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Cities

Palm Springs, CA

California · Coachella Valley

Palm Springs, CA
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, credited in the site footer.
Entry Free to visit
Scale 45K residents
Est. 1938
Season Oct-May

Mid-century houses, desert light, and pools designed for doing absolutely nothing.

Getting there

Palm Springs (PSP) is minutes from downtown; Los Angeles is about two hours on I-10. A car is needed for the tramway and the canyons.

Don't miss

Best time to go

October to May. The city's median age is 58.5 against 38.9 nationally, which explains the pace.

Nearby

Joshua Tree Idyllwild Salton Sea

Costs and seasons change

Fees and visitor figures are taken from the National Park Service pages for this park; re-check nps.gov before you book. The planning copy is ours.

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Before you go

Do I need a reservation to visit the big parks?

Not at the time of writing. Yosemite dropped its timed-entry system, Grand Canyon states there is no timed entry, and Yellowstone does not require a vehicle reservation. Acadia is the exception: Cadillac Summit Road needs a $6 vehicle reservation between 20 May and 25 October 2026.

What does the $35 entrance fee actually cover?

One private vehicle and everyone inside it, for the park's stated period: seven days at Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Acadia, one to seven days at Zion. Motorcycles pay $30 and walkers or cyclists pay $20 per person.

Is there a surcharge for international visitors?

Yes. Each park page states that non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 each, unless they hold an America the Beautiful annual pass or an annual park pass. It is per person, not per vehicle.