Photos by LA PHOTOGRAPHY

A couple of weeks ago I got to experience LA and Palm Springs for the first time! This had been a long time coming as it had been on my bucket list for years. I had been to Napa and San Francisco a couple of years ago, but this part of Cali was for sure a destination that I was looking forward to. I went with another fellow Houston blogger Emily from Something Gold, Something Blue and our photographer Lauren from LA Photography. I had been on trips to some blogger conferences before, but never a trip with another blogger where we got to have fun and document our trip. I have done several travel guides of places I have been to before, but was so excited for this little LA/Palm Springs girls weekend getaway. We flew into LA and spent a day there, and then it was off to Palm Springs where we spent the majority of our long weekend. The trip was from Thursday-Monday and I think it was plenty of time for us to have fun, relax, and take in all of the pretty sights. It was for sure a little hot as in 114 degrees hot since it was in the desert, but that did not stop us from taking lots of amazing photos along the way. Luckily we had the Chevrolet Traverse for the weekend that we took from LA to Palm Springs and was able to use it for our whole trip. There was so much room for all of our items including lots of suitcases (yes my suitcase was over 50 pounds on the way home). We were in Palm Springs during their off season so some of the restaurants shut down for about 2 months during this time of year, but there was also way less people there during this time of year. I loved this trip and make sure to read all my tips below!

(How fun are these customizable wine totes from Erin Condren that were a lifesaver on this trip)

(Swimsuit | Sunglasses | Pool Float)

(Pajamas)

To Stay

There are so many fun places to stay in both cities and each of them have their quirks about them. Depending on how many people you have in your group, really depends on if you stay in a house or a hotel. In LA I would for sure do a hotel, even though we noticed a lot of the hotel rooms can be pretty small just like they usually are in New York. We went to several hotels in Palm Springs just to check out the interior and bright colors, but stayed at a house instead. I would say this is the best thing to do if you are traveling with 3 or more people because there is a lot more space and it is a bonus if you get a place with a pool too.

• Carlyle Inn $$:  We only stayed in LA one night during this trip. We were supposed to stay again on the way home on Sunday night, but we were having way too much fun in Palm Springs and just decided to stay there again. The Carlyle Inn is where we stayed in LA and it was the cutest little hotel. It was located in Beverly Hills and was for sure a good bang for your buck hotel. It was minutes away from all of the fun places and a couple miles from Hollywood. The hotel is laid out like an updated motel that seriously has the cutest decor. Everything from the lobby to the fun umbrellas and lounge chairs outside were decked out in black and white. This made for some great photos as you saw from this outfit post. The rooms had all of the great amenities and the hotel also offered complimentary breakfast which was nice to enjoy outside. If you are looking for a centrally located hotel, I would for sure choose this one.
• Parker Palm Springs $$:  Even if you don’t stay at this hotel while in Palm Springs, you have to at least go see the amazing decor inside. There is the famous “drugs” painting in the lobby that I had to see. Everything from the gold palm trees near the entrance to the bright colored antique pieces make this hotel so unique. The rooms look so cute with white and very Palm Springs looking decor. The restaurants offered at the hotel are some of the best including a great brunch spot that has the mountains in the background. The price is also not that bad for a great trendy hotel.
• Airbnb $-$$$$: We stayed at a house in Palm Springs and absolutely loved it. Since there were 3 of us and we had a lot of items like clothes and accessories, it was nice to have more space. If you are going with 3 or more people I would suggest getting a house. It was nice because we each had our own room too. The best part about the house was that it had a pool. Every day while we were in Palm Springs, we hung out by the pool. What was nice is that we bought some snacks and drinks while pulling into the city which made a day at the pool very relaxing and inexpensive!

(Swimsuit | Sunglasses)

(Had so much fun renting bikes from Bike Palm Springs, Sweater | Shorts | Shoes | Sunglasses)

(Wine tote c/o)

To Eat

We had a wide array of food while we were traveling. It was mainly what I would call “weekend food” and we were on vacation by the way!  The food we had was mainly American or Mexican food, and every place we went was super cute that had a great menu too. It was also helpful that the 2 girls had been to LA and Palm Springs before, so they also had some great recommendations that we added to the list. I would highly recommend making reservations as much as you can because some of these places can get really packed. One thing that I noticed like NYC is that people eat dinner way later than in Houston, so anytime before 8 pm you should be able to get a table.

• The Hart and the Hunter: This restaurant was inside the Pali Hotel and was the first meal we ate at on our trip in LA. They serve food all day long and as soon as we walked in I could’t stop staring at the cute little decor. The decor reminded me of a little modern farm house vibe. The menu had a Southern feel to it where I ordered BBQ shrimp with bacon and it was delicious. We also got some seasoned house pickles and biscuits with honey butter and pimiento cheese to start off with. If that doesn’t make your mouth water, then I don’t know what will! It was all around a great restaurant and I am so glad we went here.
• The Ivy: I had been wanting to try this restaurant for a while and it had been on my list. During the trip we alternated between the 3 of us picking a place each time to eat. This was for sure my turn to pick and I had to go here for lunch on a Friday. I had heard so much about this cute restaurant and am so glad we went. When you walk up to the restaurant it is like you are transformed into a little garden with pretty floral prints and plates hung on the wall inside the restaurant. My favorite part is that they offer you complimentary champagne while you wait to be seated. Why can’t all restaurants offer this? We all ordered some variation of crab with myself ordering a crab cake sandwich which was amazing. The sangria was also very yummy. This is one of those places that you will most likely see some celebrities, but unfortuantely we didn’t see any 🙁 I will note that this place is a little more expensive, but totally worth it!
• Lulu:  We came here for dinner on our first night in Palm Springs. This is a pretty casual restaurant where the prices were extremely great and you could get about anything you wanted. The menu was very extensive which was great for all of us. I ended up getting a pizza which was very yummy and their cocktail list is pretty lengthy as well. The decor was very Palm Springs with neon chandeliers and art prints of celebs. This restaurant has won numerous awards year by year for brunch, cocktails and everything in between. We almost came here again one of the nights because it was so good.
• Pinocchio in the Desert: This is a popular American breakfast/lunch bistro that we came to in Palm Springs. If you are looking for a great brunch in a low key place, then this is where you come! The best part is that they have $5.95 bottomless mimosas!! I don’t know how it is that cheap, but everyone knows about the awesome discount. We got there around 10 am which I highly recommend because there will be a line out the door if you go later. They have a great assortment of omelettes and they had my favorite which was smoked salmon lox platter.
• Workshop: We did not get to go to this restaurant in Palm Springs, but I heard such great things about it. It has a cute industrial chic decor and the food is farm to table. You can never go wrong with a farm to table restaurant with fresh ingredients and craft cocktails.
• Rio Azul Mexican Grill: This was a little Mexican restaurant that we came to on Sunday in Palm Springs for brunch because they had a drag brunch and we thought it would be fun. The food was really good and I always judge a Mexican restaurant by their chips and salsa, and this one had some great ones. It was nice to get a little bit of Mexican even if I was not in Texas.
• Tropicale: We came here for dinner on Saturday night in Palm Springs and the building and decor inside was a mix between old Miami and Palm Springs flair. There was tropical decor everywhere and neon chairs. They serve everything from steak to seafood to salad and pizza. I love how you can get anything you are really craving during that time of day. They also have a nice patio if you would want to enjoy your dinner out there. For us this was going to be too hot, but is a great option any other time.

(Jacket | Watch)

(Top | Jeans | Heels | Bag)

(The famous LACMA in LA)

(Sports Bra | Leggings)

To Do

Despite the very hot temperatures in this area of California during this time of year, we were still able to do a lot of things outside despite the hot weather. There is something for everyone in both of these cities depending on your taste. Both cities are completely different, so it was nice to compare and contrast the two cities. My favorite thing was just trying to relax in a new city and take in all of the sights.

• Visit the LACMA: While you are in LA you have to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A fun fact is that it is the largest art museum in the western United States. It is interesting to see the displays, and you will finally get to see the famous street lights that you have probably seen in several movies. I had to of course come here for a perfect photo opportunity.
• Shop: There were such great shops in both LA and Palm Springs that we went to. You can’t make a trip to LA without at least driving through Rodeo Drive. I personally thought our River Oaks District was way better, but hey I at least went right! While in LA we went to Fred Segal where they had the Daily Edited  pop up shop where I got a monogrammed phone case and wallet. In Palm Springs we went on the main shopping road and got to go into Trina Turk and Mr Turk as well as some unique home furniture stores.
• Bike Palm Springs: We rented bikes from Bike Palm Springs while we were in town for the morning, and it was so much fun! We got to ride around town and explore the views of this city even more. They offer several different types of bikes and you can rent them by a half day, full day, or even by the entire week. In the summer the hours are limited to the mornings because of the heat, which is when we took advantage of the bikes. It is a fun way to get out and exercise, while also catching in the great views.
• Pool Party: Our house in Palm Springs had a pool so the majority of the days were spent enjoying the pool complete with all of our pool floats. The views were amazing with all of the palm trees and the mountains in the background. This was our weekend fun days where we stocked up on snacks and drinks and would have pool days and girl talk. We couldn’t live without our Erin Condren customizable wine totes that came in handy! I would highly recommend staying at a house that has a pool, or at one of the fabulous hotels in Palm Springs that have some very colorful ones.
• See a Drag Show: This was one of the most fun things we did while in Palm Springs. This area has a huge drag show scene and we actually went twice on our trip because it was so fun. I have been to some in Houston as well as New Orleans before, but in Palm Springs they took it to a whole new level. They have shows all around the city from a brunch to a night show that is about 2 hours long. If you are with a big group, you have to do this!

( Sweater | Shorts | Shoes | Sunglasses)

(The Ivy Restaurant in LA)

(Swimsuit | Sunglasses | Wine Tote c/o)

To Drink

It wouldn’t be a girls weekend trip without some fun cocktails right?! We made some of our own cocktails by the pool with La Croix, and when we were out mojitos were my go to drink of choice. There were also some great coffee shops that we went to on each of the mornings where we fueled up before we started another amazing day.

• Alfred Coffee: This is a very popular coffee shop in LA and for great reason because not only is the coffee list extensive, but the sweets like this apple tart that I had was amazing. It is famous for their sign that says “But first, coffee”. This shop hit the spot to kick start our day exploring LA.
• Truss & Twine: I loved this classic cocktail bar in Palm Springs. We went here on our last night on our girls weekend and loved everything from the historic building to the details that are put into the perfect cocktail. The interior gives a modern industrial vibe. I like how this place was not crowded at all when we got there. We also got some light bites from here too that included ricotta toast, wagyu oxtail grilled cheese, meatballs and a classic meat and cheese board. If we had stayed longer I would have gone here every single night.
• Draughtsman: This bar is your classic gastro pub that serves craft beer in Palm Springs. We had wanted to go here one night for dinner and drinks, but did not get around to it. They have classic games like corn hole too that are offered at this fun place. It also used to be a Pizza Hut which was so interesting to hear.
• Ernest Coffee: I loved this cute coffee shop in Palm Springs. It was a modern coffee house that had patio with plants that was too cute. They serve anything from espresso drinks to beer/wine and sweet snacks as well. I would highly recommend this cute place to fuel up for your day.

(Jacket | Sunglasses)

I hope you enjoyed reading all about our amazing girls weekend to Palm Springs and LA. These were 2 cities that I absolutely loved coming to and that had been on my bucket list for a while now. I hope that I get to come back for my 30th birthday and experience Palm Springs again! As always send me an email if you have any questions on anything.