Palm Springs, California, is one of the gayest cities in the world. 30 to 50% of the population of 45,000 people is estimated to be LGBTQ+. Tourism is the city’s biggest industry, and it boasts 11 queer resorts, more than any other place on the planet.

If you want to get an idea of the climate in Palm Springs, think of the opposite of the climate here in Ireland, and you will be pretty close. It gets 300 to 350 days of sunshine a year, making it one of the sunniest places in the United States. It also only gets about 12 cm of rain a year.

The average high temperature is about 40 degrees in the summer, but it is generally very dry heat. The ‘coldest’ month is January, with the average high temperature reaching 17 to 21 degrees.

Palm Springs is known for its mid-century modern architecture. It experienced a building boom from the ’40s through the ’60s when the city became a hotspot for the Hollywood rich and famous to get away from the Los Angeles paparazzi.

There are no nonstop flights from Ireland to Palm Springs, but there are a number of connecting flights. The Palm Springs airport is only about three kilometres from the city’s downtown, and it is one of the nicest and easiest airports in America. There are seldom long lines there, and you can wait for your flight in an outdoor park. It’s also very easy to rent a car there, with the rental lot just steps from the main terminal. No shuttle required.

Palm Springs is about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles in good traffic, but the traffic is seldom good. It is also about an hour’s drive from the Ontario, California, airport. However, if you can get a good airfare to Palm Springs, it is worth the hassle of not having to deal with the traffic, especially in LA.

Palm Springs is gearing up for a busy fall highlighted by the 40th anniversary of Pride planned for the weekend of November 6 to 8. If you can get there early, the Pride block party will be on Arenas Road starting at 3pm on Friday, November 6. The Pride festival on Saturday, November 7 is free, and the Pride parade steps off on Sunday, November 8.

Before Pride, women take centre stage with The Dinah festival. This year, it ran from Wednesday, September 30 to Sunday, October 4, including headliner Hayley Kiyoko, alongside Da Brat, Sasha Keable, and The Aces.

Leather Pride kicks off the weekend before Pride from Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 1. Leather will overlap with Halloween this year, which is sure to be a great mix. Arenas Road will host its annual Halloween block party on Saturday, October 31, from 4pm to 10pm.

Of course, there is plenty to enjoy beyond Pride. Check out the Greater Palm Springs website for more information and for the deals.

If you have never been to Desert Hot Springs, spa month in September is a good time to relax in mineral water, after which the city is named. Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa Oasis is one of the best locations, with indoor and outdoor mineral baths and a famous pebble-lined stream “reflexology” walkway giving you a foot massage and soak.

Another good day trip outside Palm Springs city limits is Indio. Its downtown is undergoing a major resurgence highlighted by its new City Hall and library. Indio recently unveiled a public art installation in the heart of downtown. The 20- and 72-meter colourful robot-like sculptures called ‘The Messengers’ were first displayed at the Coachella music festival in 2023 and are now permanently on display in Indio.

Be sure to also check out The Place. It is an indoor collective of local, independent and inspiring artists. Two of those artists are Indio native Adolfo Vasquez and his husband, former LA resident Vincent Sandoval. They run the Chicano Candle company, which includes a candle bar where you can put together a unique scent that inspires you.

Palm Springs has two new queer landmarks put up over the past year. In October 2025, a 65-foot Pride flagpole was installed at the corner of Arenas Road and Indian Canyon Drive, across from the Arenas District. In the same month, the eight-foot-tall multicoloured Pride Monument was unveiled at Frances Stevens Park at 500 N. Palm Canyon Drive, about a 15-minute walk from Arenas Road.

Palm Springs offers 10 gay male resorts in city limits, and neighbouring Cathedral City has the largest resort in the area, Cathedral City Boys Club (CCBC). Sadly, Palm Springs’ only downtown gay resort, Canyon Club Hotel, closed in December and is being converted into a mainstream property.

All the gay resorts are clothing optional. Most provide free continental breakfast, and some throw in a free lunch. The fabulous Santiago resort has the largest pool of any of the gay resorts and like its sister resorts, Twin Palms and Descanso, has a 24-hour free canteen where guests can help themselves to snacks and beverages. All three properties offer a free lunch and are known for pampering guests.

The Triangle Inn is kitty-corner from Santiago and is an historic property in the mid-century modern motif for which Palm Springs is known. It has a well-deserved loyal following.

The other gay resorts are in the Warm Sands neighbourhood and include Palm Springs first gay resort, El Mirasol Villas, as well as Casa Oliver, Desert Paradise, Vista Grande, Hacienda Palm Springs and InnDulge. CCBC, Desert Paradise Resort and Casa Oliver are the only gay resorts that offer day passes.

The space occupied by the legendary The Barracks bar in Cathedral City will soon be reborn as the Cathedral City Eagle. Major construction has been underway at the property for months, and it is scheduled to be open sometime in October. Although the address is on E Palm Canyon Drive, it is a little hard to find even with GPS, because it is set back off the street behind the Arco gas station.

The other two gay bars in Cathedral City are One Eleven, Roost and Runway, which is part of CCBC. The biggest concentration of queer nightlife is on a one-block strip of Arenas Road in downtown Palm Springs. On the north end of town, Toucans Tiki Lounge is going strong on Thursdays through Sundays.

If you can get to Palm Springs by October 18, be sure to check out the exhibit A Queer Arcana at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The exhibit explores queer art and culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum is free on Thursdays from 5pm to 8pm. You can combine it with a visit to the Palm Springs Village Fest street fair on Palm Canyon Drive that runs from 7pm to 10pm.

No visit to Palm Springs would be complete without a visit to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The summit of Mount San Jacinto has great hiking trails where you can comfortably hike even in the summer, with temperatures as much as 20 degrees cooler than the city.

The Palm Springs restaurant scene doesn’t disappoint. Boozehounds, on the north end of town, across from Toucans, is one of the more unique restaurants in town. They welcome dogs on the expansive patio, and the huge restaurant feels spacious even during the busiest times of the year. Be sure to try the pastrami sandwich.

The other mainstays are the fab Trio, the upscale but down-to-earth Eight4Nine, and, in the heart of downtown, Lulu’s, Pinocchio’s and Oscar’s weekend drag brunches. Oscar’s is also famous for its Sunday tea dances. If you are looking for a late-night bite, check out BlackBook on Arenas Road for casual gourmet bar food.

For a uniquely queer overall tour of Palm Springs, check out Drag & Fly Tours, which features stadium-style sideways seating on a bus and a drag queen who shows off highlights and history of the city. Red Jeep Tours is another great option if you want to explore the desert’s natural beauty.

If you want to avoid crowds and enjoy lower hotel prices, summer through September is a good time to visit. It’s also slower in the desert in the weeks just after the US Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Crowds pick up in Christmas week through New Year’s, and then things usually slow down in January until around Valentine’s Day.

For more information, visit the Greater Palm Springs official website.