In April 2018, my sister and I went on a 2.5 day retreat to Palm Springs, California. I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 3 years and never ventured out there so it was about time I take a little visit! Of course, I also thought it would be the perfect girls weekend getaway so I invited my sister, Brooke. Since Brooke lives on the East Coast and it was still chilly in April, she was all for it. After a flight (for my sister) and a brief drive, we checked into our hotel, Parker Palm Springs.
Our hotel was gorgeous! It was designed by Jonathan Adler, after all. Since we planned on spending a lot of time around the hotel, it was important to us that we have a good one. Here are some of the things we took advantage of at the hotel.
Norma’s. We started every day with breakfast at Norma’s. They have amazing breakfast options and their gold and purple potatoes are sooo good! They are so perfect and tender. The downside though is that it got a bit pricey, especially after multiple days in a row. In the future, I’d eat there once and call it for the trip. We also got dinner there one night (also recommend) and I caved into my curiosity and got a pie shake for dessert. What on Earth even is a pie shake? You have the option to pick a base flavor (vanilla, chocolate, etc.), a filling (like apples or key lime) and then a top and a bottom (pecan crisp, oatmeal crumble, the list goes on). I was curious, but not too curious. I skipped the filling and went with a chocolate shake with a graham cracker crust. It was surprisingly good! If you stop by, make sure to give a pie shake a try.
Mini Bar. This is probably the cutest small bar I’ve ever seen. I love a good photo op, so I especially loved that they leave the doors open even when it’s not operating hours! Admittedly, we did not get a chance to try a drink from here. The downside of it being so small is that it gets crowded very fast. Granted, they will also come out, take your order, and serve you in the lounge area near the lobby of the hotel, which creates more space. Even still, it was crowded and my sister and I were feeling a bit of heat exhaustion, so we headed back to the room to pass out. This is definitely a must-visit for my next trip back to Palm Springs!
Counter Reformation. I loooved the look of this cute little wine bar! I don’t know why, but I was especially feeling the low ceiling. Maybe it’s because it makes it feel that much more quaint. It was crowded, but not nearly as bad as the Mini Bar. I think that’s because it’s kind of tucked away in a tree-covered area next to Norma’s. When you enter, it almost feels as though you’re going to a speakeasy. I am still learning to like wine (I’ve warmed up to rosé’s and I’m working my way into whites), but they had a pretty extensive wine list. The bartender was sweet and helped me pick a white that she felt would be good for me. It was! Not too strong (just how this newbie likes it). Brooke went with a more classic red. This was a great place for us to just unwind after another day in the hot, hot sun.
Lemonade Stand. Okay, I think this was my favorite thing about the hotel. This place just exuded peace and comfort. I love how it feels a bit tropical, nostalgic, and soothing all at the same time. It helps that they play relaxing music as well. Brooke and I went after a morning dip in the pool and breakfast at Norma’s. Brooke skipped out on getting a drink since we just ate, but I ordered a frosé. Again, I am still relatively new to wine, but the frosé the bartender made was so good. So good, in fact, that I had to ask him how he did it! He shared his secret with me, and I have yet to try it out, but I’m doubtful mine will turn out as good as his did. I was enjoying it so much and the bartender had made a little extra, so he poured a smaller cup for Brooke. She really loved it too! I think she regretted not getting her own glass, but it’s okay; I’m sure the two of us will venture our way back to Palm Springs someday soon. The downside to The Lemonade Stand is that you have to be a guest of the hotel. They have Security just past Norma’s that checks guests for room keys, and since The Lemonade Stand is at the back of the property, you won’t be able to get in. However, if you stay at Parker Palm Springs (or maybe are with a guest of the hotel?) I definitely recommend checking it out!
Adult Only Pool. Another thing I loved about the hotel is how there are two pools – one for families and one just for adults. Naturally, since this was a twenty-something girls weekend, Brooke and I hung out at the adult pool. They provide the towels and they will serve you drinks from The Lemonade Stand poolside which is pretty nice! The water was great as well. The temperature was just a pinch cold, but my body adjusted very quickly.
The Yacht Club. This is the hotel’s spa. Unfortunately, neither Brooke nor I had great experiences here. We both went in for massages and left a little sorer than we went in. If you a pay a visit to The Yacht Club for a massage, I recommend making it very clear what type of pressure you like and don’t like. Since I like to keep this blog positive, that’s all I intend to say about that for the moment.
Fire pit. This was another one of my favorite spots at the hotel. I don’t know about you, but I just feel so happy and relaxed when I’m sitting by a fire pit or bonfire. Since Palm Springs is out in the desert and the heat comes from the sun, the nights got chilly. This made the fire pit all the more inviting. One night, Brooke and I were relaxing by the fire (trying not to peacefully doze off in our chairs) when a waiter showed up and brought sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate to a family who was sitting with us at the fire. WHAT! We asked them about it and they informed us that you can put in an order and “time to be delivered” for s’mores with the Concierge. I don’t feel like this is advertised well enough, since when Brooke and I went back the next night (this time prepped for making s’mores), we were stopped by almost everyone who walked past, asking us where we got the s’mores. Making s’mores with my sister and reliving a bit of our childhood was the perfect way to top off the evening. It’s about the details, ladies.
Hammocks. The hotel has a big green lawn with a couple of hammocks hung between palm trees. Um, yes please! We spent part of the afternoon hanging out in the hammocks and then one evening in the hammocks. The evening we spent was especially magical. There were two weddings taking place at the hotel, so the staff had hung string lights all across the lawn and the trees. Since everyone went to the reception area of the hotel shortly after, Brooke and I got the lawn all to ourselves, while enjoying the benefits of the beautiful wedding décor. We also had a private hammock on the back patio of our hotel room. I went out there one day just to relax and ended up falling asleep. What can ya do, y’know?
Of course, we eventually had to venture outside of our hotel to truly experience all that Palm Springs has to offer! We drove down the suburban streets and admired all of the beautiful mid-century modern houses. I wanted to get a picture with the famous pink door (pictured above), but unfortunately they had a “no photography” sign up. That didn’t stop me from taking a photo of the house – whoops! It did stop me from posing in front of the door like your average instagrammer though, hehe.
We also walked all around town shopping. I ended up buying nothing. Everything that caught my eye was unfortunately too expensive! If you’re a fan of Moroccan items and interior design, definitely check out Pure Atlas. Let me tell you, I was so close to buying a brown leather pouf for my place. I talked myself out of it because I live in an apartment. One day… one day I will have a house and that pouf will be mine! There were also a lot of vintage clothing stores that Brooke and I checked out, but neither one of us really wears vintage clothing so we walked out empty handed. If vintage is your thing, however, I highly recommend shopping in Palm Springs. Mid-century modern style is totally up my alley, though, so we checked out a lot of those stores. Unfortunately, furniture always cost hundreds of dollars (and I also had no room in my car) so again, I didn’t buy anything. Until I get my dream home, I can admire everything in the stores. Palm Springs also has a lot of unique finds you won’t get anywhere else – hello, mid-century modern birdhouses.
Our trip wasn’t very long, so our last stop was at the Moorten Botanical Gardens. Their greenhouse was my favorite! I’m so used to seeing greenhouses filled with flowers, so it was cool to see one filled with cacti. For Brooke, she was just happy to be surrounded by cacti and succulents. She’s a bit of a California girl at heart. I watched her struggle to talk herself out of buying a succulent to take home with her, but I pointed out it would have a hard time surviving in her checked bag.
Overall, the trip was really fun, and more importantly, relaxing! Brooke and I also got some good sister bonding out of it. I couldn’t imagine taking this trip with anyone else! When I go back, I intend to go on the Aerial Tramway and ride through the Sand Dunes via Off Road Rentals. Have you visited Palm Springs? Have I missed any important sights to see or things to do? Leave a comment below!
All Photography is by Cameron Butler (unless otherwise noted).
Cameron Butler
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