Ring in the new year with the year-round sun and warmth of Southern California. Pack your bags, gather your loved ones, pump up your New Year’s excitement and celebration, and set your sights on the Palm Springs area. There are a number of things to do and see during New Year’s in Palm Springs, including some filled with holiday cheer and anticipation for the new year.
Desert Adventure Red Jeep Tours
Shake up your Palm Springs New Year’s celebration and adventure. Take a tour with a knowledgeable guide that starts at Metate Ranch, located in the heart of the San Andreas Fault Zone. The open-air guided Jeep tour takes you deep into the world-famous fault.
There are multiple stops for activities like short nature walks, including a short hike through a “slot canyon” and a natural palm oasis where water bubbles up from the ground all year long. Take some time and learn about the Cahuilla Indians and their early life in the area. The three-hour tour includes fees like land use fees, snacks, bottled water, and admission to the San Andreas Fault.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Take a trip into the wild blue yonder. Palm Springs is home to the world’s largest rotating tram car. The 80-passenger cars make their way along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon from the Valley Station to the Mountain Station – providing an elevation change of almost 6,000 feet.
At the top there are more breathtaking views, as well as a restaurant and cafe, gift shop, nature exhibits, educational documentary theaters, and over 50 miles of hiking trails winding through the Mt. San Jacinto State Park Wilderness area.
Escape Room Palm Springs
Escape rooms continue to grow in popularity as the years go by – there seems to be at least one in every town in the U.S., and Palm Springs is no exception. In fact, the largest escape room games in Southern California are located right here in Palm Springs.
Choose from six rooms with varying degrees of difficulty and number of players needed to solve the puzzles. Solve the clues and break out of the room within 60 minutes to win. Themes vary throughout the year, but you’ll likely be able to choose from ones like Bank Heist, Vampire’s Lair, Merlin’s Magic School, and others. There may even be a New Year’s or holiday-themed room during your visit.
Golf
The year-round beautiful weather of the area is a golfer’s paradise. Visit the “Golf Capital of the World” this New Year’s, and make sure your clubs make the packing list. Book tee times online for some of the best courses in the area.
Don’t worry, if all that makes the packing list is what fits in your suitcase, many courses offer rental gear. Ask when making your tee time and the course will have clubs ready for your use.
Palm Springs Walk of Stars
A Southern California must-see on many travelers’ lists is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For visitors staying in Palm Springs, you can save the two-hour trip during your New Year’s vacation and admire some stars right in Palm Springs. The walk spans Palm Canyon Drive, Tahquitz Canyon Way, and Museum Drive in downtown Palm Springs.
Visit the stars of well-known celebrities like Clark Gable, Bob Hope, Shirley Temple, and Elizabeth Taylor. Even presidents like Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford have been honored with a star. The first stars were installed in 1992. Ron Nyswaner, known for the 1993 movie Philadelphia and many other projects, was the most recent honoree in 2024.
Joshua Tree National Park
The unique and breathtaking location is where two distinct ecosystems have come together. The Mojave and Colorado deserts meet and host a variety of plants and animals in the landscape that has been sculpted by strong winds and torrents of rain over hundreds of years. Families and other visitors this New Year’s will love to explore the 790,000-acre park, which was originally declared a national monument in 1936 and became a national park in 1994.
Head there on your own and wander as you will, or take the self-guided audio tour on the National Park app and make sure to hit must-see locations like Quail Mountain – the highest mountain in the park and the highest point in the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the Desert Queen Mine in the Colorado Desert – a long-lived but now abandoned gold mine, and many other trails and loops where you can get lost for hours at a time.
New Year’s Relaxation for All in Palm Springs
When planning your New Year’s vacation to Palm Springs and the surrounding area, make sure to book a home that’s close to the New Year’s hustle and bustle provided by Ryson Vacations. We offer homes as large as five bedrooms, so you can share all the New Year’s fun with all your loved ones. Gather around the entertainment center for your favorite holiday movie or holiday episode of a favorite TV show, or just relax.
Prepare a delicious home-cooked meal in the fully equipped kitchen. Lounge indoors in beautiful living spaces, enjoy the view from a balcony or patio, or spend some time relaxing near the pool at select Palm Springs rentals.
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