Best Time to Visit Palm Springs: Season by Season

People ask me when to visit Palm Springs like there's one correct answer. There isn't. I've stayed there in every season over the past few years, and each one has something real going for it, including July, which I know sounds insane. The answer depends on what you actually want out of the trip.

Here's the honest version.

Desert sunsets don't require a specific season to be good. This is late October, which is as close to perfect as Palm Springs gets.

The Short Answer

If you want the best possible combination of weather, events, and things to do, come in February or March. The highs are in the low-to-mid 70s, nights are cool, and the city is alive. It's also peak season, which means prices are high and you'll want to book well in advance.

If you want the best prices, come in June or July. You'll need to be strategic about the heat, but the savings are real and the pools are empty.

Now the longer version.

Winter: December to February

Temperatures: 65-75°F days, 45-55°F nights Crowds: Moderate in December, building through February Events: Desert Modernism events, film festival build-up, holiday closures in December

December is a mixed bag. Some restaurants and shops cut their hours around the holidays, and a lot of locals take the week between Christmas and New Year off. The weather is mild, the crowds haven't peaked yet, and rates are reasonable. It's the quiet version of Palm Springs, which some people prefer.

January and February are when the city starts to wake up. The Palm Springs International Film Festival runs in early January and brings a real energy to Downtown. By February, the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in nearby Indian Wells is approaching, and hotel prices reflect it.

If hiking is part of your plan, winter is ideal. The trails are cool enough for long days, and the lower desert has intermittent wildflowers after rain years.

Winter nights in the desert are cold enough to need a jacket and clear enough for serious moonrise watching.

Spring: March to May

Temperatures: 75-95°F days, 55-65°F nights Crowds: Peak in March-April, thinning in May Events: BNP Paribas Open (March), Modernism Week (February into March), Coachella and Stagecoach (April)

Spring is what most people picture when they think of Palm Springs. The temperatures are perfect in March: warm enough for a pool in the afternoon, cool enough for a walk at 7pm. Modernism Week draws architecture obsessives from everywhere. The BNP Paribas Open is legitimately one of the best tennis events in the world and worth planning around.

April brings Coachella and Stagecoach, which transforms the eastern Coachella Valley around Indio. If you're coming for the festivals, plan months ahead. If you're not, you'll find Palm Springs itself quieter than you'd expect since most festival crowds stay closer to the venues in Indio.

May is the transition month. Crowds thin and prices drop as temperatures climb toward the 90s. It's still very doable, especially if you structure your day around mornings and evenings. Our guide on Coachella Valley weekends covers the spring logistics in more detail.

Summer: June to August

Temperatures: 100-115°F days, 70-80°F nights Crowds: Low Events: Splash House (August), pool parties, weekend events at resort hotels

I'm going to be honest about summer: the heat is real. At 2pm in July, stepping outside feels like standing in front of an open oven. That's not an exaggeration.

And yet. The hotel rates can drop 50% from peak season. The pools are actually uncrowded. Desert evenings, once the sun drops, are warm and clear in a way that genuinely feels nice rather than punishing. Splash House in August turns a few Palm Springs hotels into a multi-day music festival built entirely around the pool.

The summer playbook: book a rental with a private pool, plan outdoor activities before 9am and after 6pm, embrace the afternoon as an indoor reading hour. People who try to replicate their spring or fall trip itinerary in summer get in trouble. People who lean into the rhythm of the desert heat have a good time.

Summer in Palm Springs is a pool trip, not a hiking trip. Work with that and you'll be fine.

Fall: September to November

Temperatures: 85-100°F in September, dropping to 70-85°F in October-November Crowds: Thinning from summer crowds, building toward peak by late November Events: Desert Arts Festival, Pride events (October), Joshua Tree Music Festival

September still has full desert heat. If you're not prepared for that, wait until October. But October and November are legitimately the best-kept secret in Palm Springs. The temperatures are perfect, the summer crowds are gone, peak season hasn't started, and the light is extraordinary.

I've had what I'd call my favorite Palm Springs trips in early November. Everything is open, nothing is overcrowded, and the desert has this amber late-afternoon light that photographers make entire careers chasing. Palm Springs Pride in early November draws a lively crowd without overwhelming the city.

If you want the weather of spring without the crowds and prices of spring, October to mid-November is the answer. It won't stay a secret forever.

Fall afternoons have some of the best light in the desert. October in particular earns its reputation among photographers.

Month-by-Month Quick Reference

The One Thing That Changes Everything

Whatever season you come, check whether there's a major event in the valley that week. Coachella, Stagecoach, the BNP Paribas Open, and a handful of other events can double hotel rates across the entire valley. If you're not coming for the event, build your trip around it, not into it.

For more on how to structure a Palm Springs visit by neighborhood, that guide pairs well with this one.

We have properties in both Indio (the east valley, close to Coachella) and Palm Springs (central, close to hiking and Downtown). Depending on what your trip is actually for, one will suit you better than the other.