The second part of of our Palm Springs Trip {see Part One here}, farmer's markets, the dreamiest hotel, hiking Indian Canyons and just generally loving life Stateside below. 

Ben and I will always try and seek out a farmer's market when away and we'd missed the weekly Saturday market in Palm Springs so decided to drive out to Palm Desert on Wednesday morning for their market. It also gave us a chance to explore some other areas nearby in the Coachella valley {and swoon over alll the shops. Palm Desert is shopping heaven. Luckily for Ben none of them opened until 10am}

Californian farmer's markets are always so so good and I wished we'd have had more time to cook in to make better use of it. 

On the way back we'd planned to stop at Indian Canyons for a couple of hikes, they're lesser known than the famous Joshua Tree national park but the things we'd read about them made us not want to miss out on them and they were spectacular in a completely different way. It's the largest native fan palm oasis in an ancient Indian preservation and canyon and so crazily beautiful. 

Although when I googled maps for the trails the night before our hike, it came up with news stories of the canyons being closed the day before because of a mountain lion down in the main canyon!! They had reopened it so we figured it must be safe enough in America's law-suing culture. But when we parked up we saw a ranger standing next to the sign warning about rattlesnakes. I asked him if we were likely to see any, thinking that he'd say no but he said there would be a very good chance we would as they like to sunbathe on the trails in the day and that lots had been reported over the past week. He then told us to be careful incase the mountain lion came back! I wanted to turn the car back round and go straight back to the city, I genuinely felt sick. But Ben persuaded me to carry on and after a few minutes into the trail I relaxed and it was too gorgeous to feel scared for long. 

We did a circular loop which took us through the palm oasis and then up into the desert headland looking back over the city and down into the canyon. 

Just a few miles from the city it was an oasis and felt so under developed. 

We had a picnic after hiking Palm Canyon and then drove down to Andreas for a loop there.

It was like we were in a palm jungle. 

After getting hot under the desert sun we drove back into Palm Springs for a raspberry and coconut fro-yo. My fav!

Two nights of our stay were spent at The Rossi Hotel, a boutique hotel that's just been rebranded and relaunched. We truly loved it, literally two blocks from the centre of Downtown yet so tranquil and quiet in a beautiful neighbourhood we walked around each morning. I'll talk more about it and share some more photos for a honeymoon feature on So You're Getting Married next week but every room is your own suite with a hot-tub and private sunbathing area with views to the mountains. Ours opened out onto the beautiful sparkly pool and I think I've mentioned before what a sun lounger snob I am? These were the very best. We loved having a few days to completely switch off and relax here and be so close to walk into town.

Our room was the Ranch Hacienda and I took lots of interior inspiration home from it. 

It almost felt like we'd been transported to Marrakech, a private medina to truly unwind. In the evening they lit up the pool with the prettiest fairy lights.

From here we walked into town for dinner on both nights, finding a wall that I couldn't resist standing in front of for photos. 

There are so many restaurants to choose between in Palm Springs, the two with the most buzz and that were always busy downtown were Lulu's and La Casuelas Terraza. We didn't get round to eating at Lulu's but the La Casuelas, the pretty vine lined Mexican was really really good. We ate al-fresco on a tiled table watching the street scene go by. 

Back at the hotel we had hot chocolates and popcorn under the stars by the fire pit and hot tub. Magical. 

And waking up, stepping outside to this in the morning was the dream. 

Mimosa and citrus trees in full fruit everywhere you walk.

We'd packed lots into the start of our week, it can be tough to get a balance between a holiday to switch off but also travel and explore when there's so much that you want to see and do. So it was good to take a couple of mornings by the pool to sink into those loungers and soak up some sunshine. 

In n Out palm wallpaper. We couldn't resist another cheeseburger. 

Thursday night was my favourite. We dressed up for dinner and walked to the art gallery {it's free on Thursdays after 4pm} then walked uptown to dinner at Birba, a trendy alfresco pizza restaurant then walked down the main strip for Palm Springs village fest, a weekly street market every Thursday night. It felt like a proper date, loving the balmy summery evening. 

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I like interactive art galleries and the spinning plate exhibit blew my mind, so much fun.

We loved dinner at Birba in amongst the bistro lights and under the trees.

On Friday, after a lazy morning by the pool we hired bikes once more to do a couple more loops of the city and we stopped by the Ace Hotel. We went in their retro photo booth for fun but we failed on the last photo not expecting the flash to go off again haha. 

So-Cal Cobb 

We eeeked out our pool time for as long as we could before walking back to the apartment to get the suitcases shut ready to drive back to LA. On the walk back we saw my favourite car of the trip. Mrs JFK 😍

Oh Palm Springs with your retro laid back vibe and those snowy mountain views. I know that this visit won't be our last. 

There's literally nothing I love more in the world than travelling somewhere exciting with my husband. It was such a dreamy week. I think I need to be spontaneous more often! 

You can find more on the Rossi Hotel here. 

R <3 xx 

{I was a guest for So You're Getting Married at the Rossi Hotel but as always I would never ever promote something I didn't truly love.}