing’.
Other Hotel Pools
As I mentioned above, we went to The Ace, for an afternoon of chilling by the pool and bobbing around the pool in an inflatable ring. This sounds quite diva-esque, but the only downside of our hotel was that the pool wasn’t heated. I know Palm Springs gets unbearable with their 40/50 degree heat, however when we visited a heated pool was definitely welcomed, which is why we went to hang at The Ace. Also if I can’t be a bit of a diva on my honeymoon, when can I?! They also plays the best pool side music, would definitely recommend a visit for an afternoon. I also gatecrashed The Parker, which is infamous if you’ve seen The Shining. The concierge was the nicest lady I think I have ever met, and gave me a guided tour around the place, including the spa. A nose around the gaff was honestly all I think I needed, I can imagine being sat around the fire drinking cocktails, but the spa is beyond what I would pay, even on our honeymoon. If it was something I was looking at doing (Jack is not a spa kinda person, and I was lucky enough to have had a facial and massage pre wedding) I would definitely research other options within Palm Springs that were more affordable.
Mod Squad Tour
Our first morning there we booked a Palm Springs Mod Squad Tour with Kurt Cyr. I would 100000000% recommend booking a tour, as Kurt’s knowledge of Palm Springs is incredible. He drove us around explaining the architecture, the social historical context, and of course provided lots of Hollywood gossip, which tbh was the main reason I was there. The tour starts of at the infamous Saguaro, which is the most instagrammed hotel in the world. We used the pool there before the tour started, and it’s worth noting you can access a lot of pools with either a minimum spend at the bar, or like The Ace pay $20 for a pool pass for the day. As well as a whole heap of local knowledge, Kurt also recommended we visit another one of Martyn Bullard’s interior projects, The Purple Palm, which was a lovely spot for lunch. After the tour, Kurt kindly sent an email full of recommendations of places to eat, drink and see, which is why I would recommend it as one of the first things you do in Palm Springs. It really gives you some ideas if you haven’t got things planned already.
Fine Art of Design
There’s so much vintage to be shopped in Palm Springs, however I didn’t quite fancy it as I had settled into the holiday by this point so was quite happy relaxing around the pool and reading a book. One vintage shop recommendation was to visit The Fine Art of Design, which came from SamsWhurld, who is a vintage aficionado. If you are looking for a beautifully curated selection but don’t want to spend ages rummaging (which I know is half the thrill) then I’d definitely stop by The Fine Art of Design. Also if you want an old school American diner experience before or after shopping, a few doors down is Keedy's Fountain & Grill, the perfect combination.
Salvation Mountain
Whilst not strictly Palm Springs, we did do this on the Palm Springs leg of the honeymoon. Another 4am jet lag induced wake up saw us on the road and there all by ourselves at 7am. It’s located in Slab City, which is in the middle of nowhere, and the drive there is just one long road - so make sure you pack enough water / have enough petrol as you’re unlikely to find some enroute. The site was created by Leonard Knight, and took him 28 years to complete, it’s made with adobe mud and paint and a tribute to his religion. Leonard died in 2014, he ran the site right up until the end, and it is now run by volunteers. Salvation Mountain site relies on donations, it’s a truly unique piece of art and a beautiful place to see with your own eyes. They have one ask, that you stick to the ‘yellow brick road’ and leave it as you found it, there’s so many Instagram shots of people climbing all over it, maybe I’m a square but if you do visit promise me you’ll stick the yellow path ok?!
And that was about it! we did want to visit Elvis and Priscilla's honeymoon hideaway, but honestly ended up spending way too much time in Trader Joe’s and CVS. If you’ve got any Palm Springs recommendations, please do share them in the comments, as I’ll definitely be returning one day!
