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
$180
1 night at 3-star hotel
Palm Desert in July
Estimated hotel price
$180
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 10 miles 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 Minneapolis and takes around 3h 38m.

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 113 miles from Palm Desert. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Palm Desert using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Los Angeles, the bus ride to Palm Desert takes 125 miles and will cost you around $21. From Phoenix, the ticket costs about $52 for a journey of 285 miles. Palm Desert’s bus station is located 1.3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Palm Desert, you’ll arrive at Palm Springs (PSP), which is located 10 miles 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 Minneapolis and takes around 3h 38m.

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 113 miles from Palm Desert. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Palm Desert using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Los Angeles, the bus ride to Palm Desert takes 125 miles and will cost you around $21. From Phoenix, the ticket costs about $52 for a journey of 285 miles. Palm Desert’s bus station is located 1.3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Palm Desert

Airlines serving Palm Desert

Lufthansa
Good (4,676 reviews)
KLM
Good (845 reviews)
SWISS
Good (950 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,623 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,257 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,582 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,109 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,434 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,984 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,996 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (856 reviews)
LOT
Good (677 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (932 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,169 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (412 reviews)
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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, 650 reviews)
$145+
The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 566 reviews)
$153+
Courtyard by Marriott Palm Desert
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 561 reviews)
$106+
Best Western Plus Palm Desert Resort
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 549 reviews)
$106+
Hyatt Reg Indian Wells Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 502 reviews)
$315+
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 458 reviews)
$303+

Renting a car in Palm Desert

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $59 per day, on average, or $119 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 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 1% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.90 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 $46.79 and $62.38. Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Palm Desert, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $59 per day, on average, or $119 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 3 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 1% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.90 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 $46.79 and $62.38. Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Palm Desert, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.