Palm Springs is a natural weekend getaway for those in the SoCal area seeking high-end shopping, warm desert temperatures, and sprawling spa resorts — aka, celebrities and anyone trying to escape the 405 traffic and DTLA smog. Even more so than other destination on this list, Palm Springs is deeply rooted in a tradition of celebrity vacationing; the desert town first became popular in the 1920s, when celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Cary Grant used it as a quick escape from the media and buzz of Hollywood. Since then, Palm Springs has diversified its brand, expanding into music and film festivals, boutique hotel properties, and family-friendly attractions — but it continues to be popular with Hollywood's biggest stars.
Where to stay: Channel Frank Capra at La Quinta Resort & Club; he called the winding, 45-acre grounds (and 41 pools) his “Shangri-La of Screenwriting.”
