Marcel & Nancy’s Palm Springs Guidebook
Sightseeing
An entirely different world a fun 15-minute tram ride away. Serene forest hikes with crystal-clear streams, wild animals and breathtaking views. In winter and spring, you could sled or have a snowball fight in the morning before you come down the mountain to lounge by the pool. Make sure to buy tickets on their website, they become available a week in advance and often sell out quickly. If you're lucky enough to get tickets as a walk-in, the wait on weekends and around holidays can be many hours.
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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
1 Tram WayAn entirely different world a fun 15-minute tram ride away. Serene forest hikes with crystal-clear streams, wild animals and breathtaking views. In winter and spring, you could sled or have a snowball fight in the morning before you come down the mountain to lounge by the pool. Make sure to buy tickets on their website, they become available a week in advance and often sell out quickly. If you're lucky enough to get tickets as a walk-in, the wait on weekends and around holidays can be many hours.
NOT AT ALL a fan of zoos and caged animals, but this one is mostly okay in my book for various reasons I'm not going to bore you with.
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Den levande öknen Zoo och trädgårdar
47900 Portola AveNOT AT ALL a fan of zoos and caged animals, but this one is mostly okay in my book for various reasons I'm not going to bore you with.
Beautiful Golf Club and restaurant, wish the food were better.
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Escena Golf Club
1100 Clubhouse View DrBeautiful Golf Club and restaurant, wish the food were better.
If you're into tiki bars and men dancing in banana hammocks, while groups of tipsy bachelorette partiers cheer them on, this is your kind of place. Hey, when in Rome...
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Toucans Tiki Lounge
2100 N Palm Canyon DrIf you're into tiki bars and men dancing in banana hammocks, while groups of tipsy bachelorette partiers cheer them on, this is your kind of place. Hey, when in Rome...
Legendary National Park about an hour away that inspired everyone's favorite U2 album. :)
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Joshua Tree
Legendary National Park about an hour away that inspired everyone's favorite U2 album. :)
Great trail close to Downtown Palm Springs. It's part of the Agua Caliente Reserve, there is hours and an admission.
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Indian Canyons
38520 South Palm Canyon DriveGreat trail close to Downtown Palm Springs. It's part of the Agua Caliente Reserve, there is hours and an admission.
Food Scene - Dos & Don'ts :)
Here are (in no particular order) some places we've been to and liked or hated. Please take our recommendations with a grain of salt.
Vegan casual food in a simple setting. Not neccessarily healthy, but tasty and cruelty-free! :)
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Native Foods
1775 E Palm Canyon DrVegan casual food in a simple setting. Not neccessarily healthy, but tasty and cruelty-free! :)
Mexican food somewhere between not so good and mediocre, but it's always a lively scene in the heart of downtown PS. And the oldtimer band playing cover songs all night sounds perfect - once you're drunk enough to dance with your toddlers to your favorite yacht rock tunes.
If you're vegan, make sure to ask for chips fried separately in vegetable oil, they will gladly accommodate you.
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Las Casuelas Terraza
222 S Palm Canyon DrMexican food somewhere between not so good and mediocre, but it's always a lively scene in the heart of downtown PS. And the oldtimer band playing cover songs all night sounds perfect - once you're drunk enough to dance with your toddlers to your favorite yacht rock tunes.
If you're vegan, make sure to ask for chips fried separately in vegetable oil, they will gladly accommodate you.
Hole-in-the-wall Indian restauran with decent food. Haven't tried the lunch buffet yet. Unfortunately, overall not many vegan options besides the dal makhani. Young waiter is very sweet, old one super rude, but only to female guests. Maybe it's a cultural thing he can't get over, maybe he's just an ass. Either way, we found it more comical than offensive.
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Monsoon Indian Cuisine
555 S Sunrise WayHole-in-the-wall Indian restauran with decent food. Haven't tried the lunch buffet yet. Unfortunately, overall not many vegan options besides the dal makhani. Young waiter is very sweet, old one super rude, but only to female guests. Maybe it's a cultural thing he can't get over, maybe he's just an ass. Either way, we found it more comical than offensive.
No longer a good option! Used to be THE Thai place in town, but I was told the chef recently changed. My 'vegan' pad thai consisted of tofu and chunks of chicken (!), and my family didn't like their meat dishes much either.
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Thai Smile
100 S Indian Canyon DrNo longer a good option! Used to be THE Thai place in town, but I was told the chef recently changed. My 'vegan' pad thai consisted of tofu and chunks of chicken (!), and my family didn't like their meat dishes much either.
Only went once so far, but enjoyed food, service and vibe. About 2 miles away.
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Trio Restaurant
707 N Palm Canyon DrOnly went once so far, but enjoyed food, service and vibe. About 2 miles away.
Great service, ok food and nice vibe (except the annoyingly repetitive house music). Good vegan/vegetarian selection.
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533 Viet Fusion
1775 E Palm Canyon DrGreat service, ok food and nice vibe (except the annoyingly repetitive house music). Good vegan/vegetarian selection.
Cozy little downtown speakeasy hidden behind Mr. Lyon's Steak House.
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Seymour's
233 E Palm Canyon DrCozy little downtown speakeasy hidden behind Mr. Lyon's Steak House.
Last time we went the chef had changed. They had ZERO vegan options except some raw veggies, very disappointing. But Nancy liked her dish.
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King's Highway
701 E Palm Canyon DrLast time we went the chef had changed. They had ZERO vegan options except some raw veggies, very disappointing. But Nancy liked her dish.
Nancy is pretty picky when it comes to sushi, and she likes theirs.
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Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey
1556 N Palm Canyon DrNancy is pretty picky when it comes to sushi, and she likes theirs.
Rooster And The Pig
356 South Indian Canyon DriveGood Vietnamese cuisine in a casual setting.
Upscale Italian restaurant with nice patio. They don't get too much love on Yelp, but our pastas and pizzas were tasty (albeit a bit pricey).
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Birba
622 N Palm Canyon DrUpscale Italian restaurant with nice patio. They don't get too much love on Yelp, but our pastas and pizzas were tasty (albeit a bit pricey).
Amazing Mexican food. A little bit of a drive to Palm Desert, but you can combine it with a shopping trip to El Paseo.
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Alberto's Ristorante
71416 CA-111Amazing Mexican food. A little bit of a drive to Palm Desert, but you can combine it with a shopping trip to El Paseo.
Inexpensive pizza you design and pick up at the counter. Our kids’ favorite pizza chain.
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Blaze Pizza
201 N Palm Canyon DrInexpensive pizza you design and pick up at the counter. Our kids’ favorite pizza chain.
One of the most popular restaurants in Palm Springs. Lousy vegan selection though.
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The Tropicale Palm Springs
330 E Amado RdOne of the most popular restaurants in Palm Springs. Lousy vegan selection though.
Cheeky's
622 N Palm Canyon DrVery popular place for breakfast, lunch or weekend brunch.
Wilma & Frieda's
155 S Palm Canyon DrGood place for breakfast or lunch.
Jake's
664 N Palm Canyon DrNice place for breakfast or lunch.
AWFUL, NOT RECOMMENDED! Tourist trap in central location with bland food and poor service. Avoid at all cost, unless you like tacky decor, BLAND food, salt shakers that don't work, slow service and getting blasted by instrumental Euro pop while asking the waiter why they added extra cheese to your vegan pasta.
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Lulu California Bistro
200 S Palm Canyon DrAWFUL, NOT RECOMMENDED! Tourist trap in central location with bland food and poor service. Avoid at all cost, unless you like tacky decor, BLAND food, salt shakers that don't work, slow service and getting blasted by instrumental Euro pop while asking the waiter why they added extra cheese to your vegan pasta.
Tac/Quila
415 N Palm Canyon DrBusy place with nice vibe, friendly service and good food.
Chill restaurant with good service. My folks think it’s the best Mexican food in town.
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Rio Azul Mexican Bar & Grill
350 S Indian Canyon DrChill restaurant with good service. My folks think it’s the best Mexican food in town.
One of our favorite places about 15 minutes away in Cathedral City. Not touristy or pretentious, with a great selection of reasonably-priced food and beverages, including an entire vegan menu in addition to their regular one!
Barrel District Pizza, Bar & Kitchen
35939 Date Palm DrOne of our favorite places about 15 minutes away in Cathedral City. Not touristy or pretentious, with a great selection of reasonably-priced food and beverages, including an entire vegan menu in addition to their regular one!
Shopping
HUGE outlet center with tons of stores near the Morongo casino about 15 minutes from the house.
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Cabazon Outlets
48750 Seminole DrHUGE outlet center with tons of stores near the Morongo casino about 15 minutes from the house.
Neat antique mall area with lots of mid-century modern stuff.
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Sunny Dunes Antique Mall
507 E Sunny Dunes RdNeat antique mall area with lots of mid-century modern stuff.
Albertsons
1751 N Sunrise WayClosest grocery store!
Trader Joe's
67720 E Palm Canyon DrOur favorite grocery store, but about 15 minutes away.
El Paseo Shopping District
Great for high-end shopping.
For the Villagefest every Thursday after 6 PM, Palm Canyon Drive in downtown is closed to traffic for arts/crafts/food vendors and live music performances. Admission is free. 
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Villagefest Office Palm Springs
401 S Pavilion WayFor the Villagefest every Thursday after 6 PM, Palm Canyon Drive in downtown is closed to traffic for arts/crafts/food vendors and live music performances. Admission is free.