18 Incredible Day Trips From Palm Springs You Can Do in Under 3 Hours
You finally have a day to escape the heat of Palm Springs, but you’re not looking to spend half of it in the car.
There are plenty of fun day trips from Palm Springs you can take, like scrambling through the otherworldly rocks of Joshua Tree or cooling off in the mountains around Idyllwild. Southern California is packed with places that feel totally different from the desert, and every spot on this list is under three hours away and ranked by distance, so you can actually make it back before sunset.
I spent years living and road-tripping all over Southern California, squeezing in quick getaways whenever I could. During my van life stretch, I became pretty obsessed with finding spots that felt like full-on adventures without needing a full weekend. So, if you’re feeling the heat or just want to switch things up, these are the best day trips from Palm Springs that are absolutely worth the drive.
Easy Day Trips from Palm Springs: Less than 1 Hour
1. Cabazon Dinosaurs
Distance: 19 miles / 30 minutes
Type: Roadside Americana
Best Time to Go: Year-round
The Cabazon Dinosaurs are two of the largest concrete dinosaurs in the world, with Mr. Rex towering at 65 feet. They’ve appeared in everything from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure to The Wizard, making them a true pop culture oddity.
You can climb inside the T. rex’s mouth or stroll through a dinosaur garden dotted with other prehistoric sculptures. If you grew up loving dinosaur toys or just want an excuse to do something weird on the way to LA, this place delivers.
2. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Distance: 8.6 miles / 20 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Summer for cool mountain air
At over 8,500 feet, the Mountain Station at the top of the tram has temperatures that are typically 30 degrees cooler than the desert below. The rotating tram car gives you 360-degree views on the way up and down, which is both mildly terrifying and completely worth it.
Once you reach the top, Mount San Jacinto State Park unfolds into over 50 miles of trails. Short walks lead to panoramic views, while longer routes like the Round Valley Trail feel a world away from the desert.
3. Coachella Valley Preserve
Distance: 13.2 miles / 35 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for wildflowers
This 880-acre preserve is home to the rare and endangered Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, which survives thanks to the preserve’s massive sand dunes. It’s one of the few places left where this ecosystem remains intact.
Thousand Palms Oasis is the centerpiece, with fan palms that spring up around hidden water sources in the desert. Boardwalks and dirt trails loop around the preserve, with routes like McCallum Trail leading you to natural springs and shady resting points.
4. Whitewater Preserve
Distance: 19.3 miles / 30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for fewer crowds
Once a trout hatchery, this area has been restored into a sprawling preserve with a year-round river running through it. The water here actually flows, which is a bit of a miracle in the middle of the desert.
You can wander the canyon floor on short, flat trails or link up with the Pacific Crest Trail for a more ambitious trek. The canyon walls close in on either side, giving a sense of scale that’s usually reserved for national parks.
5. Idyllwild
Distance: 49.7 miles / 1 hour 10 minutes
Type: Mountain Town
Best Time to Go to Idyllwild: Winter for snow and cozy vibes
Idyllwild sits at 5,400 feet in the San Jacinto Mountains and somehow manages to feel like an alpine village in the middle of the desert. It’s a total contrast to the desert below, with tall pines, cool air, and just enough weird to make it fun.
Walk the town’s main drag for galleries, record shops, and the kind of local-owned stores that feel untouched by chain retail. Trails like the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail are accessible year-round and offer views of Tahquitz Peak.
6. Desert Hot Springs
Distance: 12.6 miles / 25 minutes
Type: Relaxation & Wellness
Best Time to Go: Winter for hot springs
Desert Hot Springs sits on one of the few naturally occurring hot and cold aquifers in the world, which is why it’s packed with mineral spas and bathhouses. The water here is naturally odorless and rich in minerals.
Most of the spas allow day access, so you don’t have to stay overnight to soak. Expect a mix of retro motels, turned wellness centers, and purpose-built bathhouses. There’s not much going on here in terms of nightlife or attractions otherwise.
Best Day Trips from Palm Springs: Less than 2 Hours
7. Painted Canyon (Mecca Hills Wilderness)
Distance: 40 miles / 1 hour
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Winter for cooler hiking
This trail system features actual ladders bolted into the walls of slot canyons. It’s one of the most hands-on hikes you can do in the Coachella Valley without needing technical gear. You’ll climb, scramble, and squeeze your way through narrow passageways carved by flash floods.
The Painted Canyon hike starts in a not-that-impressive wash with walls that have layered bands of earth tones. From there, follow the loop trail up into Ladder Canyon, where aluminum ladders help you scale otherwise impassable rock faces. This is one of my favorite Southern California hikes and the most like a Utah slot canyon.
8. Joshua Tree National Park
Distance: 45.5 miles / 1 hour
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Joshua Tree: Spring for wildflowers and milder temps
Joshua Tree spans nearly 800,000 acres and straddles two deserts. The park’s namesake trees only grow in certain elevations, and they rest in a surreal place with weather-sculpted rocks and some of the darkest night skies in Southern California.
Hit up Hidden Valley for a short, scenic loop with rock formations stacked like giant toy blocks. Skull Rock is another easy stop, and Keys View gives you a panoramic shot of the San Andreas Fault. Climbing, bouldering, and photography are major draws here, but the quiet might be the most underrated part of the park.
9. Pioneertown
Distance: 35.4 miles / 45 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Pioneertown: Fall for daytime strolling
Pioneertown started as a 1940s movie set built by Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, meant to be a functioning Western town where actors could live and film on the same street.
The main drag, Mane Street, is lined with old-timey facades, a sound stage, and shops that actually operate out of saloon-style buildings. There’s often live music and events on weekends, especially when things cool off in the fall.
10. Salton Sea
Distance: 56.5 miles / 1 hour 15 minutes
Type: Environmental & Educational
Best Time to Go to Salton Sea: Winter for bird migrations
At 236 feet below sea level, the Salton Sea is one of the lowest spots in the country and was created accidentally in 1905. Once envisioned as a desert resort, the lake is now shrinking, the air can smell weird, and nihilistic artists have created artwork in abandoned buildings that both compels and frightens.
Bombay Beach has turned into an open-air art space, where rusting cars and broken-down trailers have been reimagined as installations. The whole place has a post-apocalyptic feel, and while it’s not conventionally beautiful, I’ve gone back 3 times.
11. Temecula
Distance: 83.9 miles / 1 hour 30 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Temecula: Spring for vineyard visits
Temecula Valley is one of Southern California’s lesser-known wine regions, with over 40 wineries spread across rolling hills. It’s not Napa and doesn’t try to be.
Old Town Temecula has wooden sidewalks, antique shops, and plenty of tasting rooms within walking distance. Outside town, the vineyards range from sleek modern operations to more rustic, family-run spots. Hot air balloons take off from Temecula most mornings for aerial views of the valley.
12. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Distance: 63.1 miles / 1 hour 45 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for desert blooms
This is California’s largest state park, with over 600,000 acres of desert terrain, badlands, slot canyons, and palm oases. It’s massive and feels totally untamed compared to more curated national parks. The spring wildflower bloom is legendary.
Drive to Borrego Palm Canyon for an easy walk that ends in a real oasis, complete with palms and trickling water. The metal sculptures scattered across Galleta Meadows are worth seeing too. Most trails require high clearance or a bit of off-road commitment.
13. Borrego Springs
Distance: 83.0 miles / 2 hours
Type: Small Town
Best Time to Go to Borrego Springs: Spring for art and open skies
Borrego Springs is the only certified Dark Sky Community in California, which makes it one of the best places to stargaze without leaving the state. It’s entirely surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, so development is limited.
The town itself is compact but has galleries and interesting midcentury motels. On a clear night, you’ll see the Milky Way stretch from one end of the valley to the other.
14. Lake Arrowhead
Distance: 76.4 miles / 1 hour 30 minutes
Type: Mountain Town
Best Time to Go to Lake Arrowhead: Summer for lake activities
Lake Arrowhead sits at 5,100 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains. The lake is private, but the surrounding forest, hiking, and boat tours make it worth a trip, even if you’re not staying the night. It’s cooler, greener, and surprisingly easy to get to for a full change of scenery.
The town center is designed like a mountain village, complete with cabin-style architecture and outdoor concerts in summer. Trails around the lake give peeks of the water through the trees, and nearby SkyPark has zip lines and mountain biking.
15. Big Bear Lake
Distance: 84.2 miles / 2 hours
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Big Bear Lake: Winter for snow sports
Big Bear Lake is Southern California’s go-to alpine playground with a real winter season and a full range of snow activities. It sits at over 6,700 feet and gets enough snowfall to support two ski resorts and plenty of sledding hills. Even when there’s no snow, the lake and surrounding forest make for a full day of hiking or paddling.
Palm Springs Day Trips: Around or Less than 3 Hours
15. Ojai, California
Distance: 168 miles / 3 hours
Type: Small Town
Best Time to Go to Ojai: Spring for wildflower hikes
Ojai is surrounded by the Topatopa Mountains, and during certain times of year, the light reflects off the peaks in what locals call the “pink moment.”
The town has a compact core with independent bookstores, crystal shops, and galleries. The Ojai Valley Trail is great for a mellow bike ride, or head into the Los Padres National Forest for something more remote.
16. San Diego
Distance: 142 miles / 2 hours 30 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to San Diego: Summer for beach weather
San Diego has more beaches than any other city in California and gets over 260 days of sunshine a year. From surf towns to naval history to a strong taco game, people never get sick of returning here.
Head to Balboa Park first, where 1,200 acres hold everything from museums to gardens to the San Diego Zoo. If you’re into ocean views, the trails at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve are hard to top. The neighborhoods have distinct personalities, from partying in the Gaslamp District to watching the sea lions of La Jolla.
17. Laguna Beach
Distance: 105 miles / 2 hours 30 minutes
Type: Coastal
Best Time to Go to Laguna Beach: Summer for tidepools and swimming
Laguna Beach has seven miles of coastline broken up into small coves and tidepools just off the Pacific Coast Highway. This Cali beach town has always attracted artists, and that spirit still shows in its galleries, murals, and architecture.
The beaches here range from family-friendly Main Beach to tucked-away spots like Thousand Steps. At low tide, Treasure Island Park has one of the best tidepool areas in Southern California.
18. Los Angeles
Distance: 109 miles / 2 hours 20 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Los Angeles: Fall for cooler temps and fewer crowds
Los Angeles is technically a collection of neighborhoods, more than one single city. From the beach to the mountains to endless city blocks of culture and subcultures, it’s massive and a little chaotic but never boring.
Spend your day trip focused in one area or you’ll end up stuck in traffic. The Getty Center has world-class art, while DTLA has cool architecture. Venice and Santa Monica are beachy with a strong subculture of their own.
Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.
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