Wellness Guide To Palm Springs, California

Okay, I’m going to be totally honest with you guys… I thought Palm Springs/Palm Desert was going to have an overwhelming amount of cute coffee shops, healthy vegan cafes, + tons of interesting boutiques. I was wrong! It took a lot of digging to create this list!

Don’t be fooled — on Yelp, there are tons of restaurants that have 4 + 4.5 stars… but when I looked at the photos, the vibe + food looked medicore. To be fair, I am quite picky… BUT, it’s because I only want to provide the best of the best to you. Nevertheless, the heat + mountains + cacti + sunshine gave me exactly what I was looking for: relaxation.

Best Coffee Shop

Ernest Coffee: I was being boring + got a classic Americano, but they had such interesting drinks that I wish I tried, like a Pistachio Rose Latte + Lavender Mint Matcha Latte… yum. Also, vibes here are great.

Best Juice + Smoothie + Breakfast Lunch

Raw Remedy Organic Juice + Raw Food Bar: I went here for lunch three times in five days, if that’s saying anything ; ) You can’t go wrong here. I tried almost all of their smoothies, loved the Cali Sunrise juice, + got the veggie wrap with spicy mustard every single time. The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was their raw desserts — it’s because I’m spoiled with how amazing Raw’s desserts are in Chicago.

Best Casual Dinner

Evzin: While this place didn’t blow me out of the water, I felt like it deserved a shout out, simply because our waiter was so cute. I loved the falafel bowl [wouldn’t recommend meat], the Greek salad, + ALL THE SAUCES.

Best Date Night Restaurant

Juniper Table: It was so strange because this place was dead compared to all the other restaurants in Palm Springs… but it was so good. I know it’s a new restaurant, so maybe people haven’t heard of it yet? I really enjoyed the Shishito Peppers, Broccoli-Date Bowl, + Avocado Flatbread [add shrimp!]. They also so s’mores — so fun!

Best Shopping

The Shops At Thirteen Forty Five: Look no further than the pink building that holds 14+ shops. All the shops are unique — I wish I could have brought back a piece of pottery. Canyon Drive is where most of the shopping is… the north end has cuter shops + galleries… the further down you go, the more touristy it gets — besides, Thick As Thieves [which is on the south end!] which I was obsessed with. If you are in Palm Desert, check out the shops on El Paseo… there’s a Lululemon… + tons of designer stores. Fun to window shop + get inspo ; ).

Best Spa

Organic Glow Skin Studio: This space is everything t I imagined when I thought of Palm Springs! They had a special on eyelash extensions… so I pulled the plug! There spray tans are highly rated. I got a facial + it was so relaxing. Honestly, I could have stayed here doing treatments all day.

Best Massage

JW Marriott Desert Springs: OH. MY. GOSH. This definitely made it on my top three best massage experiences ever list. It was an outrageous amount of money, but it included the sauna + steam room + jaccuzi + unlimited tea [lol], + more… so, I spent at least 3 hours in the spa. Ask for Jose!

Best Outdoor Adventure

Joshua Tree, of course! Funny story — up until a year ago, I thought Joshua Tree National Park was named after a massive tree in the middle of the dessert. I imagined a SINGLE LONESOME tree. Nope, Joshua Tree is a type of tree… + there are a ton of them! After you hike around Joshua Tree, grab a smoothie or bite from The Natural Sisters Cafe + walk into the few health, vintage, + home decor stores that are right next door. On your way to Joshua Tree from Palm Springs check out the classes at Cedar + Sage Wellness Studio, as well as sound baths at Integratron.

Fun Fact: 95% of the dates in the USA are made in Coachella Valley [where Palm Springs is!]… so date shakes are served everywhere. Make sure to try one! It’s delicious!

Places I’m Excited To Check Out Next Time:

• Tyler’s Burgers — lol, I never thought I would say this… but, while eating raw food I asked my dad, “what’s that smell? I think it’s coming from Tyler’s? I wonder why kind of food they serve?” Looked it up on yelp: BURGERS!
• Ice Cream + Shoppe: Ice cream + a gift shop… match made in heaven. Kreem looked adorable, too.
• Nature’s Health Food + Cafe: Grocery story with a vegetarian cafe attached
• Counter Reformation: Wine bar with small plates
• Farm: Not for their breakfast [which they are known for, but it looked pretty standard] but for their fixed menu $55 dinner that’s only Fridays + Saturdays… changes every weekend!
• Rooster + The Pig: Vietnamese food!
• Wine + Rock Shop: How did I miss this place? It looks adorable!

Did I miss any of your favorite spots in Palm Springs? Let me know!

Elisabeth