Palm Springs is a year-round destination, but each season is a different trip. The weather swings from crisp, sunny winter days to some of the hottest summers in the country, and the event calendar can double hotel prices overnight. Here is how to choose.
Winter (December to February): perfect days, cool nights
This is classic snowbird season. Days are typically sunny and mild, perfect for hiking, golf, tennis and sightseeing, while nights can be chilly and occasionally close to freezing. Pools are heated at most hotels, so swimming is still on the menu in the afternoons, and the top of the Aerial Tramway is often snowy — a magical contrast with the palms below. Holiday weeks are busy, and February is dominated by Modernism Week, which runs February 11 to 21, 2027, with more than 400 home tours, talks and parties. Tickets went on sale November 1, 2026, and hotels fill up early. Winter is also when the region's rain falls; after storms, the creeks at Indian Canyons and Whitewater Preserve run strong, but this winter's strong El Niño forecast means you should check for flood-related closures, as Whitewater did on November 1, 2026.
Spring (March to May): peak season
Warm days, blooming cacti and wildflowers, and a packed calendar make spring the most popular and expensive season. Spring break fills Joshua Tree, especially from March to mid-April, so arrive early at the park. April brings the Coachella festival in Indio (April 9 to 11 and 16 to 18, 2027) and the Stagecoach country music festival (April 23 to 25, 2027), when hotel rates across the valley reach their highest and minimum stays are common. By May, temperatures climb toward the 100s and crowds thin. If you are not attending the festivals, avoid April weekends or book very early.
Summer (June to September): hot, quiet and cheap
Summer in Palm Springs is seriously hot, with highs regularly well above 100 degrees. It is also the best value of the year: hotels drop their rates dramatically, restaurants offer deals, and pools are calm. The trick is to live like a local — outdoor activities at dawn, the pool and air-conditioned museums in the afternoon, dinner late. Expect reduced hours: the Living Desert opens 7am to 1:30pm, Indian Canyons opens only Friday to Sunday from July 5 to September 30, Moorten Botanical Garden switches to weekend mornings, VillageFest shifts to 7pm to 10pm, and Sunnylands closes from early June to mid-September. The tramway is the classic summer escape to cool mountain air, but it closes for annual maintenance for about a month in late summer — in 2026 from early September to October 5. Joshua Tree is dangerous for midday hiking in summer; go at sunrise or for stargazing.
Fall (October to November): the sweet spot
As temperatures fall back into the 80s and 70s, fall offers some of the best conditions and better prices than spring. The tram is back in service, the canyons return to daily hours, Sunnylands has reopened, ranger programs start again at Indian Canyons, and Modernism Week runs a smaller fall edition in October. The Palm Springs Air Museum's season of Saturday programs begins, and the city's event calendar fills up. Early November is especially lovely and still relatively affordable.
Best time for specific travelers
For hiking and Joshua Tree: November to April. For pool time at good prices: May, early June and October. For design lovers: February for Modernism Week, or October for its fall edition. For families: spring break and the October-to-May season, when the Living Desert keeps its full hours. For golf and tennis: January to April. For bargain-hunters: July and August, with an early-morning routine.
What to pack
Sun protection all year: a hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen. A warm layer for winter evenings and for the top of the tram in every season. Comfortable closed shoes for canyons and boulders. A refillable water bottle. And for summer, light, loose clothing and patience for midday heat.
Booking strategy
For winter and spring, book hotels two to three months ahead, longer for Modernism Week and the festivals. In summer, last-minute deals are common. Check each hotel's resort fee and minimum-stay rules on peak weekends. And whatever the season, plan your outdoor activities around the sun: in the desert, the time of day matters as much as the time of year.
Month-by-month cheat sheet
January: cool, clear and busy with snowbirds; book dinners ahead. February: Modernism Week and perfect sightseeing weather, with high prices to match. March: warm days, wildflowers and spring break crowds in Joshua Tree. April: festival season in Indio, the most expensive month for hotels across the valley. May: hot afternoons, quieter weekdays and falling prices. June: genuinely hot, with summer hours at many attractions and Sunnylands closed. July and August: peak heat, best hotel deals, dawn-only outdoor activity and reduced VillageFest hours. September: still hot, and usually the month the tram closes for maintenance. October: Modernism Week's fall edition, the tram back in service and the start of the season. November: perhaps the best all-round month, with warm days, cool nights, full attraction schedules and pre-holiday prices. December: festive, mild by day, chilly by night, with holiday crowds in the final two weeks. Whatever month you choose, Palm Springs' famous sunshine is almost guaranteed: rain falls on only a handful of days a year, mostly in winter.
