As a Los Angeles resident, I make frequent trips to Palm Springs. Here are my tips for getting around town with ease.
Palm Springs is in the desert but it's easier to reach than you might think. Here's what you should know about flights, rental cars, and more.
Elizabeth Viggiano for Insider
- Visitors typically get to and around Palm Springs by air, car, rideshare, on foot, or by bike.
- Insider compiled the best transportation options for Palm Springs based on dozens of visits.
- Visit Insider's hub for travel guides, tips, and recommendations
As a Los Angeles resident, I'm lucky to have easy access to Palm Springs. I'm just a 120-mile car ride away, traveling east along the 10 or 60 freeways.
As locals familiar with Southern California's notorious traffic well know, that's about two hours on a Saturday morning … or five hours in Friday afternoon rush hour. (Pro tip: years ago, I stopped leaving for trips right after work. I recommend anyone else traveling from LA do the same.)
Like me, many regional travelers get to Palm Springs by car. Others coming from farther away often arrive by air.
Once on the ground, visitors typically get around either by car, rideshare, on foot, or by bike. Here are the best options for getting to and around Palm Springs.
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Palm Springs International Airport
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) isn't your typical big-city airport, and you might feel your stress melting away as soon as you touch down in this calming indoor-outdoor airport where you can literally pick your own fruit from citrus trees on site. PSP offers nonstop flights to more than 30 airports; 13 airlines serve it, including Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United, and WestJet (plus many others by way of connecting flights).
Sunline Transit Agency
Sunline Transit Agency offers bus transportation in the Coachella Valley. There are two stops located within three blocks of the airport.
Elizabeth Viggiano for Insider
Car rental
Rent a car from companies like Budget, Avis, or Dollar, which all have outposts in town and the airport, to drive around Palm Springs and the desert, including destinations like Joshua Tree, Indio, Indian Wells, and other popular areas.
If you're arriving from elsewhere, as long as you can get to US interstate 10 ("the 10 freeway"), you can easily drive to Palm Springs by car. It's about two hours from Los Angeles or San Diego and about four from Las Vegas or Phoenix.
App-based rideshare
It's typically easy to find an Uber or Lyft ride in and around Palm Springs, although the pandemic has made drivers more scarce, so be sure to plan ahead if you'll need one.
Bicycle
Rent a bike to tool around town, or borrow one from your hotel or vacation home rental, which often makes them available for free or included with a resort fee.
View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Palm Springs.