What’s new in Palm Springs, California?
We’ve discovered five new venues for your events, including:
- World’s first Tommy Bahama resort to open in November 2023
- The Palm Springs Surf Club which opened in January
- Palm Springs’ Thompson Hotel Expected to Open in Second Quarter
- THE Spa in Sec-he which opened in April 2023
- The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum opened its doors in November 2023
If you’re looking for a sunny location in Southern California for your next event, Palm Springs, California averages over 350 days of sunshine and only five inches of rain per year.
Located in the Coachella Valley at the foot of the San Jacinto MountainsPalm Springs has long been a favorite desert retreat for Hollywood royalty, sun worshipers, wellness enthusiasts, golfers and tennis players. From mid-century modern architecture and the Star Walk in downtown, to incredible pools for relaxation and hiking Tahquitz Canyon With its natural beauty and rich Native American history, Palm Springs offers a variety of activities for exhibitors and attendees.
Presidents and playboys have mingled in the desert oasis over the decades. In January, the 35th annual Palm Springs International Film Festivalheld Jan. 4-15, attracted A-list stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Billie Ellish and Margo Robbie, to name a few, said Visit Greater Palm Springs communications director Joyce Kiehl.
How to get there : Located about 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 140 miles northeast of San Diego, Palm Springs is just over a two-hour drive by highway, depending on traffic, of course. Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is two miles from the hotel. Palm Springs Convention Center.
Fun fact: Every year, the region welcomes CoachellaThe music festival celebrating its 20th anniversary in the desert returns April 12-14 and April 19-21. Although the festival site is 23 miles from Palm Springs International Airport, many festival-goers stay in one of the area’s many desert cities, including Indio, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Cathedral City and La Quinta. This year’s headliners include: Lana Del Ray, Doja Cat, Tyler, The Creator and No Doubt.
Must do: Take some time to shop at one of the area’s many consignment stores. In addition to high-end designer boutiques like Trina Turk, Gucci, and Dior, Palm Springs offers a plethora of vintage stores known for rare and wonderful finds, from furniture and jewelry to art and clothing. Think Jackie O-style sheaths and Dinah Shore-style full skirts.
In January, Visit California And Visit Greater Palm Springs We hosted a media tour for event and trade show press that took in five locations. Here’s what we learned during our 24 hours in this Southern California destination.
Palm Springs Surf Club
Did you know that you can now surf the waves in the desert? Officially opened on January 1st, the Palm Springs Surf Club (PSSC) is one of the few surf parks in the United States. What was once a Wet N’ Wild has been transformed into a surf club, with artificial waves ranging from two to seven feet.
Things to know for events: The 21-acre club can be rented for private events. With two restaurants and three bars on site, PSSC also features 17 private cabanas, daybeds with lockable safes, two water slides, wheelchair accessible relaxation pools and a lazy river. The Amala restaurant can accommodate 250 people.
Fun fact: The 4 million gallon surf pool allows up to 12 surfers to stay in the water at a time. Surfing the wave starts at $100 for beginners (for a group of 12), $150 for intermediates (group of 12) and $200 for advanced (group of 9).
Event theme: On January 4, Rip Curl welcomed It’s the GromSearch National Finals, an event for the best young surfers in the United States, on the new site. Watch a recording of the event here.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort
Tommy Bahama, the premium lifestyle clothing brand, opened its first tourist destination on November 1, 2023, at the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains in Indian Wells.
Stay there: After a $20 million renovation of what had been the Miramonte Resort & Spa since 1988THE Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa offers 215 rooms with five luxury villa suites which embodies the spirit of island life and desert luxury. Signature Tommy Bahama design details throughout the resort include warm tropical atmosphere, woven textures, organic tones and exclusive amenities.
Things to know for events: With over 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, the hotel features lush lawns and terraces, surrounded by breathtaking mountain views.The Grand Ballroom, which is the largest interior space and can accommodate up to 300 guests, opens directly onto the Great Lawn, can accommodate up to 400 guests. The second-floor Sunset Terrace, which can accommodate 75 people for a reception, offers stunning views of an outdoor patio with a large stone fireplace. Learn more about the meeting space here.
Things to do: The sprawling 11-acre hotel includes three saltwater pools with pool and cabana service, bocce courts, Santa Rosa Spa, 24-hour fitness center and movement classes. The Indian Wells Golf Resort is adjacent to the hotel. Tommy Bahama’s signature restaurant and bar, Grapefruit Basil, offers island-inspired menus with alfresco dining on the terrace.
Fun fact: Set amongst an olive grove, flower gardens and over 100 citrus trees, the grapefruit trees were bursting with ripe fruit during our stay at the property. Hotel guests can borrow a fruit picker and basket to enjoy the “fruits of their labor” with freshly squeezed juice. Grapefruit Basil Cocktail, a classic Tommy Bahama drink.
Thompson Hotel
Construction of the new T is expected to be completed this spring.Hampton Hotel in Palm Springs will marks Hyatt’s second Thompson Hotels property in California. During our tour of the safety helmets, Sales and Marketing Manager Kelly Teo told us ‘Urban Oasis’ Hotel Set to Open Phase 1 with Approximately 100 Rooms in Time for CoachellaPhase 2, which has 68 rooms, is expected to open in June.
Stay here: Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, the The 168-room hotel will feature unique bungalows surrounded by two outdoor pools, gardens, lounges and winding walking paths. One suite features a wraparound balcony that overlooks downtown’s iconic Palm Canyon Drive.
Things to know for events: The upscale luxury hotel will offer approximately 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. Located just blocks from the PSCC, the Thompson Hotel will feature a 6,200-square-foot ballroom with its own entrance on the lower level.
Fun fact: The hotel will feature HALL Napa Valley, a 3,400-square-foot tasting room from owners Craig and Kathryn Hall, featuring selections from their family of wines: HALL, WALT and BACA.
Looking forward: Thompson Palm Springs will build on Hyatt’s intentional growth strategy in key leisure markets, joining 18 Thompson Hotels properties globally, with four additional properties expected to open by the end of 2024 in destinations including Houston, South Beach Miami and Monterrey, Mexico, as well as the brand’s entry into Asia Pacific in Shanghai.
Spa in Sec-he
For generations, the sacred waters protected by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have soothed, healed and transformed, and now spa guests have the opportunity to experience the benefits of this ancient hot mineral spring.
Things to know for events: Opening in spring 2023, this 73,000-square-foot luxury spa complex offers a wide range of services designed to promote healing and well-being. The Séc-he Spa (pronounced seck hee) has 15 treatment rooms offering massages, facials and body treatments. A nearly 17,000-square-foot pool deck includes a main pool with a relaxing waterfall.
Wellness experience: A visit to the Séc-he spa would not be complete without a soak in its warm mineral baths. Its water is silky and soft with a high pH. A 10-minute soak in the slightly sulfuric water is said to relieve stress, ease muscle pain and joint inflammation, and treat skin conditions such as dryness, redness, eczema and rashes. Included in a spa visit, the salt cave offers halotherapy, which uses the power and cleansing effect of salt to help support the lungs and respiratory system.
Fun fact: The name “Palm Springs” is derived from these hot springs and the grove of native palm trees that surrounded it, according to officials with Visit Greater Palm Springs.
The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
Opening in November 2023, the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum highlights the the history and culture of the Agua Caliente people with a nearly 10,000 square foot gallery, divided into five exhibit areas that each offer a unique piece of Agua Caliente history.
Things to know for events: Located just blocks from the PSCC, the museum offers a unique venue for off-site events looking to immerse attendees in local culture. The entire venue can be rented for events, allowing visitors to learn about the area’s Native American history. With a meeting room that can accommodate up to 125 people and opens to a 2,500-square-foot outdoor garden, the venue was the perfect backdrop for an event on The Flower Moon Killers during the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January.
Pass: Master planning for the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, including the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and the Séc-he Spa, began in 2015. Construction began in 2018 and was completed in 2023.
Fun fact: The museum’s curved shape is inspired by traditional Cahuilla basketry. The building’s footprint represents the beginning of a basket, the first coils of a new basket.
Main image: Thompson Hotel in Palm Springs
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