Trek a couple of minutes onto Tramway Road as you roll into Palm Springs and you’ll come across this classic canyon-hugging gondola ride. Board a rotating car inside an angular 1963 station and after 10 minutes and a double-digit temperature drop, you’ll find yourself facing the entirety of the Coachella Valley below. Linger with a stop at the mountaintop restaurant, cafe or lounge, or kite deeper into the San Jacinto Mountains

true to its name, this zoo looks just like a living slice of the Sonoran Deset. Located a couple of miles outside of Palm Springs, the largely outdoor locale is broadly split into North American and African environments. Explore the grounds to find an assortment of wild cats and hoofed mammals, as well as giraffe feedings ($7) and camel rides ($6).

These 100-ton Brontosaurus and T. Rex sculptures once beckoned motorists on their way to Pal Springs to a 24-hour diner. Today, they guard the entrance to a Creationist-themed Dino museum with an interesting take on the facts. At the very least, pose for a photo with Mr. Rex and walk into the gift shop housed inside Danny the Brontosaurus’s belly.