Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city of 51,990 people in Riverside County, California, founded in 1973.
Why visit Palm Desert
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 88 parks and trails, 104 places to eat, 30 places to stay and 11 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Century Theatres at The River, McCallum Theatre, Kenaston House and HOHMANN.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 106°F; December lows average 45°F.
Weather in Palm Desert
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Palm Desert
Palm Desert is a city in the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County, California. The city is located in the Colorado Desert arm of the Sonoran Desert, about 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs, 121 miles (195 km) northeast of San Diego and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles. The population was 51,163 at the 2020 census, and the city has been one of the state's fastest-growing since 1980, when its population was 11,801.
From the Wikipedia article Palm Desert, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do11
McCallum Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.5 mi
Theater and concert venue in Palm Desert, California, United States
Museums and landmarks13
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Kenaston House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts
Museum · 1.4 mi
Monterey Avenue, Palm Desert
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds88
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Park · 2.9 mi
Botanical garden and zoo in Riverside County, California
76 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes104
Bowl of Heaven
Cafe · Açaí, Juice, Smoothie · 3.0 mi
36891 Cook Street, Palm Desert
Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 09:00-16:00
El Ranchito Taco Shop
Restaurant · Mexican · 4.3 mi
78540 Highway 111, La Quinta
Su-Th 08:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 08:30-21:30
LG's Prime Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 4.3 mi
78525 Highway 111, La Quinta
Mo-Su 17:00-22:00
Bill's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.8 mi
73196 Highway 111, Palm Desert
Su-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00
Ding Tea
Cafe · Bubble Tea · 1.5 mi
74990 Country Club Drive
Mo-Th 09:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
92 more on the map.
History
Palm Desert is in the ancestral homeland of two now-extinct Cahuilla tribes - the Las Palmas band and the San Cayetano band - of the Cahuilla people, who are nowadays organized as a division of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
The area was first known as the Old MacDonald Ranch before the name changed to Palm Village in the 1920s when date palm groves were planted. That original tract is today referred to as the Palma Village neighborhood in the central part of the city. Most of the pre–World War II residents of Palm Desert were Cahuilla farmers of the San Cayetano band. The Montoya family of Cahuilla and Spanish descent were prominent civic leaders in the early years of Palm Desert.
The first large-scale residential development began in 1943 in connection with the United States Army's Desert Training Center, constructed in the area under the leadership of General George S. Patton during the Second World War in preparation for fighting in North Africa. After the war, the part of the site south of Highway 111 was developed into "El Paseo," an upscale shopping district modeled after Rodeo Drive. In 1948, the Palm Desert Corporation began to develop real estate, and in 1951 the area was given its present name.
From the History section of Palm Desert, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay30
Holiday Inn Express Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs)
Motel and hotel · 2.8 mi
71-730 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage
Hilton Garden Inn Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage
Motel and hotel · 2.8 mi
71-700 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage
Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
1091 Pinehurst Lane, Palm Desert
Churches and places of worship13
Chabad of Rancho Mirage - The Torah Oasis
Place of worship · Orthodox · 4.1 mi
72-295 Via Marta, Rancho Mirage
Shopping32
Gas and EV charging16
Schools, colleges and libraries42
Amelia Earhart Elementary School of International Studies
School · 5.2 mi
45-250 Dune Palms Rd., Indio
Healthcare8
Passport Health Palm Desert Travel Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
74333 CA-111, Palm Desert
Map of Palm Desert
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 47°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 73°F | 51°F | 0.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 80°F | 57°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 86°F | 63°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 93°F | 69°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 102°F | 77°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 106°F | 82°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 105°F | 82°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 101°F | 76°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 90°F | 66°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 78°F | 53°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 69°F | 45°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Indio Fire Stn Hcn (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Riverside County has had 47 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-05-20: Bain Fire (Fire)
- 2024-09-11: Airport Fire (Fire)
- 2024-07-21: Hawarden Fire (Fire)
- 2023-11-21: Tropical Storm Hilary (Hurricane)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2022-09-06: Fairview Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Indian Wells 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Rancho Mirage 4 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Bermuda Dunes 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Desert Palms 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- Thousand Palms 5 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Indio 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Cathedral City 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- La Quinta 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Palm Springs 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Coachella 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Palm desert from hwy74, Wikitravel user:Friedpez, Public domain
- Sacred Heart Church - Palm Desert, California, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palm Desert and San Jacinto Mountains, CA 2-14 (29501988362), Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Palm Desert Softball, Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old-chella window display during Desert Trip festival, Palm Desert, California, USA (October 2016), Jonathan Deamer, CC BY 4.0
- Kenaston House, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II 05, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II 04, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II 03, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hotel, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14a (13197737285), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hotel, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14o (13198027464), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hotel, Desert Springs Marriott, Ps 2-22-14d (13197737245), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Canal, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14a (13197733335), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hotel, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14f (13198028314), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 10, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 06, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 16, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 14, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 07, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 09, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 12, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 03, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 13, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 15, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 05, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 08, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 11, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas 04, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Golf, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14 (13197841423), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Marriott's Desert Springs Villas, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hotel, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14h (13197844983), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Canal, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14b (13197846863), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Palms, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14 (13197735985), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Swan, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14a (13197843263), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hotel, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14l (13197736355), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- Golfing, Marriott, Ps 2-22-14a (13198029034), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
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