6 Fun Things to Do in Palm Springs With Friends or Family

Things to Do

Plan a Palm Springs outing with attractions like windmill tours, Moorten Botanical Garden, a surf park, the aerial tramway, and more.

by Site Staff | Nov 24, 2025

Palm Springs Windmill Tours.

Photo courtesy Palm Springs Windmill Tours

Listen to this story:

Palm Springs Windmill Tours

Learn about turbine technology and snap a selfie with a wind farm backdrop. Explore at your own pace with a self-driving tour or join a guided golf cart excursion. The experience won Best Guided Tour in Palm Springs Life’s 2023 Best of the Best competition.

62950 20th Ave., Palm springs
800-531-5834

Moorten Botanical Garden.

Photo courtesy visit greater palm springs

Moorten Botanical Garden

Owner Clark Moorten grew up on this 1-acre property, a public garden opened by his parents in 1938. Wander at your own pace and keep an eye out for the resident tortoises and doves. Plants are for sale. Treat yourself to a mini cactus.

1701 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-327-6555

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs

Open 24 hours, the downtown casino features slots, table games, and high-limit gaming along with a sports bar and a steakhouse. Cascade Lounge gets packed for dance music on Fridays and Saturdays, Latin music on Sundays, and blues on Wednesdays. Stand-up comedians pop up throughout the year, and local entertainers Deven Green and Handsome Ned host a weekly trivia night every Monday.

401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs
888-999-1995

Watch surfers ride swells from the hot tub.

Photo by ashley chruszcz

Reserve a cabana or daybed for a relaxing visit.

Photo by ashley chruszcz

Palm Springs Surf Club

Desert denizens seeking surf previously had to trek 100 miles to get within 50 feet of a wave. Then, the Palm Springs Surf Club opened in 2024, offering all the stoke without the trip.

Newbie groms and seasoned surfers alike can now pack their boards (or rent one onsite) and dive into a session at the surf pool. Here, you won’t paddle out only to be faced with choppy waves — the Surf Club’s next-gen tech lets you create your ideal break. Want punchy peaks? Book time on the pool’s Advanced A-Frames. Prefer mellow swell? The Waikiki Wave is for you.

Post-session, you’ll find plenty more to do. Watch other surfers tackle tubes from a poolside cabana or Jacuzzi. Then, at the waterpark (open March through September), get your adrenaline pumping again on waterslides, or wind down with a turn around the lazy river or a dip in the lounge pool, cocktail from the Island Bar in hand. Finally, hit The Restaurant for California bites like ceviche and tacos — a fitting reward for a solid surf sesh.

1500 S. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs 760-205-3634

Choose surf packages for beginners and experts.

ashley chruszcz

Grab something to go at Pines Café, or sit down for a meal at Peaks Restaurant.

Photo by david fouts

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway — with the world’s largest rotating tram cars — travels more than 2 ½ miles along the cliffs of Chino Canyon, transporting visitors to the pristine setting of the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness.

The 10-minute ride begins at Valley Station, elevation 2,643 feet, and ends at Mountain Station, elevation 8,516 feet. During this journey, tram cars rotate slowly, offering spectacular sights of the Coachella Valley below and close-up views of the rugged canyon.

One of the world’s largest rotating tram cars.

Photo by david fouts

The observation deck provides a terrific view.

Photo by david fouts

At Mountain Station, breathtaking vistas and delectable food at two restaurants provide a perfect Alpine escape with temperatures up to 40 degrees cooler than the desert floor. Plus, there’s a great gift shop.

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking more than 50 miles of picturesque trails, ranging from beginner to experienced. Guided walks and overnight camping are available with advance reservation.

In the winter (snow conditions permitting), enjoy snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in a forest wonderland.

1 Tram way, Palm Springs
888-515-8726

“Bunny,” the North American P-51D Mustang.

Photo courtesy palm springs air museum

Lockheed Martin F-117A Nighthawk.

Photo courtesy palm springs air museum

Palm Springs Air Museum

You can’t help but stand in awe when you walk through the 91,000 square feet of climate-controlled hangars at Palm Springs Air Museum, home to more than 75 aircraft from World War II and the Korean, Vietnam, and Cold wars. The latest additions include a B-29 cockpit nose, Walt Disney’s Grumman 1, and the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter that flew during Operation Allied Force.

Memorabilia, an expansive library, and interactive displays, including flight simulators, round out the experience. Plus, there’s a children’s area with airplane and helicopter cockpits to explore.

Volunteer docents are available to answer any questions. Some share stories from their experiences during museum lecture events, which supplement annual programming such as the Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival and the Memorial Day Air Fair & Flower Drop.

Care to experience one of these planes firsthand? Warbird rides start at $195.

745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs 760-778-6262