Palm Springs

Why Palm Springs for a Bach Trip

Palm Springs is the bach trip for groups who want pool culture, midcentury modern aesthetics, dry desert sun, and the kind of weekend where the day is the destination. The town is small and walkable. The architecture is photogenic in a Mad Men way. The bachelorette circuit dominates; Palm Springs has been a bachelorette mecca for the last decade and the local infrastructure is built around groups wanting private pools, mansion rentals, and rosé-by-the-pool weekends.

The right group is one whose ideal weekend is 70 percent pool time, 20 percent dinner, 10 percent dancing. The wrong group is looking for nightlife depth; Palm Springs bars wind down by midnight and the energy is more chill-with-cocktails than dance-til-3.

Where to Base Your Group

The whole game in Palm Springs is renting a midcentury house with a private pool. Architecturally significant homes from the 1950s and 1960s line the neighborhoods of Old Las Palmas, Movie Colony, Vista Las Palmas, and Sunmor. Expect $700 to $3,500 per night for a four to six bedroom house with pool. Hotels: Parker Palm Springs (the iconic boutique), Ace Hotel and Swim Club, The Saguaro (the colorful one), L'Horizon Resort.

When to Go (and When to Avoid)

Best months: October, November, March, April. Daytime in the 80s, evenings cool. Summer is dangerously hot (110 plus) and pool clubs become survival exercises. Winter (December through February) is the peak high-end season. Avoid Coachella weekends (mid-April, lodging triples and the desert overflows) and Modernism Week (mid-February, also lodging spike but more curated).

The Day Scene

Pool day at the rental is the entire trip for many groups. For variety: Joshua Tree National Park (45 minutes north) for hiking among the iconic trees and rocks; the In-N-Out at the entrance is a tradition. Aerial Tramway (the rotating gondola from Palm Springs to 8,500 feet on Mount San Jacinto) gives you mountain views and 30-degree cooler air in summer. The Palm Springs Walk of Stars and Modernism architecture walking tour. Spa day at Two Bunch Palms (mineral hot springs, 20 minutes north) or the Parker Palm Springs spa.

The Night Scene

Bootlegger Tiki for the iconic tiki bar. Birba and Truss and Twine for cocktails. Bar Cecil for the new-cool spot. Toucan's Tiki Lounge has drag shows on weekends (legendary in the bachelorette circuit). The Ace Hotel pool deck doubles as an evening hang. Most bars close around midnight.

Food and Drink Worth Planning Around

Workshop Kitchen and Bar (industrial-chic, modern American), Birba (rosé and Italian, the iconic patio), Spencer's (the upscale brunch spot, in the courtyard). Cheeky's for the famous brunch (90 minute wait standard). Tac/Quila for tacos. Mr. Lyons for steak. Truss and Twine for cocktails. For a private chef in the rental, Palm Springs Personal Chef Service does bach groups. Order pizza from Birba or Bill's Pizza.

Pro Tips

The rental house is the entire weekend for most groups; book it three months out for spring weekends. Stock the rental with groceries and drinks before you arrive (delivery from Whole Foods or Vons). Book Cheeky's by getting on the wait list at 7 AM. Skip Joshua Tree in summer; daytime heat makes it unsafe. The drive from LAX is two hours; from Ontario Airport (closer to Palm Springs) is one hour. And the pool houses fill from groomsmen and bridesmaids weekends; reviews mention which neighborhoods are quiet vs. parties-permitted.