Small town · 52 min southwest
Idyllwild
A cool pine-forest village under Mount San Jacinto with art shops, cafes and trailheads.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Day Trippin' › California › From Palm Springs
Day trips from Palm Springs
From Palm Springs, Idyllwild is under an hour away, Keys View under an hour and a half, and Anza-Borrego Desert under two hours. The best day trips from Palm Springs, by drive time.
157 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Palm Springs
- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 25 min southeast
- Whitewater Preserve 28 min northwest
- Idyllwild 52 min southwest
- Lake Arrowhead Village 1 hr 18 min northwest
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 1 hr 30 min south
- Disneyland Park 1 hr 33 min west
- Knott's Berry Farm 1 hr 33 min west
- San Diego Zoo 2 hr 5 min southwest
- Calico Ghost Town 2 hr 6 min north
- Cabrillo National Monument 2 hr 10 min southwest
Within an hour from Palm Springs 15 spots
Zoo · 25 min southeast
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
A desert zoo and garden in Palm Desert with giraffes, cheetahs and a wildlife trail.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed in mid-summer (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Hike · 28 min northwest
Whitewater Preserve
A canyon with a clear creek and stream-side picnic areas just outside Palm Springs.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; best fall to spring
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 52 min west
March Field Air Museum
A big air museum with aircraft outdoors and indoors, from old warbirds to jets.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Family fun · 41 min northwest
Yucaipa Regional Park
A county park with lakes, a swim lagoon, water slides, fishing and picnic lawns.
- Half day · Easy
- Swim season mainly summer (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Swimming · 52 min west
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
A big lake with a swim beach, boating, a bike path and rocky climbing.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; swimming in summer
- California State Parks day-use fee per car
Garden · 43 min west
Kimberly Crest House and Gardens
A historic French chateau-style home with lemon grove and terraced gardens in Redlands.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Open select days (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 36 min north
Pioneertown
A Western movie set turned small town with shops, live music and a roadhouse.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
1 to 2 hours from Palm Springs 87 spots
Small town · 1 hr 18 min northwest
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
State park · 1 hr 30 min south
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California's largest state park, with palm canyons, badlands and, in some years, spring wildflowers.
- Full day · Moderate
- Best Oct-Apr
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 33 min west
Disneyland Park
The original Disney park with classic rides and character meetups.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 33 min west
Knott's Berry Farm
Roller coasters, a Western ghost town and famous boysenberry treats in Buena Park.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 1 hr 41 min west
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 1 hr 42 min southwest
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A big wildlife park in Escondido with African savannah areas and a tram or safari tour.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 1 hr 43 min west
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A historic mission with gardens, the Great Stone Church ruins and swallows legend.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 48 min southwest
LEGOLAND California
A theme park in Carlsbad built for kids ages 2 to 12, with rides, shows and a water park.
- Full day · Easy
- Check calendar; some weekdays closed
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Palm Springs 50 spots
Zoo · 2 hr 5 min southwest
San Diego Zoo
A world-class zoo with pandas, big cats, gorillas and a hillside garden.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 2 hr 6 min north
Calico Ghost Town
A restored silver mining town with shops, mine tours and a mini train.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
National park · 2 hr 10 min southwest
Cabrillo National Monument
A historic lighthouse and tide pools at Point Loma with a big view over San Diego bay.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 2 hr 13 min west
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 2 hr 1 min southwest
Balboa Park
A huge park with Spanish-style buildings, gardens and more than a dozen museums.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Beach · 2 hr 2 min southwest
La Jolla Cove
A sheltered cove with sea lions, snorkeling and sea caves, with cliff views above.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free; parking is metered
Food town · 2 hr 3 min south
Julian
An old gold-mining mountain town known for apple pie, cider and fall color.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; busy in fall
- Free to visit
Beach · 2 hr 8 min southwest
Coronado Beach and Hotel del Coronado
A wide sandy beach in front of a famous Victorian hotel, with calm water and tide pools.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 92262 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.