Palm Springs in November 2026: Events, Weather & Where to Stay

The weather

Plan for a mix of outdoor sightseeing, pool time and cooler evenings, but check the actual forecast before choosing a hike or relying on pool weather. A calendar month does not guarantee comfortable midday conditions, open trails or a heated hotel pool. The weather-by-month guide provides seasonal context.

For Indian Canyons, check the operator's hours and safety guidance before visiting. Choose a route and start time for the conditions, carry water and follow any closures or restrictions.

Greater Palm Springs Pride (November 6-8, 2026)

The organizer confirms November 6–8, with the parade scheduled for Sunday, November 8 at 10 a.m. on Palm Canyon Drive. Use the Pride visitor guide for the route and festival planning, then compare Pride-area hotels by their actual location.

Downtown is useful when festival access and evenings around Arenas Road lead your plans. A quieter hotel elsewhere may suit you better if you are making only one event visit. Check transport and hotel arrival arrangements rather than assuming every Palm Springs address is walkable.

Also in November

November 12–15: La Quinta Art Celebration Encore. The art celebration planning guide covers official tickets, Civic Center arrival, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily hours and hotel locations. This ticketed event is separate from Old Town's Art on Main Street. Compare La Quinta hotels around both the campus visit and your evening plans.

November 20–22: Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival. Dates are now confirmed. The evening festival and the morning launches use different sites, and Saturday admission has ticket options. Our balloon festival planning guide explains the venues, tickets and where to base yourself.

November 21: Props & Hops at Palm Springs Air Museum. The festival listing covers 1–5pm general admission, optional noon VIP entry and current ticket options. This event is strictly 21+, including no children or babies. Full museum entry requires a separate museum ticket, and a Rare Beer Flight purchase does not include festival admission. It shares the balloon-festival weekend, so choose your activities and transport around the specific sessions you book.

November 24, 25 and 28: WildLights at The Living Desert. These are the public November dates for the holiday evening event in Palm Desert. The November 23 preview is for members. Use the WildLights guide for tickets, 6–9 p.m. hours and the separate daytime/evening entry rules. The event does not run on Thanksgiving Day, November 26.

Thursday evenings: VillageFest. Use the VillageFest guide and confirm the organizer's calendar for the Thursday you need. Do not assume a normal weekly schedule applies unchanged on Thanksgiving or another holiday.

Thanksgiving museum planning

Palm Springs Air Museum lists Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026, as closed. Choose another day for a regular museum visit and check other venues' holiday schedules separately.

What to do

Build each day around one area rather than trying to combine distant valley stops. In Palm Springs, pair a museum or shopping morning with a relaxed afternoon and dinner. For a canyon or Joshua Tree outing, check current access and conditions before leaving.

The Aerial Tramway is a separate mountain environment; check its forecast and operating notices rather than dressing only for the valley floor. The weekend itinerary gives you a structure that can be adapted around an event.

Planning a November golf trip

Use our Coachella Valley golf guide to compare public courses, then confirm tee times, maintenance and reopening conditions directly with the pro shop. A room reservation does not guarantee golf availability.

Compare Palm Desert stays, Indian Wells resorts and La Quinta hotels around the courses you can book. Keep enough time between a round, a spa appointment and an evening event.

Prices and booking

Compare the same dates, room occupancy and cancellation terms before deciding which weekend is better value. Pride, the art celebration, the balloon festival and Thanksgiving can create different demand patterns across the valley; no single week is guaranteed cheap or quiet.

For a downtown Thursday break, start with hotels near VillageFest. For the balloon weekend, choose your hotel around either the evening festival grounds or the morning launch site. For Thanksgiving, confirm restaurant service and any fixed-menu or deposit terms before reserving.

Event dates checked October 15, 2026 against Palm Springs Pride, La Quinta Art Celebration and the balloon festival schedule.

Plan Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving Day is November 26, 2026. The Thanksgiving weekend guide builds a November 26–29 plan around Tramway holiday hours, the Air Museum's Thanksgiving closure, Saturday WildLights and dining reservations. Use those actual operating dates rather than assuming every November event runs over the holiday.