Packing for Palm Springs - Posh 4 Pennies

Roadtrip!

Ready, Set, Pack

I feel like I pack more for a weekend getaway that is driving distance than I do when I am flying somewhere. In fact, I know I pack more because I can! So, when I was putting together my packing list for Palm Springs, you know I was packing the essentials PLUS everything else that fits in the car!

Driving to the Desert in August

This was my first trip to Palm Springs that was not for work, an undergrad soils class, or a grad student geology field trip to look at rocks, so I was pretty pumped! Yes, I went to Palm Springs in AUGUST on purpose! Mainly because I wanted to ride the gondola to the top of Mt. San Jacinto and go for a hike in 70 degree weather since it is 30-40 degrees cooler at the peak than in the desert: when it’s 100 degrees F in Palm Springs, it is 70 degrees F at the peak of Mt. San Jacinto. That said, before I even left Santa Barbara, I took my car for an oil change and had all of the fluids topped off because paying $45 for an oil change with a $15 off coupon is cheaper than breaking down in 113 degree F heat.

Snacks for Days

I love to eat out, but my wallet and stomach cannot eat out for every meal. So, before we left town, we stocked up at Grocery Outlet, Bargain Market on $120 in hard seltzer, La Croix, beer, breakfast items, and snacks. I always try to book a room with a fridge. If a fridge is not an option, then I take a cooler and am on ice duty once we get settled. I have even been known to use a soft cooler as a carry on for a flight to get a cooler to a hotel that did not have one. Whenever possible, I try to make the grocery run for room essentials before we leave because my local grocery store tends to be priced better than the cute touristy grocery store by my resort. Don’t forget to use your Ibotta app to get cash back on your qualifying snack and beverage purchases! We got $2.00 cash back on our purchases.

Shopping List:

La Croix
Water Bottles
Smartpop Popcorn
Mission Tortilla Chips
Firestone Beer
Truly Hard Seltzer
Hummus
Carrots, Broccoli, and Cauliflower
Grapes
Salsa
Yogurt Cups

I like to hit the grocery store the day before we leave and then leave the non-perishables in the trunk so I have less to drag in and out of the car.

Pool Toys

August is the best time of year to save big on pool toys because retailers, like CVS, mark them down to 50% off! I bought two inflatable glitter filled inner tubes that were regularly priced at $5 a piece for $2.50 and an inflatable hammock for $5 instead of $10. I only got $0.10 back from Ibotta app , but $0.10 adds up! Don’t forget to pack your hand pump so you don’t have to blow all of those up by mouth!

Can’t find these floats at your CVS? No problem. Start in Ibotta app and get cashback with Amazon on your glitter inner tubes, raft, and pool hammock purchase! Don’t forget to pack your hand pump! (Kenneth Cole Reaction series suitcase, hat, and Rainbow sandals.)

Packing List

For the Pool

For the Hike

Going Out

Miscellaneous

Tan B4 You Go

Thanks to my day job, I have some really awful tan lines! I wanted to feel great about taking lots of pool pics with my friends, so I used my gift card to Honey’s to get my tan on before I headed to the desert! Don’t have a gift card, don’t worry! Use you Santa Barbara Axxess card to get 25% off.