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
$179
1 night at 3-star hotel
Palm Desert in July
Estimated hotel price
$179
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, Alaska Airlines and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Palm Desert departs from Santa Rosa and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Palm Desert. The train journey from Palm Desert to Los Angeles takes 2h 36m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Dallas, expect to pay about $122 for a 40h 02m trip.

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 Ace and Kyte, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

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, Alaska Airlines and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Palm Desert departs from Santa Rosa and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Palm Desert. The train journey from Palm Desert to Los Angeles takes 2h 36m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Dallas, expect to pay about $122 for a 40h 02m trip.

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 Ace and Kyte, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

Palm Desert’s bus station is located 1.3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Palm Desert

Airlines serving Palm Desert

Lufthansa
Good (4,664 reviews)
KLM
Good (852 reviews)
SWISS
Good (941 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,534 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,614 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,306 reviews)
Air France
Good (984 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,585 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (484 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,958 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,119 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,469 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,859 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (872 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,176 reviews)
LOT
Good (685 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (922 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,651 reviews)
Show more

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, 649 reviews)
$147+
The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 582 reviews)
$174+
Best Western Plus Palm Desert Resort
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 569 reviews)
$116+
Courtyard by Marriott Palm Desert
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 566 reviews)
$106+
Hyatt Reg Indian Wells Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 510 reviews)
$328+
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 462 reviews)
$305+

Renting a car in Palm Desert

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $54 per day, on average, or $109 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 5% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.94 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 $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Palm Desert is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Palm Desert costs $54 per day, on average, or $109 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 5% cheaper than airport locations in Palm Desert.

Expect to pay $3.94 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 $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Palm Desert is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Forte or similar) are, on average, 72% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.