For the latest on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) click here
David A Lee
LGBTQ Travel in the Deserts
LGBTQ Travel in the Deserts
Experience a scene that really heats up when the weather starts to cool down
Fabulous pool parties. Stylish bars and impeccably designed hotels. Pampering spas and energetic nightclubs. Lavish events. There’s no question that the Palm Springs region ranks as one of the world’s top destinations for LGBTQ travellers. Whether you’re a couple (with or without kids), or looking for a singles scene, Palm Springs and its neighbouring cities offer memorable experiences—from tranquil retreats to clothing-optional resorts.
The scene really heats up when the weather cools down in late autumn and winter—some estimates put the local LGBTQ population at over 30 per cent during this time. Though June is the traditional month to celebrate LGBTQ Pride, many Pride events take place in November here; the Greater Palm Springs Pride event kicks off the season early in the month with an eye-popping parade and street party, including games and arts-and-crafts activities for kids of all ages. Another family-friendly Pride event is the Desert Hot Springs Pride Festival in mid-November. And come March, nearby Cathedral City has its own, more adult-focused LGBTQ Days event, a free festival held over Easter weekend featuring an opening-night party, a Bed Race through the streets of the city and live musical performances.
The party-filled Dinah Shore Weekend/Palm Springs Women’s Weekend (or just 'The Dinah'), in early April, coincides with the ANA Inspiration LPGA Golf Championship, and is considered the world’s largest lesbian happening. A few weeks later, it’s the guys’ turn, and time for the dancing and pool parties of the Palm Springs White Party, the area’s biggest annual gay event.
In September, cinephiles flock to Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, which attracts submissions and attendees from around the world. And when it comes to one particular scene, Palm Springs will not be outdone: The Palm Springs Leather Pride weekend in late October has become one of the nation’s largest events of its kind, culminating in the crowning of Mr Leather.
Insider tip: check out the Greater Palm Springs LGBTQ calendar for a complete list of events.
Kodiak Greenwood
Southern California
Southern California
Discover the Deserts
More Ideas
The thwack of a golf club, the hum of the wind buffeting towering sand dunes, the splash of a dive into a perfect pool—the desert region is a sensory feast.
Following winter rains, springtime wildflowers paint the desert with color.
Death Valley National Park holds the record for hottest temperature ever recorded (129°F/54°C in 1913), while the deserts of Joshua Tree National Park have giant boulders and alien-like yucca plants. At Anza-Borrego, California’s largest state park, discover amazing springtime wildflowers. The oasis-like Palm Springs region (2 hours east of L.A. and 3 hours northeast of San Diego) has golf resorts, midcentury modern architecture, and every spring, the epic Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
More Ideas
At 282 ft. below sea level, Badwater in Death Valley National Park is the lowest point in the contiguous United States.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Find beauty, wildlife, and solitude in three of America’s newest national preserves
You could call it a monumental achievement: In February 2016, three new national monuments were created, protecting a combined total of 1.8 million acres of California desert. The names of the...
Ann Marie Brown
Laura Flippen
Spotlight: Death Valley National Park
Mountain-Size Sand Dunes, Mysterious Singing Rocks
The largest national park outside Alaska, Death Valley is an almost unfathomable place. The park’s 3.3 million acres encompass mountain-size...
Spotlight: Greater Palm Springs
Hipster cool in the desert
Fed by underground springs, the desert comes alive here, not only with signature palms, but also with a string of resort communities—Palm Desert,...
Lucas Himovitz
Luxury Resorts in the Desert
Relax at spoil-yourself spas under the desert sun
Pampering just comes with the territory in the California desert. Maybe in the old days, desert visitors had to pack in supplies and sleep on the...
Alex Farnum
Spotlight: Joshua Tree National Park
Rugged mountains, vibrant sunsets & uncountable stars
Boulders and buttresses, rugged mountains, gold mining ruins, desert plains dotted with the oddball trees, this is a weird place....
This is the sense of the desert hills, that there is room enough and time enough.
Laura Flippen
Desert Shopping
From boutiques to bargains, vintage to boho-chic, you’ll find it here
In-the-know visitors make sure to come to the Palm Springs area with room in their suitcases. Bargain hunters make a beeline for the town of...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Where to release your inner fashionista
Shopping is an art form in California. Whether you are in search of the perfect cocktail dress or an authentic Mexican piñata, you will find it here. Want to sample fresh fruits and...
Prayitno/Flickr
May
Saddle up for Stagecoach, the country cousin held in the same venue—the Indio Polo Grounds south of Palm Springs...
Courtesy of Stagecoach
Kodiak Greenwood
Golf & tennis
Swing clubs and racquets where the pros do in the Coachella Valley
With world-class golf courses set against dramatic desert landscapes and top-quality tennis courts beneath towering palms, two sports get classy...
Courtesy of Elvis Presley Estate
Mid-Century Modern Design
Swing into Sinatra cool in Palm Springs
Filled with distinctive post-World War II buildings designed by leading architects of the time, Palm Springs is America’s Mid-century Modern mecca...
The lowest golf course in the world is Furnace Creek in Death Valley, at 214 feet below sea level.
SPECIAL FEATURE
From edgy rock n’ roll to haute fashions, find your fest in the desert
For all of the desert’s natural splendor and outdoor destinations, creativity comes with the territory, too. Throughout the year, the region finds ways to celebrate art, design, music, and film...
The Lumineers at Coachella by Lucas Himovitz
Harriot Manley/ Sunset Publishing
Spotlight: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Wild, remote & unforgettably beautiful
The park’s combo name pairs the name of famed Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza, who crossed this desert in 1774, and the Spanish word...
February
Want a date? You’re guaranteed to get one at this Coachella Valley extravaganza honouring the sweet, sticky fruits of local date palms. Sip creamy date shakes (said to be one of the best...
Kate Bolin/Flickr
David A Lee
LGBTQ Travel in the Deserts
Experience a scene that really heats up when the weather starts to cool down
Fabulous pool parties. Stylish bars and impeccably designed hotels. Pampering spas and energetic nightclubs. Lavish events. There’s no question...
SPECIAL FEATURE
Vast landscapes, spectacular desert vistas
Both vast and intimate, the California desert is a region that ranges from arid, barren expanses to oasis-like canyons with hidden waterfalls. Towering sand dunes rise above the desert floor,...
Joshua Tree National Park by Alex Farnum
Courtesy of Bureau of Land Management
Amboy Crater
Hike into a 6,000-year-old volcanic remnant
Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973 and located just off historic Route 66, Amboy Crater is an example of geology creating geometry- it...
Photo by The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company/Flickr
Fossil Falls
Rushing river, sculpted black lava
The truth is that the name Fossil Falls is a bit of a misnomer. After all, there are neither fossils nor a waterfall here. But a walk through...
Spotlight: Anaheim
Backed by beer enthusiast Mayor Tom Tait, Anaheim’s craft beer industry is booming with at least a dozen craft breweries soon to be pouring within the city limits. “In...
Discover the High Sierra
Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley and friends don electric light suits as they create an LED night rainbow down the slopes of Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe. ...
Foodies will find a little slice of heaven in Yountville. With more Michelin stars per capita than any other place in North America, this little village could keep you...