When the festive season is on the horizon, the holidays are the ideal time of year to pack up the family and head to Palm Springs, California in the name of fun and adventure. In Palm Springs, it’s an easy thing to leave all thoughts of falling snow and dropping temperatures behind because daily highs throughout December typically linger in the 70s with plenty of sunshine included! While Palm Springs is always packed with incredible activities, attractions, entertainment, and history to discover no matter when you arrive, a holiday trip this way comes with the benefit of lights, décor, seasonal events, and more. There’s a good chance that no matter what you add to your lineup, you’re going to want to capture those special moments together on camera. When you’re looking for where to take family holiday Palm Springs photos this year, the following list is a great starting point.
Snap a Photo or Two on El Paseo
El Paseo is always a treat to explore but during the holiday season, this glitzy area takes the illuminating effect to greater heights. Throughout the festive season, the towering palm trees located along the principal shopping street of El Paseo are strung with holiday lights from top to bottom! When the sun goes down, this makes for an incredible photo backdrop for your family to gather in front of and snap some amazing angles on the area and of course, those you love most. If you head over here closer to sunset when the lights have just come on, but the mountain silhouettes are still visible against the sky, you’ll get an even more dramatic photographic effect for your holiday snapshot.
Attend the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade
Since the early 1990s, the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade has been delighting locals and visitors alike looking for a reason to embrace the beauty and fun of the holiday season. This annual parade is always hosted on the first Saturday in December and is a family-friendly affair that as originally designed to bring the community together and celebrate in style. Since its initial kick off, the parade has only continued to grow in popularity and today, it includes dancers, marching bands, festive floats, music, horses, and visits by Mickey and Minnie Mouse as well as Snoopy, Santa, and Mrs. Claus. The Macy’s style balloons are always a highlight of the parade and offer up a fantastic and impressive backdrop for fun family holiday photos in Palm Springs. Bring your entire crew and get a great spot early so you can enjoy the fun while also getting the best angle on it all through the camera.
Check Out Wild Lights
You won’t have to go far from Palm Springs to find yet another fantastic opportunity for taking great family holiday photos at the Wild Lights event held each year at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. This event runs separately from general admission, so you’ll want to be sure to purchase your select night tickets in advance. When you arrive, you’ll be treated to mesmerizing holiday light tunnels to explore paired with holiday music and impressive seasonal displays that illuminate the night alongside life-size animal lanterns. It’s an event everyone in your family is sure to love and a great place to take your time and set up just the right backdrop to fit your needs and preferences for that annual holiday photo.
Infuse the Best of Palm Springs into your Holiday Photo Ops
While there are plenty of places and events across Palm Springs during the holidays that make it easy to infuse seasonal inspiration into your family photo, those who are looking to make the most of a quintessential Palm Springs vibe this holiday season will find that’s within easy reach too. Consider heading over to the neighborhood around Indian Canyons when you want to take a photo of your family this holiday season that showcases the best of that gorgeous mid-century architecture Palm Springs hosts so well. Each cul-de-sac in this neighborhood features beautiful and meticulous desert landscaping as well as homes that speak to intricate architectural details. It’s also packed with towering palms and surrounding mountains that create a dynamic backsplash for the moment you’re looking to capture on camera.
Take a Trip Up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway with a Camera in Hand
For a new view of Palm Springs this holiday season and a great opportunity to get a one-of-a-kind family photo, consider taking a trip up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. This is the world’s largest rotating tram car and as you travel the 2.5 miles up over the Chino Canyon, you’ll be treated to Mt. San Jacinto State Park views from a bird’s eye view that makes for a thrilling photo backdrop. The journey only takes about 10 minutes so if you don’t capture just the right view from the tram itself, you’ll have opportunities to take photos at the top at observation points overlooking the valley floor at 8,516 feet in elevation.
Book Your Palm Springs Journey Today
Elevate your holiday stay in Palm Springs in impeccable style when you book your vacation rental through Ryson Vacations. Reach out today to learn more about our exciting property options and how we can help you make it a festive getaway to remember in California!
For some, the arrival of winter and the cold and snow it brings with it is something to look forward to each year. For others, it’s the sure sign of the season to head out of town and set their sights on sunnier horizons. When you find yourself falling into the latter category, and you’re looking for a place to enjoy a winter stay that’s warm, sunny, and endlessly inviting, Palm Springs, California checks every box on that list. No matter how long you have despair in the name of getaway fun, heading to Palm Springs in the wintertime is always a great option. Whether you’re in town to soak up the sunshine, or you’re looking to make the most of festive holiday entertainment, the following winter events in Palm Springs are sure to make your getaway truly magical.
Check Out the Festival of Lights Parade
A great winter event that’s always highly anticipated in Palm Springs is the annual Festival of Lights Parade. This family-friendly gathering is typically hosted toward the beginning of December, and often kicks off around 6:00 PM along Palm Canyon Drive, right in the heart of Palm Springs. You’ll want to show up early to make sure you get a great spot and the best views. When you do, you’ll find that the effort was worth your while! This winter parade is known and loved by locals and visitors alike for its vibrant performances, highlighted marching bands, and special attendees like Mickey and Minnie who are sure to thrill the littlest ones in your traveling crew. From the floats and the music to the fantastic fare, the Festival of Lights Parade is one you simply won’t want to miss this year.
Wintertime Holiday Dining with a Bird’s Eye View
No matter when you make your way to Palm Springs in the name of vacation fun, a trip up the iconic Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is essential. It’s earned the title of the world’s largest rotating tram car and the views you’ll enjoy as you travel the two and a half miles up the cliffs overlooking the Chino Canyon are nothing less than breathtaking. The tram transports passengers to the higher elevation wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park and it’s here that over the holidays, you can pair your ride with a delicious winter dish at the Pines Café. This one-of-a-kind eatery is traditionally open until 8:00 pm on weekdays and until 8:30 pm on the weekends. The setting is cafeteria style, and you’ll find everything from salads and wraps to sandwiches within easy reach. This casual dining experience is open to visitors on Christmas Day when you can purchase a ride and dine ticket and enjoy a meal here between 11:00 am and 8:00 pm.
Experience the Winter Light Show and Santa Fly-In for Yourself in Palm Springs
When a little holiday magic would go a long way toward your winter fun in Palm Springs, adding a stop at the Palm Springs Air Museum this time of year is always the right choice. In mid-December, the Palm Springs Air Museum hosts the annual Winter Light Show and Santa Fly-In which brings families out in droves to enjoy seeing the museum transformed into a “winter wonderland,” right in the heart of sunny California. During the event, 60 tons of authentic snow are dropped around the museum between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm and Santa makes an appearance too for a meet-and-greet with little ones. There’s a holiday train to enjoy, s’mores to cook over outdoor firepits, and food trucks set up for any other cravings that might come calling as you explore. This is a wonderful opportunity for seasonal photos and there are plenty of cookies and hot chocolate to go around. After you watch Santa fly in with the snow, you can head over to the craft and holiday shopping area set up inside the Miles Hangar.
Attend the Wild Lights Holiday Festival
Your winter getaway to Palm Springs puts you within easy reach of the annual Wild Lights Holiday Festival over at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. Hosted on select nights between November and December, this event typically runs from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm and is a chance to explore displays that combine millions of twinkling holiday lights with animal-inspired lanterns too. The illuminating result is sure to inspire, and you won’t want to miss admiring the 30-foot holiday tree that works as a centerpiece of the event. From the tunnel of lights to stroll through to the s’mores stations and holiday carousel, Wild Lights might just end up being the highlight of your winter trip.
Book Your Winter Getaway to Palm Springs Today
When a winter getaway to Palm Springs is calling your name, the team at Ryson Vacations has the accommodations you need to infuse luxury, comfort, and style into every day of your stay. Reach out today to learn more and to start planning!
When the holidays come around once again, some look forward to a Christmas season filled with snow. Others are more drawn to opportunities to head out and enjoy a place that’s packed with sunshine in December and when this sounds like you, Palm Springs, California is certainly the place to be! Boasting daily highs in the 70s through the end of the year, a trip this way over the holidays is one filled with warm weather fun at every turn. That said, it’s also a city that knows how to deck the halls when it comes to setting up fabulous Christmas lights and displays for locals and visitors alike to enjoy. When you’re excited to add some holiday light admiring to your to-do list, make sure the following Palm Springs CA Christmas stops sit at the top of your itinerary.
Enjoy the Exciting Palm Springs Festival of Lights
One of the most highly anticipated annual events around Christmastime in Palm Springs that takes holiday illumination to the next level of excellence is the Palm Springs Festival of Lights. This is an experience that began back in the early 1990s at the hands of former Mayor Will Kleindienst and continues to be a fan-favorite moment on the holiday calendar today. It’s typically hosted on the first Saturday in December and is a unique tourism event downtown featuring a parade with everything from giant balloons and groups of performers to marching bands and signature floats dripping in thousands of holiday lights. The parade often gets underway around 5:45 pm and lasts until around 8:00 pm. The Palm Springs Festival of Lights is designed to inspire holiday spirit in everyone who attends and continues to be a beloved local tradition that brings thousands of attendees to the Coachella Valley in December each year. There’s no cost to attend the Palm Springs Festival of Lights, making it a great addition to your itinerary when you’re in town with the entire family in tow.
El Paseo Comes to Life in Illuminated Style at Christmas
A popular place to take a stroll near Palm Springs when you’re looking to enjoy traditional holiday lights and Christmas displays at their very best is El Paseo in nearby Palm Desert. While this area is a top-rated shopping and dining stop in the area on any day of the year, around Christmas, the storefronts are decked out in illuminated style much to the delight of passerby’s. Even the local palm trees get treated to layers of lights, so when dusk falls, the entire street is aglow for the holidays! It’s a beautiful scene to set your sights on whether you’re dropping by to do some last-minute shopping or you’re exclusively here for the incredible display of holiday décor.
Embrace the Best of the Holiday Spirit Along Candy Cane Lane
Over in nearby Cathedral City, the area fondly referred to as Candy Cane Lane is yet another must-visit location to enjoy when holiday travel plans bring you to Palm Springs. Candy Cane Lane sees Minerva Lane transformed into a full-fledged homage to the holiday spirit as every house on the block is decorated from top to bottom in lights, displays, and whimsical Christmas attire. You’ll find Candy Cane Lane covering a single city block between Avenida La Vista and Tachevah Drive and you’ll want to plan on walking through due to the crowds that head this way after sunset. It’s a great place to enjoy the lights with kids, and it doesn’t take too long to navigate making it great for visitors of all ages.
Experience Wildlights with the Entire Family
Pair wild encounters and holiday fun at the annual Wildlights event in Palm Desert this year alongside family and friends. When you make your way over to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens on select evenings throughout December, you’ll be treated to a dazzling display of lights that cover the venue and provide guests with festive photo opportunities at every turn. The event typically runs from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm and requires a separate ticket from general admission to be purchased in advance. With a ticket in hand, you and your crew can enjoy walking a space saturated in more than three million holiday lights at a time. There are animal-inspired holiday displays to explore and illuminated tunnels and trains to check out as well. When cravings come calling, make time to drop by the s’mores station before taking in some live entertainment.
Book Your Palm Springs Getaway Today
When you’re heading to Palm Springs over the holidays, make sure you have the luxurious accommodations in place you deserve to top off your stay in style by booking through Ryson Vacations. Our impressive portfolio of property options is designed to inspire so take some time to reach out today to learn more and to start planning!
Spending time in Palm Springs is a relaxing and refreshing way to reset in a place filled with sunshine. While Palm Springs is a picture-perfect vacation destination year-round, heading this way over Memorial Day is a wonderful option when you’re looking to get out of town in May and want to make the most of a long weekend. The following are a few of the many options available for enhancing our itinerary when you’re ready to celebrate Memorial Day in Palm Springs this year.
Spend Some Quality Time at the Palm Springs Air Museum
Memorial Day is an important time to reflect on those who have made stunning sacrifices for freedom while working in the military. A great place in town to honor that legacy while you’re here is the Palm Springs Air Museum. Here, you’ll find inspiring aircraft displays ranging from planes that were utilized during World War II, to those that played an important role in the Vietnam and Korean Wars. There are also opportunities to tour a B-17 bomber in an air-conditioned hangar and many of the docents who provide on-site tours have served in the military so they’re able to offer up personalized insight. You can find the Palm Springs Air Museum just 10 minutes from downtown Palm Springs near the Palm Springs International Airport making it an easy addition to any Memorial Day itinerary.
Get Out on the Greens
Memorial Day is a wonderful time to get out on the greens and enjoy a round of golf with family and friends. When you visit Palm Springs this time of year, you’ll find you have easy access to a wide variety of golf courses that are suitable for new golfers and experienced pros alike. Across Palm Springs and nearby Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, La Quinta, and Indian Wells, there are over 100 championship-level golf courses available to enjoy and in Palm Springs, the vast majority are public courses. With 300 days of sunshine on the calendar each year in Palm Springs, there’s very little chance of getting rained out of your game over Memorial Day. Many of the courses here are not only great to play but come with gorgeous surroundings showcasing meticulously maintained fairways as well as beautiful mountains. Start with booking a tee time at PGA West which hosts the American Express Desert Classic when you want to kick off your golf fun on a great note.
Access Artistic Inspiration at the Palm Springs Art Museum
If you’re looking for indoor fun to add to your Memorial Day stay in Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Art Museum is a must. Here, you’ll enjoy a collection of fine art on display as well as exhibits that showcase local natural history. There are also displays dedicated to Native American art and modern art exhibits to check out too. The natural science collection hosts fossils and bones and is a popular stop in the museum among families. After you’ve seen everything indoors, the Palm Springs Art Museum has an outdoor sculpture garden to explore. Be sure to check the event calendar before you head this way in case your visit matches up with one of the many interactive programs that are hosted on-site throughout the year.
Take a Scenic Trip Up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
A new view of the terrain might just be the highlight of your Memorial Day stay in Palm Springs this year when you make time to enjoy it from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The tramway first opened in 1963 and today hosts the world’s largest rotating aerial tram cars. Suspended from cables, the tramway takes passengers upward like a ski lift toward the mountain summit offering up breathtaking panoramic views along the way. The trip only takes 10 minutes but it’s well worth photographing because your bird’s eye view is one-of-a-kind. Once you reach Chino Canyon at 8,500 feet in elevation, you’ll find yourself at Mountain Station where you can enjoy access to restaurants, observation decks, historical displays, and more than 50 miles of hiking trails if you’re up for trekking your way back to the base.
Visit the Moorten Botanical Gardens
Infuse tranquility and beautiful moments into your Memorial Day stay in Palm Springs by heading over to the Moorten Botanical Gardens while you’re in town. Located on South Palm Canyon Drive, this beautiful space is a great place to stroll through desert plants and cacti that are native to the area and available to enjoy in full bloom. The gardens also operate as a nursery so if you find something you love, there are options to purchase too. Ask for a guided tour to make more of your experience in the gardens.
Book Your Stay Today
Your Palm Springs adventure deserves to be unforgettable and at Ryson Vacations, we help travelers elevate their experience by providing top-of-the-line vacation rental options. Reach out today to learn more about our Memorial Day properties that infuse luxury, comfort, and style into your Palm Springs getaway at every turn.