Gay travel guide
Palm Springs Gay Guide: Bars, Pool Parties & Surviving the Heat
Palm Springs is two hours from LA and a completely different planet. Here's how I do it.
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Where to Stay in Palm Springs
If you'd rather do the clothing-optional men's resort thing, that's all in Warm Sands, five minutes by car. You'll rideshare to the bars.
Hotel Zoso
150 S Indian Canyon Dr
One block off Arenas, big party pool, and you can walk home.
Party poolWalkable
Palm Springs Gay Bars on Arenas Road
Everything is on Arenas Road between Indian Canyon and Calle Encilia. Four blocks, rainbow crosswalks, all walkable.
Chill Bar
217 E Arenas
My pick. Dance floor, karaoke, go-go dancers, themed nights all week.
Best night: Themed nights all week
DancingKaraokeGo-goHunters
302 E Arenas
The biggest room on the strip and the broadest crowd.
Big roomMixed crowdStreetbar
224 E Arenas
The first gay bar in Palm Springs, and still the best patio for people-watching.
PatioHistoricToucans Tiki Lounge
2100 N Palm Canyon
The strongest drag in town, but it's uptown, not on Arenas, and now only Friday, Saturday and alternate Sundays. Check before you drive.
Best night: Friday, Saturday and alternate Sundays
DragTikiUptownTool Shed
600 E Sunny Dunes, Warm Sands
The leather and bear bar.
LeatherBearsBlackbook
315 E Arenas
Best food actually on the strip.
FoodCocktails
Palm Springs Drag Brunch
Oscar's Downtown
"The Bitchiest Brunch," bottomless mimosas. The signature one.
Best night: Saturday and Sunday
DragBottomlessChill Bar
217 E Arenas
Weekly, hosted by Drag Race alum Joella.
Best night: Weekly
DragWeeklyONE ELEVEN
Cathedral City
Hosted by Morgan McMichaels, ten minutes away, bills itself as the best in Southern California.
DragShort drive
What to Do When It's Too Hot
This is the real Palm Springs problem and nobody warns you. My move is a chill bar and shade until the sun drops.
The local answer is the Aerial Tramway: 8,500 feet up, 30 to 40 degrees cooler at the top. Otherwise book a spa treatment for the 1 to 4pm window, buy a resort day pass (Casa Oliver starts around $15), or hide in the Palm Springs Art Museum. Do anything outdoors before 10:30am or after 6pm.
Palm Springs Gay Pool Parties
Loverboy at Casa Oliver
Sundays 12 to 5pm, the reliable one.
Best night: Sundays 12 to 5pm
Pool partyOscar's Sunday T-Dance
Downtown
The long-running institution.
Best night: Sundays
T-danceInstitution
Palm Springs Pride 2026
November 6 to 8, 2026. Parade Sunday the 8th at 10am on Palm Canyon.
Leather Pride: October 29 to November 1.
Your questions
What are the best gay bars in Palm Springs?
Chill Bar on Arenas Road is my pick for dancing, karaoke and themed nights. Hunters is the biggest room on the strip, Streetbar has the best patio, and Toucans Tiki Lounge uptown has the strongest drag.
Where do gay people stay in Palm Springs?
Hotel Zoso is a block off Arenas Road with a big party pool, so you can walk home from the bars. The clothing-optional men's resorts are all in Warm Sands, five minutes away by car, where you'll rideshare to the bars.
When is Palm Springs Pride 2026?
November 6 to 8, 2026, with the parade on Sunday the 8th at 10am on Palm Canyon. Leather Pride runs October 29 to November 1.
What is there to do in Palm Springs when it's too hot?
Ride the Aerial Tramway 8,500 feet up, where it's 30 to 40 degrees cooler, or book a spa treatment for the 1 to 4pm window. A resort day pass (Casa Oliver starts around $15) or the Palm Springs Art Museum also works. Do anything outdoors before 10:30am or after 6pm.
What the Locals Say
What people told us on camera about Palm Springs, California, plus approved reader recommendations. Nothing pulled from review sites.
Street interview quotes are being added here as the clips go up. Reader recommendations appear here once they are reviewed.
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