5 Eco-Friendly Ways to Travel Sustainably in Greater Palm Springs
Greater Palm Springs exemplifies sustainable tourism, boasting the nation's first carbon-neutral resort and numerous earth-conscious attractions. Discover five practical ways to minimize your environmental impact while enjoying this desert paradise.
1. Choose Energy-Efficient, Locally Sourced Stays
For a truly eco-conscious getaway, book Two Bunch Palms, the first U.S. resort to achieve 100% carbon neutrality. It powers its operations with a 547-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system on-site, fully offsetting electricity use.
Other hotels and resorts prioritize sustainability through eco-friendly golf courses, biodegradable cleaners, organic skincare, food waste composting, and locally sourced ingredients.
Indulge in spa treatments like the Honey Massage or Honey Hydration Body Wrap at The Spa at Westin Mission Hills, featuring honey and beeswax from the resort's on-site apiary. Explore more local, organic spa options with ingredients such as Nopal cactus, Medjool dates, aloe, and clay.
2. Dine and Shop Sustainably
Opting for plant-based or locally sourced meals reduces your carbon footprint, as does shopping vintage, thrift, or recycled goods. Greater Palm Springs shines with stylish thrift stores and 70,000 acres of farmland, enabling farm-to-table dining.
Savor free-range meats and organic, non-GMO ingredients at Daniel’s Table, Wildest Restaurant & Bar, and Farm. Vegans and vegetarians can try top plant-based spots in the area.
For quick bites, visit farmers markets, street fairs, Chef Tanya’s Kitchen for vegan fare, or juice bars like Luscious Lorraine’s, Fresh Juice Bar (Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta), and Palm Greens.
Explore additional sustainable dining and shopping recommendations.
3. Visit Earth-Caring Attractions
Greater Palm Springs businesses lead in conservation efforts.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens partners globally to protect desert species, using drip irrigation, solar power, and on-site composting for all food waste.
Movie fans: Mary Pickford D’Place in Cathedral City powers itself with rooftop solar and battery storage—the first California cinema and nation's largest to do so.
Sunnylands Center & Gardens conserves water via advanced irrigation, drought-adapted plants, and runoff capture. Its 17-acre campus earned LEED Platinum certification in 2021 and has used solar since 2012.
4. Skip the Gas: Walk, Charge, or Ride Public Transit
Walkable downtowns in Palm Springs, Palm Desert’s El Paseo, and Old Town La Quinta make car-free exploration easy. EV drivers will find ample charging stations.
Ride SunLine Transit Agency buses, powered by low-emission CNG, hydrogen fuel cells, or electric engines ($1 one-way fare). Use MyStop for planning/tracking or Token Transit for app payments; $3 unlimited day pass available. Routes run frequently from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. (some to midnight). SunRide on-call service ($3/ride) covers four zones.
5. Embrace Pristine, Protected Landscapes
Surrounded by Mount San Jacinto (10,834 feet), Santa Rosa, and San Bernardino mountains, Greater Palm Springs offers 45-mile-long desert vistas on protected lands.
Enjoy mountain biking and hikes from easy palm-shaded strolls to challenging high-elevation treks.
Highlights include the 880-acre Coachella Valley Preserve (protecting fringe-toed lizards), 154,000-acre Sand to Snow National Monument, and Indian Canyons, ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
