Beneath a blazing desert sun, drag queens glide by in open-top cars and rainbow-clad cowboys trot in a sea of sparkling confetti. It is hot. It is loud. It is magnificently queer. It is Pride in the heart of the Coachella Valley: Palm Springs.
My journey to find Pride around the world has brought me to what might best be described as the queerest town in America. And even though the celebrations take place in winter, with the desert sun beating down, it is the hottest event I have been to.
The Parade: A Spectacle of Diversity
The parade is eclectic and over the top. Cheerleaders whiz past on roller-skates and marching bands belt Chappell Roan and George Michael in the shade of palm trees. The mascot of the local hockey team rallies up the crowds – the person wearing the giant falcon suit must be boiling alive in there – but he flaps his rainbow wings and dances all the same.
After being called a homophobic slur at the previous Pride I attended, I picked up a Faggots Are Fantastic shirt especially for the occasion. It is not something I would ordinarily wear, but if there is one place in the world you can safely wear a shirt like this, it is here in Palm Springs. We owe that to the queer pioneers who made this city what it is today.
A History Rooted in Hollywood
It all started in the golden age of Hollywood. Those in the public eye were expected to live by a certain set of moral clauses, and long before LGBT+ identities became culturally accepted, being openly queer was considered to be the ultimate sin. Scrutiny from the media was at an all-time high, and so the Hollywood elite would escape the prying eyes of Los Angeles and retreat a couple hours into the desert. For queer people, this became a place for them to safely be themselves.
What started as discreet gatherings in private homes slowly began to evolve into a thriving community that were starting to live out in the open too. Word quickly started to spread, and with more affordable living than the likes of San Francisco and New York, queer people started to visit en masse. First they came as holidaymakers, but soon they started to settle down and call this place home.
There is no official data on the number of LGBT+ residents in Palm Springs, but many quote the number as being as much as 50%. The city still acknowledges and plays tribute to its roots, celebrating the golden age of Hollywood, its thriving queer history, and how those two things intersect.
Queer Culture and Community
They have their own walk of fame, peppered with queer icons, and a giant statue of Marilyn Monroe that overlooks the city and is always lit in rainbows for pride. Showbusiness and queer identities have always gone together, and nowhere understands that more than the people of Palm Springs.
That feeling of desert secrecy still lives on here today, too. With queer travellers flocking here every weekend, it gives them the opportunity to indulge in private, whether that is the nude resorts for gay men, or Dinah Shore Weekend, the world's largest and longest running festival for queer women. They also have LGBT+ retirement homes, a queer church, and everything from boutique stores, to cafes and restaurants, to hairdressing salons run by and for the community.
I especially love the Trixie Motel – the world's only drag queen themed (and owned) hotel, and Hot Cookie, an LGBT+ space that serves pastries and cookies well into the night.
Political Leadership and Protection
It is no accident that this queerness continues to live on in Palm Springs, because LGBT+ identities are celebrated and preserved from the top down. They have had multiple openly gay mayors, and at several points in history, they have had a city council that has been majority LGBT+. This queer leadership has led them to consistently score a perfect 100 in the US equality index, which only draws in more people from the community.
A study from Booking.com shows that 56% of LGBT+ travellers have booked a trip after seeing a destination be supportive of its queer residents, and Palm Springs is the perfect example. If you build a queer city, then the queers will most definitely come.
Palm Springs continues to fight politically, too. In 2025, cities across the US were forced to paint over their rainbow crosswalks by new legislation. Palm Springs, however, fought against this, maintaining their iconic Drag Queen Crossing, and erecting a brand new 65 foot flag pole to fly a giant rainbow flag year round.
Pride 365
It is a place where the conflict of being LGBT+ melts away, and people can just be wholeheartedly themselves. It is a place where there is always a party and a celebration, but it is a place that legally and culturally protects its residents, too. Pride is a special time here, but really the city is not any more or less gay on this weekend than it is any other.
I discovered that Pride here is 365, and from government officials to coffee shop baristas, every single resident makes that abundantly clear. It is a place I will continue to visit. Who knows, maybe my future husband and I will retire there one day, too.
Palm Springs Beyond Pride
Getting There
No airlines fly direct from the UK to Palm Springs, but you can find connecting flights on a wide range of carriers including American Airlines and Delta. Alternatively, Palm Springs is just a two-hour drive from Los Angeles. Several airlines such as Virgin Atlantic offer daily direct flights to LAX.
Where to Stay
- The Skylark (£)
- Twin Palms (££)
- The Paloma (£££)
These hotels all proudly display the Travel Proud badge after completing Booking.com's LGBT+ inclusivity training.
Things to See and Do
- Red Jeep Tour: Set out on a desert adventure with an open top jeep tour. We brought along our pride flags and had a mini pride celebration out in the desert. If you want an especially friendly LGBT+ tour guide, put a special request in for Bonnie.
- The Spa at Sec-he: Indulge yourself with relaxation at the top rated spa in the USA. Enjoy the sacred experience of the taking of the waters from which Palm Springs gets its name with any day pass or spa treatment.
- Queer Candle-making: Mijo Candles is proudly Mexican and Gay owned, and run 2-hour candle-making workshops where you can mix up your own scent. Our group concocted everything from Rainbow Unicorn to Locker Room Jockstrap.
Where to Eat and Drink
- Counter Reformation: Tucked away inside the famous Parker Palm Springs, this speakeasy style restaurant is a self proclaimed shrine to great food and wine. Do not leave without trying their lobster bolognese chopsticks or their faux foie gras macaron.
- Townie Bagels: Popular with both locals and visitors alike, there is a queue out the door every day for a reason. Just be warned, once you have had your first bite, you are going to be hooked for life.
- Coffeeism: Say goodbye to boring coffee – with everything from cardamom-lemongrass syrup to prickly pear foam, they have an eclectic menu that makes you feel like you have just stepped into the coffee shop version of that famously fantastical chocolate factory.
