From the nation’s first carbon-neutral resort to attractions that prioritize conservation, Greater Palm Springs offers plenty of ways to travel more sustainably. Here are six ideas to inspire your next visit.

1. Sustainable Stays: Consider Booking at an Eco-Friendly Hotel

If you’re looking for a 100 percent carbon-neutral escape, Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs is a standout in sustainable hospitality. The hot springs resort was the first in the U.S. to fully offset its electricity use with a 547-kilowatt solar system, and it also treats runoff and grey water through reverse osmosis for reuse in irrigation.

The Good House is another Desert Hot Springs resort that prioritizes sustainability. The boutique hot springs retreat runs almost entirely on solar power, and they partner with locally owned Temalpakh Farms to source fresh, seasonal produce. Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs also embraces eco-friendly practices, including energy-efficient lighting, large-format refillable bath amenities, smart irrigation systems and water conservation efforts. They are also one of the first Palm Springs hotels to join Kind Traveler, a give-and-get platform that supports local nonprofits. Through this partnership, Kimpton supports Friends of the Desert Mountains, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving land in the Coachella Valley.

For more green getaways, check out our roundup of 10 The Most Eco-Friendly Hotels In Greater Palm Springs.

2. Keep it Local: Dine at Farm-to-Table Restaurants & Buy From Small Businesses 

Eating plant-based and locally sourced food is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint — and supporting local shops, artisans and secondhand stores is another sustainable choice. As one of the nation’s top agricultural hubs, Greater Palm Springs boasts more than 70,000 acres of crops, allowing local chefs to serve up fresh, farm-to-table dishes year-round. The region is also a haven for vintage and thrift shopping, with stylish finds ranging from clothing and jewelry to home décor.

For meals made with organic, locally sourced ingredients, try spots like Wildest Restaurant & Bar, Luscious Lorraine’s or Palm Greens Cafe. Prefer a plant-based menu? Check out Chef Tanya’s Kitchen, a local favorite, or browse this roundup of vegan and vegetarian-only restaurants in Greater Palm Springs. Don’t forget to visit a farmers market while you’re in town — many include vendors selling fresh produce and ready-to-eat food from places like Temalpakh Farm and A Bakery.

3. Green Golfing: Tee Off on a Course That Cares for the Environment 

In the desert, conserving resources is key — and local golf resorts are finding creative ways to make the sport more eco-friendly. La Quinta Resort and Club leads the way, with Audubon International Certification on all nine courses at the resort, PGA WEST and Citrus Club. The resort has a composting machine that converts all leftover food into mulch, and all grass at the resort and golf courses is composted as well. At the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells, artificial turf has replaced traditional grass in several areas to conserve water. The property also composts organic waste for reuse on nearby farms, schools and golf courses, and it participates in Clean the World, a hospitality recycling program that distributes lightly used soap and hygiene products to communities in need.

4. Support Eco-Conscious Attractions

Eco-conscious values run deep in Greater Palm Springs, with several local attractions committed to conservation, education and responsible design. 

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens partners with conservation organizations around the world to help protect desert species at risk of extinction. On-site efforts include drip irrigation throughout the grounds, a solar generating system, and composting of all food waste — human and animal — on the property. Sunnylands Center & Gardens also takes a forward-thinking approach to sustainability. The estate minimizes water use with drought-tolerant landscaping, smart irrigation and underground retention basins that capture runoff beneath the gardens. For moviegoers, Mary Pickford is D’Place Theater in Cathedral City is another impressive example. The theater powers itself at night using a roof-mounted solar array and an on-site energy storage system, and it’s the first cinema in California — and the largest in the U.S. — to operate with this kind of solar and battery infrastructure.

5. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Bike, Walk or Take Public Transit 

Exploring Greater Palm Springs on foot, bike or public transit is not only convenient — it’s also a great way to cut down on emissions. Many cities have walkable downtown areas filled with shops, restaurants and nightlife, including downtown Palm Springs, Palm Desert’s El Paseo district and Old Town La Quinta. If you're more of a cyclist, check out guided bike tours like the Palm Springs Historical Society’s Bike the Mid Mod Oasis and Bike Like a Star experiences.

For longer trips, hop aboard the SunLine Transit Agency’s eco-friendly SunBus, which runs on low-emission compressed natural gas and zero-emission electric or hydrogen engines. Routes cover most of the region, with major lines like Route 1 running every 20 minutes along Highway 111 from Palm Springs to Coachella. Fares are just $1 each way, or $3 for an all-day pass, and you can plan your route with the MyStop app or pay with your phone using Token Transit. SunRide, an affordable on-demand service, is also available in select areas to help connect you to nearby bus stops.

And for those traveling with electric vehicles, charging stations are widely available throughout the region — so you can power up while shopping, dining or hitting the trail.

6. Explore the Outdoors: Visit Our Parks and Public Lands

Greater Palm Springs is defined by its dramatic topography, with 10,834-foot Mount San Jacinto rising above a vast desert landscape of dunes, palm oases and mineral springs. Throughout the oasis, you’ll find epic mountain biking trails and scenic hikes that range from easy, short strolls through palm tree-canopied trails to challenging hikes with serious elevation gain.

Public lands here are rich with biodiversity and cultural history. Explore more than 880 acres at the Coachella Valley Preserve, which protects the endangered fringe-toed lizard and other desert species. Visit the 154,000-acre Sand to Snow National Monument, a vital wildlife corridor linking Joshua Tree National Park with the San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges. Or take in the beauty and history of Indian Canyons, the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, where trails wind past ancient palms, rock art and flowing streams.