Nothing quite compares to the feeling of slipping away for a desert getaway. Watching wind turbines give way to palm trees as you drive in, drawing closer to the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, where you’ll spend your time tucked right against them. Rolling down the windows, letting warm air pour in - carrying a subtle mix of grass, flowers, and sunshine. Your only agenda for the next few days: pool time, late lunches strolling through Old Town La Quinta, and dinners spent outdoors without ever reaching for a jacket.
La Quinta has a way of offering something for everyone. For the sporty, golf, tennis, and pickleball are always within reach. For the outdoorsy, there’s hiking and easy access to the surrounding desert. For the leisure-seeker, spa appointments and poolside loungers invite you to stay all day. And for those who love to wine and dine wherever they are, spacious, lively patios await at nearly every turn.
We’ve curated our top Opulist picks for where to stay, eat, drink, and play in the serene, unhurried, and retreat-like city of La Quinta - so you can plan an elevated desert escape of your own.
Stay
La Quinta Resort & Club
Nearly a century old and still the most beautiful address in the city. Built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the resort features white adobe walls and hand-set red tile roofs, spread across 45 acres of lush gardens with 42 pools woven throughout. The casitas feel private and tucked away - many with their own patios and fireplaces - while the Santa Rosa Mountains frame the entire property just beyond the grounds. Check in, find your pool, and let the afternoon take care of itself.
The property also offers a full suite of amenities, from spa, golf, tennis, pickleball, and yoga to multiple bars, restaurants, and retail shops. It’s an experience in and of itself - ideal for those who prefer to have everything in one place.
Photo: Opulist
Eat
Cliffhouse
Photo: Opulist
Perched into the side of historic Point Happy with sweeping views over the Coachella Valley, this one earns its reputation as much for atmosphere as anything else. The outdoor patio sits tucked against the cliff’s bare rock face, glowing at night with a stone fireplace and soft overhead lights, while a nearby waterfall adds to the ambiance. Sunset here is especially striking, with the valley stretching out below. Dinner feels like an occasion - whether you planned it that way or not.
DSRT Club
Designed as a contemporary nod to the desert social clubs that made this area a celebrity haunt in the ’40s and ’50s, DSRT Club brings a playful, polished energy to Old Town La Quinta. Tropical wallpaper, deep green paneling, and lime-toned accents are paired with warm brass details and globe lighting, creating a space that feels both sporty and undeniably chic. Subtle nods to tennis - from vintage racquets to court-inspired color palettes - are woven throughout, giving it a sense of personality without feeling theme-driven. The furniture and finishes feel intentional, striking a balance between relaxed and refined. Upscale without ever feeling stiff, with a patio that regulars insist is one of the best in town.
Photo: Opulist
Lola’s at the Cove
Photo: Opulist
A newer addition to Old Town La Quinta, Lola’s brings a globally inspired, shareable dining concept into a space that feels both warm and thoughtfully designed. Curved banquettes, woven lighting, and layered textures set the tone, while hand-painted murals and a statement ceiling add a subtle sense of play. The palette leans earthy and sun-washed - terracotta, sand, and soft gold - giving the entire space a grounded, intimate feel.
The menu follows suit: small plates designed for sharing, with globally influenced flavors that encourage lingering rather than rushing. It’s the kind of place that works just as well for a casual round of drinks on the patio as it does for a slower, more intentional dinner. Come for a few plates, stay longer than planned.
Morgan’s in the Desert
La Quinta Resort’s signature restaurant - and one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in the city - Morgan’s delivers on every front. Arched wood-beam ceilings, a glowing fireplace, and a soft, golden light set the tone indoors, while a fire-lit garden courtyard offers the option to dine outside under the desert sky.
The bar is equally considered - elegant and inviting, with a piano that fills the room and sets the mood the moment you arrive. It’s the kind of place where a pre-dinner drink naturally turns into a full evening. Save this one for the night you want dinner to feel like the main event.
Photo: Opulist
Okura Robata Grill & Sushi
Photo: Opulist
Dark and chic, the spaceis anchored by a life-size petrified Japanese cherry blossom tree at its center, with gold chains draping from the ceiling and a “Geisha Angel” mural behind the bar. It carries a Hollywood-adjacent energy that feels completely at home in the desert, and its happy hour has earned a reputation as a local institution.
Thirty-four thousand square feet, 38 treatment rooms, and mountain views that follow you in. Block out the afternoon, not just an hour.
Photo: Opulist
La Quinta sits in the middle of some of the best golf in the country, with PGA West courses and the resort's own Dunes and Mountain courses right on property. Even if you're more in it for the scenery than the scorecard, the backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains against a green fairway is worth showing up for.
Trails here run from a short one-mile walk to the Bear Creek Cave all the way up to a full canyon day hike with panoramic views of the valley and the Salton Sea. Go early, bring water, and let the landscape do what it does.
More curated plaza than sleepy village, Old Town La Quinta blends Spanish-style architecture with a laid-back, community feel. Think boutiques, cafés, and restaurants clustered around a walkable center, with mountain views always in sight. Weekend mornings bring a local farmers market (October through May), while afternoons and evenings shift into patio dining and an easy, social energy. It’s the kind of place you wander without much of a plan - and somehow cover all the bases anyway.
La Quinta invites you into a different rhythm - one shaped by sunlight, stillness, and just enough indulgence. Days unfold slowly, evenings arrive softly, and somewhere in between, you remember what it feels like to truly relax. The kind of place you don’t just visit, but settle into.
Find most of these locations on Opulist when searching for Hotels, Restaurants, and Bars in La Quinta, CA. Enjoy discovering this gem of a desert getaway.
This guide was created in partnership with the City of La Quinta.
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