Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
and Mount San Jacinto
Standing on the edge of Palm Springs, Mount San Jacinto rises more than 10,000 feet above the desert floor and can be easily accessed with the scenic Aerial Tramway, the world's largest rotating aerial tram car. The view out over the desert is fantastic, and on hot days the cool air at the top can be a refreshing treat.
The tram will take you to 8,500 feet, where there are observation decks, two restaurants, historical displays, and videos on the construction of the tram. From here, a number of hiking trails run through the pine forest, including a trail to the summit of San Jacinto.
The trams run every thirty minutes, and the ride time is about 10 minutes.
One Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA

Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum is known for having one of the country's largest collections of working Second World War period aircrafts. Despite this, the museum is quite compact and can be explored easily in a relatively short period of time. Much of the collection is displayed in hangars, so it's a great place to visit when the weather is too hot to be outside or if you're looking for an escape from the outdoors.
745 North Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA

Indian Canyons
Indian Canyons, just outside Palm Springs, is a popular area for hiking and exploring some beautiful desert scenery. One of the most scenic sections is found at Palm Canyon. This 15-mile long canyon, with a creek and waterfalls, is lined with large palm trees that bring color to the otherwise muted shades of the desert surroundings. You can go for a short stroll to the creek or continue on for a longer hike, enjoy a picnic, or simply soak up the tranquility. From the parking lot, trails of various lengths lead out into the oasis. On-site is a Trading Post selling souvenirs, Indian art, and other items.
Andreas Canyon, another oasis, is also worth checking out and a good place to see birds. In the same vicinity is Murray Canyon, with a less frequented hiking trail and better opportunities for spotting deer and other wildlife.

Golf
Palm Springs and nearby Palm Desert have some lovely golf courses, and during the winter months, when temperatures are perfect for a round of golf, tourists flock to the area on golf vacations. The courses are extremely scenic, with arid mountains rising in the distance beyond the green fairways that contrast starkly with the surrounding desert. Courses range in quality and price, but some of the top names for public golf courses in the area include Indian Canyons Golf Resort, Escena Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Marriott's Shadow Ridge, and Classic Club.

Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum is a multifaceted museum featuring artwork and performing arts. The museum has been in existence since the late 1930s and formerly focused almost exclusively on the desert, but over the years the direction has shifted to modern and contemporary art, including Native American art. The collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Marc Chagall, and Ansel Adams, among others. Also on site are two outdoor sculpture gardens. Permanent collections include paintings, photography, glass, pottery, and architecture and design.
101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, CA

Moorten Botanical Gardens
Moorten Botanical Gardens offers an incredible display of cacti and desert plants that range from full grown trees to plants just taking root. In the spring, when the desert is coming into bloom and trees are starting to turn green again, the gardens are at their best. The facility is open year-round but during the cooler months, from fall until spring, you can take a guided tour of the facility offered free with admission.
1701 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
A visit to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert offers a chance to see the flora and fauna of the Colorado Desert and gain some insight into ecosystems from deserts around the globe. The zoo features a variety of animals from North America and Africa, including coyotes, wolves, foxes, badgers, mountain lions, raptors, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, leopards, gazelle, and many other species. The morning is generally the best time, before the heat sets in and the animals are still active. Check the zoo's daily schedule to find out about guided nature walks, wildlife shows, and animal feeding times.
47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, CA

Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center
This is a unique and free attraction that is worth a stop, particularly if you are interested in architecture. Located in a mid-century International Style building, similar in style to many other buildings in Palm Springs that still remain from this period, the structure is a protected historic site.
The Architecture and Design Center holds the architecture collections of the Palm Springs Art Museum and features temporary exhibitions. Exhibits are well laid out and easy to understand, and staff are always on hand to answer questions.
101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, CA

Joshua Tree
Located approximately one hour from Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, within the Colorado and Mojave Deserts, has hiking and walking trails, mountain biking paths, and thousands of climbing routes, most of them filled with freestanding granite boulders. This is truly a natural American wonderland. Visit the Oasis of Mara, a lush pocket in the midst of the beautiful arid desert, which in the springtime is surprisingly verdant with plant life and wildflowers. For something more physically challenging, hike Mount Ryan, which at 5,456 feet is the second highest point in the park. You'll be rewarded with sweeping views of the expansive desert spreading out before you.