Floating in a crystal-blue swimming pool under the palm trees, ensconced in all things Trixie. This was the start of my Palm Springs getaway. The city that’s famous for mid-century modern style, martinis, and celebrity hobnobbing is also home to the Trixie Motel, the first real drag-built lodging. It’s a testament to the all-around rosy-pink vibes of California’s ultimate desert destination.
Though Palm Springs grew roots as an early-1900s tourist oasis, by the 1920s and 30s, Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ luminaries found a sanctuary here. It has attracted the likes of queer icons Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, George Cukor, and Liberace. A few decades later in the 80s and 90s came the first Palm Springs Pride (held in November), Club Skirts Dinah Shore lesbian festival, the White Party, the International Bear Convergence, and other rainbow-clad fiestas.
In a town famous as Hollywood’s desert play ground, timeless Melvyn’s at the Ingleside Inn has long been tops for drinks at the piano bar, or better still for a classic dinner experience—perhaps even at Frank Sinatra’s old table. For a bite of something more modern, gay-owned Trio drives seasonal California cuisine to new heights, all in the historic 1953 Turonnet building. Meanwhile, Eight4Nine is a favorite with locals and visitors alike, focusing on Italian and West-Coast inspired dishes, including fresh seafood.
Excellent Mexican cuisine is also a must in Palm Springs. There are casual sit-down spots like El Patron Taqueria and Las Casuelas, open since 1958. For more upscale Mexican fare, head to woman-owned Clandestino, a sister restaurant to three more excellent eateries that put fresh local ingredients front and center: Tac/Quila, French-leaning Farm, and the elegant Front Porch.
Arts and culture are central to a Palm Springs visit, starting with the amazing collection at the Palm Springs Art Museum, located just west of the 26-foot-tall Forever Marilyn statue. Expect fantastic temporary shows and impressive permanent exhibits throughout its three stories, with the excellent indoor-outdoor Livs restaurant on its lower level. The museum also operates the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden and 1931 Aluminaire House next door to the main building, as well as the Architecture and Design Center on Palm Canyon Drive.
Originally opened in 1936, the Plaza Theatre is an architectural gem and a symbol of Palm Springs’ storied creative legacy. Thanks to a city-led, community-supported restoration, the venue reopened in December 2025 as a modern, fully equipped performance space—a home for music, theatre, dance, film, and civic celebration. The Plaza Theatre has also established a multi-year partnership with the acclaimed Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, who will serve as the theatre’s inaugural resident artists.
Lodging in Palm Springs can be wild, ritzy, kitschy, or zesty. The 66-room Royal Sun is one of the newer options on the strip’s south end. The hotel debuted in the 1960s and has recently been reborn as contemporary accommodations with a breezy courtyard pool and High Moon restaurant. It’s a few blocks from the Ace Hotel & Swim Club, a hipster hangout with fun DJ’ed parties and the Kings Highway diner-style restaurant.
Palm Springs is also home to several adults-only hotels, and about a dozen men only, clothing-optional inns. Among the gay favorites are the luxurious boutique Santiago Resort, and the lushly landscaped Descanso Resort. For a great list of other exceptional options visit AuthenticPalmSprings.com.
