Five Reasons to Visit Palm Springs by a Magazine Editor

Andrew is a Londoner living and working in Venice Beach, CA, and his dreamy Instagram is testament to his love of travel. As content chief for a magazine all about Californian culture and style, he’s our go-to guy for the Golden State, and beyond. If you’re planning a visit to Palm Springs, this is your guide.

Part of our Five Reasons series, here you’ll find the most local of tips – from unique hotels to small businesses and secret spots (we trust you to keep these on the DL). Because, we firmly believe there’s no better way to get to know a place than when guided by someone who knows it best.

Read on for Andrew’s favorite places to eat, drink, stay, and shop in Palm Springs, California.

Name: Andrew Barker

Home: Venice Beach, California

From: London

Job: Content chief at C Magazine

Five reasons to visit Palm Springs, California

The food

Start your day with brunch at Cheeky’s. Clock off with sundowners by the pool at The Ace. Book in for dinner at Workshop. And, go for a dance until late at Toucans.

The hotel(s)

I’m torn, because I love how chic Two Bunch Palms is with its stone pool, but it might as well be in Tulum. There are more idiosyncratic options from a design standpoint, including Dive Palm Springs and Les Cactus, which are all botanical wallpapers and wicker chairs.

The store

Angel Views is a thrift store where you can pick up salad bowls, paintings, and retro T-shirts. I’m not really buying ‘new’ unless I really need to at the moment.  

The thing to do

Take the cable car to the top of the mountain, where you have great views of the Coachella Valley. At the right time of year, you can hike in the snow in the morning and swim in a pool in the afternoon.

The culture

This is cheating, but The Parker Hotel is an institution. There is nowhere better to absorb the culture of Palm Springs as a tourist destination than here, in the early evening.

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