Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Reviews

From Palm Desert, for a corporate event, we took a bus that took us from our hotel, which is just above sea level, to the cable car station which is 1800 meters. Interesting that you get there with a banal road all straight without hairpin bends. From here we took the cable car to the top at 2500 meters. The panoramic cable car accommodates about fifty people and is one of three that travel around the world. The floor is a circular platform that turns, slowly, allowing you to enjoy the 360-degree panorama during the ascent and descent. Beautiful view that you can enjoy along the way. Arrived at the top we found some snow (normally in this period there is more) and we had dinner in a space reserved for us. A different activity than usual

A breathtaking view of the San Jacinto Mountains. A must see when visiting Palm Springs!
Once inside the park , the nature trails and beautiful views make this an unforgettable experience!

I never had the change to go up because the whole week they were working on the aerial. One day before we left, it was possible and everyone wanted to see this, so lots of people and hours waiting to see the view from above.

So we enjoyed the view from down and even than it was amazing. I enjoyed it.

They take their job serious and that is also important that you close everything for the safety. So if i every go back, i will book a ticket to go up because i m sure its wonderfull.

Expensive- $60 per couple, $15 parking. Crowded, long lines. Staff so so friendly. Walking around at the top overrated.

Great views and communication by staff. Lots of trails st the top. Didn’t know about the additional parking fee…Did not eat at restaurant..

Great tramway, but more important up there ~8500 feet, go and do a hike; we did the hidden lake roundtrip hike (~6 miles), going to 9000 feet, and lots of snow (early March) and ice, good we had our hiking gear, including cramp-ons. Then you see from up there the Palm Springs dessert, and you are in the snow.

Amazing trip two-and-a-half miles up on a rotating tram! It had snowed up there and there was so much snow on the ground. Make sure to get times ticket’s otherwise you could be waiting at least two hours to get to the top. Once there, it was magical. We took a short hike and had lunch at Peaks Restaurant where the food was fairly basic not great. But the draw here are the views and the wilderness. Must do, if you’re in the area!

Go up there and buy in person. They don’t sell out. When we got up there it was a huge hassle to print the papers (waste paper) then tickets. Plus it held up the line. The cost was more on this site too. When we got to the mtn the agent told us to book in person, and everyone else was. We just didn’t know and were new to the area. Won’t use trip advisor again for the tram.

The views were amazing. We took lots of pictures. The ride up was OK but the ride down was better. More fun with music playing

Views from the tram were excellent and the tram rotated as it moved so that I could see the different angles while just standing at the same spot. That was a good ride up the mountain.

Worth the trip. Must do at least once. I believe to go and eat at the restaurant above, that looks out over the valley is a must. Not too expensive.

We enjoyed the Aerial Tram. The revolving floor gives everyone views from all angles. We hiked about 1 and half miles on top of the mountain and enjoyed the pine tree terrain. Definitely worth the money.

This is a great tram experience. The food at the restaurant at the top is great. We had the experience of being at the top during a rare hail storm with thunder and lightening : IN AUGUST !!! It wasn't crowded due to it being August.

I have driven by Palm Springs for years on my way between Phoenix and Los Angeles. I have never actually stayed in Palm Springs until this weekend. I could always see the San Jacinto Mountains to the north of I-10 and wonder what it's like on top of those mountains. I heard there was an aerial tramway that could take you up to the top of the mountain (well, almost to the top...you have to hike about 5.5 miles to get to the summit).

We decided to take the tramway and see the San Jacinto Mountains up close on a Saturday morning. We got up, watched the sun rise and then jumped in the car to head to the base of the mountain to experience the Aerial Tramway. I initially purchased my tickets via TripAdvisor/Viator. However, I didn't realize I was purchasing tickets for Sunday (not Saturday) and there is a 100% fee for cancellation within 24 hours). I got hosed and had to buy 2 more tickets for Saturday. (getting a refund through Viator is too much of a hassle...so make sure you purchase the correct day).

We arrived just after 8am (when they opened). We got our tickets and were riding up the tramway by 8:24am. It's only a 10 minute ride and the views are great! The floor rotates slowly so you are always getting a view from a different direction as you ascend the mountain. It's a very easy right to the top.

The weather at the top is about 20 degrees cooler than in the valley. You should plan on bringing some layers to keep comfortable at the top. The mornings are cooler (or cold) and warm as the sun comes up. We hiked around for about 3.5 miles and got to see some great views and got our fill of what we wanted to see and then headed back down at 10:45am. You could easily spend 4-8 hours at the top if you wanted to do longer hikes and more exploring.

There are plenty of food and beverage options at the top including a cafe, restaurant, and cocktail bar. There is also a gift shop. I think this is a must do activity if you are spending a few days in Palm Springs. I highly recommend this activity!

This is definitely a good outing. I recommend getting there early so you have time to enjoy activities at the top.

Great hiking, and breathtaking views.

I received a call at 7:38am on 12/30 from Andrew informing me of a delay. That, I thought, was professional - keeping me abreast of the delay in opening.

My concern was with the very sourpuss woman and her rude male companion working the traffic/security, who absolutely did not make us feel welcome.

Her words - "There's no way in hell you're going up that tram today."

After turning around, asking him "what should we do?" - he said "Go to downtown Palm Springs for all I care. Move on."

That really soured the occasion, and I don't appreciate being mistreated by some people who obviously want to alienate tourists from Palm Springs. As a resident of the valley hosting visiting family, I was mortified by the treatment.

Two stars were for the professional treatment I received via the incoming call in the morning, as well as for canceling my tickets and receiving a full refund at 1:40 pm. We have a choice in how we host our out-of-town guests, and we will not recommend the tram in the future if the in-person treatment is this subpar.

Beautiful travel with a lot of trails to walk when up.

It was so hot downtown that it was a breeze to spend time up.

A lot of shade and a ranger’s station very helpful

This is definitely a must see while in Palm Springs. If your a hiker you will absolutely love the beautiful trails available! Hungry, lunch, dinner and options of cousine are available. The people are extremely informative and we would highly recommend exploring the beautiful outdoors in Palm Springs. 🌴

We could not get tickets online, but based upon what the website said about not being sold out when tickets when not available, we decided to go anyway. We arrived about noon and there were maybe 6 people inline for tickets and in a few minutes we had our tickets and were told it would be about 20 minutes before we could get a cable car. Beautiful views on the way up and at the top, and it was 50 degrees F, so a light coat or sweatshirt was fine. Had coffee and a cookie at the cafe which was pricey but you do get a million dollar view. We got back to the bottom just after 2pm, and there was nobody in line to get tickets, and no wait for a cable car. This is a must visit in Palm Springs, it was easy to get tickets, and not very crowded. Loved it.

This is a great experience for the whole family. Goes from desert floor to snowcapped mountain tops. The trails at top are accessible. State Park Rangers are friendly and helped.

This was a great experience! Very organized. Easy parking, quick busses to take you straight to the entrance. We had a wonderful time and the views were spectacular!

Unique entrance to a state park. It was a fun way to get up the mountain top!! Once there got a snack and went on a long walk.. I didn’t have the right shoes! Al least sneakers if not hiking boots would be more appropriate

This experience was so fun. We were lucky to score a beautiful clear day and had no long delays or wait times at either end. We took advantage of the great weather and hiked through the snow and had a go at tobogganing down some of the slopes. So much to look at as the beauty of this place is just next level. The tram itself fits a lot of people, but it spins to give everyone a chance to see everything. Great bistro, snacks, bar and souvenir shop, you really could spend the whole day here, and for just $30 per person such great value for money. Definitely worth the memories.

Really irritating, disappointing experience. We drove all the way to the tram only to be greeted by a security guard telling us it is closed. This, in spite of the fact that the web site that day said "Late opening". So, they use the web site for announcements - but they are not current. Two hours after we left (as I am writing this review) it still says "Late opening". And even the electronic sign as you drive up to the entrance says "Late Opening". C'mon people - do your jobs.

We really enjoyed this team experience. It was beautiful going up, coming back down, and the snow at the top was a bonus. You are at 8,000 ft when you get to the top, so hiking around is different. The trams floor rotates while you go up and down the canyon. Suggestion: book on line for your time so you don’t have to wait (ours was 45 minute wait).

The tramway is the entrance to an amazing valley of pines and the nature and views are well worth the time but $64 ticket fee for a couple is too much. The yearly tickets are reasonable but for the one off visit it is expensive, especially if you are a family of 4 or more

We stopped by at 1pm on a Sunday and the wait time was 90 minutes so we came back the next day at 9:30am (the opened at 10am) and were able to ride the tram at 10:15. The tram rotates, but they pack people in so get a spot by the window. There are clean bathrooms and a café at the top. Also much colder at the top-there was snow on a day that it was high 70's in Palm Springs.

Absolutely outstanding. We arrived on a Monday around 12.30pm. No online tickets available but arrived, paid $15 to park within 1 minute got the shuttle bus from the car park to the boarding gate, purchased the tickets and boarded the tramway within 10 minutes. The views were indescribable and the tramway such an incredible piece of engineering. There was a restaurant at the top serving drinks and sandwiches etc (we didn’t try them) but the restaurant looked clean and busy. The walk at the top is amazing. The rotating tram is a strange feeling but you soon get used to it. The staff are friendly and there is a seat in the centre if someone cannot stand for the journey which is about 10 mins. If you are in the area this is well worth the money.

We traveled 800m in height difference on a 4km gondola with 360 degree views. The view of downtown Palm Springs from the summit was amazing.
Trekking trails were also provided, offering fun courses for children and the elderly.
I visited there in early April, so it was cool and pleasant to see the snow remaining. There is a decent temperature difference between the foot of the mountain and the summit, so you should be careful about dressing even in summer.
I don't think there is a problem with normal shoes.
Access to the gondola boarding area from the city is by car rental or taxi.
I took a taxi, which is very convenient because you can get directly to the gondola boarding area for about $30 using Uber, about 20 minutes from the city! I think it is a relatively easy tourist destination to reach. In the case of rental cars, it seemed to be free bus travel from the parking lot.
I think it's better to book a tram during busy periods.
The ticket counter was quite kind and when they found out I was from Japan, they handed me a pamphlet in Japanese.

It was a great view and worth the price of admission. Very accessible for walkers and wheelchairs. Nice that the tram rotates so everyone gets every view

Wow, what an incredible trip! I’m so grateful for everything that we experienced on the tram in Palm Springs. We will do it again.

Efficient staff, short pleasant tram ride with rotating floor.
Facilities (restrooms,dining,bar , movie theater, gift shop) were all well run.

As a tourist you attempt to book an online ticket from your room and it shows none available. We decided to take a drive to the Tourist information center, you know, where the tourists go to find out about things to do in the area, the lady says she cannot help it’s not part of them. We drove up 3.5 miles to see if we can get a ticket and the guy says “we have plenty of tickets” yet we couldn’t purchase online🤷‍♂️ so we wanted to pre purchase and he says you have to come back when you want to go on the tramway🤷‍♂️
We go up and want to have a muffin as advertised at the bottom of the mountain, we get to the top at 11am and the girl says they have run out and they have to order them in🤷‍♂️ you would think that with 200 people up there they would have already ordered. Pretty poor really I think for probably the only tourist attraction in Palm Springs 🤷‍♂️

We were on the fence about going due to fear of heights and altitude sickness, BUT this was one our favorite activities in Palm Springs!! Highly recommended!! Pro Tip: if you’re using ride sharing (Uber/Lyft) make sure to pre schedule your return ride as there is very limited service available to book your return ride. 😎

We loved it! The only downside was that we could not hear the narrator on the tram, because so many people were talking. It might be nice to have a headset to listen.

The tram was broken down and not operating. We were not notified. There was no signage or personnel until we made it all the way up to the gate. Also, the signage for the tram at the entrance is non-existent; it is not clear the entrance is actually 4 miles up the steep road. We have requested a refund, but I am concerned our trip advisor credits will not be refunded. Very disappointing, and not the service I have come to expect from trip advisor activities.

Spectacular views from observation decks if not a walker/hiker and some easy trails for the beginner hikers.
Peaks restuarant was reasonably priced for portion sizes!

an engineering marvel,wonderful views, helpful staff..
note food at the top expensive but go for the view/experience

It was a pretty warm day. But as we elevated to the top...OMG! The scenice views were so beautiful, the weather was amazingly cooler, and the ride was actually fun. The staff made the experience so much better. Had lunch at the restaurant, was able to get a great view, and made lunch that much more special. Our server was amazing. He gave us great recommendations and had a super fun attitude! Everyone was super friendly and professional! I loved our experience. The only person who was not happy, not smiling, not engaging, and made us feel unwelcome... was the guy passing out the parking passes. But I get it. 🤭 Most importantly, thank you for the military appreciation!! ❤️

The aerial tram is a first rate experience. The view s are spectacular and the tram itself is a mechanical wonder.
Had lunch at the Peak restaurant and the brother team of Jeff in the restaurant and Chris at the bar were so fun and helpful with all things. Big shoutout to their service!

Great attraction. Breathtaking views. You can’t miss it if you are Palm Springs for a few days. You can easily get there with uber.

Go for a Hike in Palm Springs ! If you’re unable to get tickets online you can get tickets up at the Tram Office , once you pay for parking at the Ranger Station Entrance, you proceed to your parking lot. Once you walk up the hill or take a bus if they have one running you proceed to the Tram Office and buy your ticket and they will tell the next available time slot , then you take the amazing tram ride up to the top of the park and wow the views are amazing. Then we hiked at several the trails available its a beautiful place and you can bring your picnic basket if you like , or you can go the restaurant or make reservations … so not to miss out on a nice dinning experience. It’s truly a beautiful place to visits if you’re in Palm Springs.

We just love this tramway. It is great for families with kids who don't want to hike and for those that can not handle hiking. It can be very hot in Palm Springs so we avoid the summer.

The tram is such a great way to see the dessert and all of it is magical. The trams have AC when needed and the price is fair.

You will be able to see so much on the tram.

At the Mountain Station when you reach the top you can enjoy viewpoints they have a cocktail lounge, and a nice gift shop. We love the Natural History Museum and the two documentary movies about the. Tramway. They have 2 places to eat, you can dine at one of the two restaurants, Peaks Restaurant offers fine dining, while the Pines Restaurant offers an affordable self-serve alternative.

Construction of the Tramway began 1963. The first tower is the only one that can be reached by road. The Tramway has been designated a historical civil engineering landmark. In 1998 the Tramway began its modernization program that would see the installation in 2000 new cars . Since September 2000, passengers ride the world's largest rotating tramcars.

It really is a must do in Palm Springs. We go there every time. well almost every time we are in the area.

Spectacular! Bring a little O2 tank! Whew! I was huffing and puffing quite a few times! That elevation isn’t playing! Lots of nature to explore!

The tram turns so get to view everything!!! Fantastic tram operator, Gil had us laughing and learning at the same time . At the top there is multiple places to view the valley and it is awesome.

One of the most popular attractions in Palm Springs, and easy to see why. Situated 8100 feet above sea level, you get a pretty good view of the area. The tram that takes you to the top rotates, so that you get a 360 degree view as you journey up to the top. So don’t worry about where you are in the tram when you get in. You’ll rotate around.

Once you go up the tramway to the top, there are various viewpoints and trails. People who are afraid of heights did not enjoy this, based on what I saw in the time I was there. A definite “must do” if you are in Palm Springs.

Go early in the morning, as it gets busy quickly. The temperature is 10-20 degrees F cooler up there, so be warned you might want to bring along a jacket.

This was the 27th and 28th of December,so may have been more crowded than usual.No tickets available online but says 90% are reserved for walk ins.We arrived around 8:30 am and the entrance was already closed,had reached full capacity.Tried back several times until 1 pm and still closed.Went back the next morning around 6 am and drove straight to parking lot A.We were within the first twenty people in line.Doors opened around 7:30 and we got tickets for the 8:00 tram.At around 7:50 they called for boarding.It was kind of like a Black Friday sale at Walmart,but don’t worry,you are just going to another room to wait and you can rejoin your party there.Everyone was waiting at the door on the left,but there are 2 doors for boarding,the one on the right opens also.Tram ride up is great.You will meet a tram coming down on the way up,makes a good video,same on the way down.Bigger area at the top than I expected,several balconies to walk out on for the view.They call out when the tram is going down.We went back down around 9:30 and the station was packed.Looked like something from an “end of the world “
movie.People sitting on the floor in the hallways and the staircase,could hardly walk through,we couldn’t find the exit.When we got outside,the line was well into the parking lot.Cannot imagine how long those poor people had to wait to get in.On the way down all the lots were full and people standing along the road waiting for the bus.When we got down to the entrance it was closed already again.So our advice is to get there really early because it can fill up fast.But a really great experience.If you park in lot A ,take a moment in your car to laugh the people walking up the lot.They look like mimes doing the “walking against the wind “crap, because it is so steep.

Breath taking beautiful scenery/views
Fun ride up and down
Shopping and food available
Teenage grandson really enjoyed the tram/ mountain view’s.

Booked a 6 p.m. trip up as it was the only one avaliable. We are a family of 5 - kids are 16, 14 and 9. Was glad I had reserved rather than trying to wait in line for earlier tickets. I'm sure it's spectacular during the day but we enjoyed the evening trip up. Had dinner at Palm Peaks before heading back down. Would highly recommend - even kids really enjoyed- just book early to get your preferred time!

Lovely snowy day, 15 degrees F with 11 mph wind but the sun is out and fresh powder, making it a lovely winter day. Love day it was!💕❄️☀️

The tram itself is amazing. The floor rotates and it speeds up the mountain. Loved that part. Parking was $15, which was a little pricey, but we got the food option added to our ticket, which was only $10, and although a cafeteria-type meal, still probably underpriced, a rarity these days. I felt like the parking subsidized the meal.

Tickets are available online or in person. I think the way they do this makes no sense. They allocate a certain number of tickets to sell online, but then say they rarely actually sell out of in person tickets, so if they are sold out online, just come in person. So they were sold out online the day we wanted to go, so we drove up there in person. But the wait time once we got there was two hours. I wish they had just let us buy a ticket online, so we could have timed our arrival better and not had to sit around two hours.

It was really cold at the top in April. Dress warm. They had hiking and camping options that looked really fun. We might go back someday for the hiking and camping part. Overall, a good time.

Good experience and fun to explore. Beware—purchasing a ticket online does NOT get you on the tram—you must wait in line like everyone else to get a time to board the tram. We got there at 9:30 (they open at 10:00) and waited in line for 1/2 hour to get a time 40 minutes later. Others report much longer wait times.

Throughly enjoyed … just wait for the weather since it was 30 degrees cooler than the valley. Great views and view of the area.

The tram rotated going up the mountain which was very cool. Hiking in the park was great as the temperature was 30 degrees cooler from when we left the hot parking lot. The views were spectacular and the park staff were very helpful.

Great trip. Didn’t expect the long wait time so early in the day but it was spring break. But we had to wait about 90 minutes. Be prepared. But awesome tram ride. It would be great if there were deals, expensive trip for a family of 5, who just wanted the experience we weren’t going to stay long up there.

Very good scenery. The staff kept us informed of any possible bumps. The restaurant at the top cooked good food. Highly recommend.

This is a fun adventure to the top of the mountain with a completely different ecosystem! We had to wait an hour for our allotted time slot, but it has a nice patio looking up at the tram with food and alcoholic beverages available. We had a pitcher of beer!

Once on the mountain, we did a short hike (.5 miles) to a look out. There was a longer hike, but we live in Colorado, so...

Such a great evening! We rode up at 5:20 to see everything in daylight. Watched the sun disappear and a full meet greet us. Walked the outdoor areas until cold/dusk. We got a cocktail and were seated for a nice dinner. I loved the pasta. The others in our group spoke highly of strawberry and Caesar salads with meat add-ons. Veggycurry also got the thumbs up! Reasonable pricier a special evening and good service as well!

Very cool experience. If you have a phobia about heights, may be difficult, but we thought it was well worth the money to experience this in California

This was by far the scariest thing I have ever done but the views were definitely worth it! Definitely don’t recommend for anyone who is afraid of heights.

I lived in California in the Inland Empire for over 15 years and never been up here. It was a nice day and a great view to go all the way to the top. The only mistake we made was not to have on snow boots to walk the snow up on the trail. I can't wait to take visitors to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

The ride up and down is great if you don't mind heights. My wife is afraid of heights but had no problem once we got moving since she was so fo used on the scenery. Once at the top, we hiked down to the ranger station, which isn't far and got some great pics. Also got to have a mini snowball fight on Cico de Mayo up there! Nice bar and restaurant area up top as well. Chris at the bar was great. All in all, it was a wonderful experience for us. I would definitely recommend.

Even if it is a very tourist Attraction, it is essential: incredible to climb to 2000 m in 10 min! And especially the top, the hikes are beautiful, it is cool, provide sweater and pants. We visited Palm springs for houses the heat the museums but finally this day was amazing! I recommend: to be included in your tours!

We had family visiting from Boston and we wanted to give them an extraordinary experience. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway exceeded our expectations and theirs. We were 3 generations and everyone had something special to say about the experience.

The ticket reservation helped me not have to wait in a longer queue to wait and purchase a ticket. Once you reach the top, you have an amazing view. Recommend at least doing it once when visiting Palm Springs.

Possibly the worst run organization I have come across. They don’t answer their phone or communicate when the road to the tram is closed.

Great time visiting the PSAT during summer time. Great ride up and walking the scenic trail !! We’d been here during the colder weather and loved that time of year best!! 👍🤩🤗

Outstanding visit. The process of boarding and deboarding are simple enough. Tram gets up the mountain lickity split…the views are amazing. Once up top you can picnic or get fast food or sit down and order a meal with an alcoholic beverage. There are also a couple hikes. The Desert View Trail has several spectacular overlooks. The day was easily worth the cost.

The whole experience is breathtaking! We dined at the cafe which was great. The mountain is incredible. One giant fractured piece of granite. Our temperature change was 40 degrees. Ninety at the bottom and fifty at the top.

It’s a short tram ride from the base to the top of the hill/trailhead. Probably not recommended for those who have a strong fear of heights as sometimes it feels like the tram car is extremely high above the ground (probably due to some very steep sections of the cable going up) once at the top, the park Rangers were extremely helpful and pleasant to deal with. Additionally, there are a couple short, easy hikes for people who just want to get away from the crowds at the visitor centre at the top of the hill. On a clear day, the view from up top is fantastic. I wasn’t fortunate to spot any wildlife while I hiked around for approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Keep in mind that the temperature at the visitor centre at the top of the hill will be noticeably cooler than the temperatures at the bottom. When I arrived at the bottom of the hill, the temperature was roughly 71°F at the top as you can see from one of the pictures, the temperature was 40°.

It only makes sense to go here if you just want to be crammed in a small space that jolts and rotates. If you want to see snow and hike just go to Idyllwild instead. The drive up to Idyllwild will take you way less time than that huge wait to get to the top of the tram. If you want good food and drinks, you won't get that here. There's tons of better bars and restaurants in Palm Springs.

The wait was 2.5-3 hours long to get the tram, and that's not even considering the wait to get parking tickets, and the wait to get the bus to get to the valley station, and the wait to buy tram tickets.

The ride up on the actual tram was beautiful when you get closer to the top, but the space was very cramped. If you're going just to ride the tram, just know it's only about 10 minutes each way, and you might not get a to stand right by the windows. the view of the city is very meh.

The food at the cafe was gross and way overpriced. I got the pizza ($8/ slice) which was soggy and old- looking. My friend got the chicken tenders and felt sick the rest of day. The staff there looks notably miserable (not their fault, but says a lot about the company). The ticket salesmen at the bottom didn't explain about the ride and dine ticket. the ride and dine isn't open until 4 apparently, but even then you can't buy the meal when you get there. Drinks at the bar are crazy overpriced, so there's really nothing to eat or drink unless you're ready to pay a huge amount of money.

The snow outside looked beautiful, but it was ice so you can't really play in it. It's a catch-22 because if you don't want to spend your entire day waiting and buy tickets ahead of time, you can't plan on going when there's fresh snow.

Thoroughly enjoyable outing.

The tram ride was very neat, the views were awesome and the staff was really pleasant and helpful.

Was disappointed that was not even able to get to tram to see it and help our nervous family member decide to go up. Security said we needed to pay $15 to park before even getting to tram. It was something I’d always wanted to do and probably my only time here. I’m a bit disappointed that I could even see it. Would have been nice to have different parking options.

Our experience was excellent, this is a must venue when traveling to Palm Springs. The only problem we encountered was the web site which was very confusing and difficult to navigate. Reservations and walk ins are allowed but the website indicates times are booked. We purchased tickets from TripAdvisor with no specific time and were able to enter at 12:30. The site indicated all spots were filled until 6pm.

To be honest, we were a bit reluctant to book a trip on the tramway. It just seemed a bit pedestrian: you ride a gondola to the top of a hill, take in the view & then head down. Boy, were we wrong. This is a first rate experience !
Our observations:
* Before boarding the tram be sure to check out the small museum at the base. There is a real good video to watch.
* The tram holds about 80 people. Don't worry where you stand. It rotates 360 degrees.
* It is a pretty exciting experience going up.
* Once at the top it is actually quite tasteful & not cheesy at all. A nice restaurant, cafe, bar, gift shop & park services kiosk. The food at the restaurant was very good.
* The best thing to do at the top however is go for a hike. It is well marked & a lot of fun. * Depending upon the time of the year it can be quite chilly at the top.
So take our word for it, this is an experience you will enjoy !

Even though it was a cloudy day the views at the top were fantastic. The ride in the clouds was erie and fun. Facilities at the top were excellent.

Got there mid morning- knew there would be a wait. Ticketing area was crowded and lines a little confusing. Paying $15 to park was an unexpected cost,,

The tram ride, food and views were worth it!

Online tickets sold out more than a week in advance near the holidays, but arrived at 7:20 for an 8am opening. Purchased tix at 7:30, no line, parking lot A, and got on the first 8am tram. Left around 11am after doing the shorter hikes. Some patchy snow on trails covered with sand for better grip.

FUN!!FUN!! ITS A MUST VISIT IN PALM SPRINGS. The Tram ride is great. The restaurants at the top have excellent food and service.

Information and sites were great!! Aerial Tram was wonderful!!! Views were stunning!!! Easy to navigate. Would definitely recommend all!!!

This is a must! Such a lovely views and the ride is so much fun. I do wish they would not cram so many people inside, but we did enjoy the views. The mountain top is magical and if you enjoy hiking, I would recommend staying a bit and walking around or possibly hike down the mountain.
Just a reminder that it is chilly on top and make sure you dress in layers!

So worth the trip- efficient, clean, and beautiful scenery and trails. Lots of great pictures and memories to bring home.

Ride up and down is smooth. Lots of information at the top, construction animal habitat, park info, etc. Amazing vistas.

An excellent family trip! We had tickets for 12 noon and spent about 3 hours up the top of San Jacinta Mountain State Park. We walked the desert trail, which gives stunning views of the valley below. It is a good 20 degrees cooler up at the top so very pleasant for walking. Lots to see and a manageable walk - even the uphill back to the cable car was ok but we were blowing a bit at the top!
Had a light lunch in the cafe, which was very tasty and good value. There is a bar and restaurant up there too. Great gift shop choices for everyone too. Well worth the trip.
It is worth shopping around for tickets as the venue’s own website is not the most cost effective and I saved about $20 booking online but take photo ID with you for any tickets bought in advance!

I purchased tickets ahead of time but found no times had been scheduled.
Upon arrival at the Aerial Tramway. I was advised that a three-hour waiting time
was being enforced. I wasn't a happy person. Had I purchased the tickets on arrival,
the waiting time wouldn't have been a problem. I wish I could have cancelled.

Definitely worth a visit. However - the admission price does not include parking, which is $15. So add that to the $35 up the mountain. The cafe up top serves typical tourist food - not bad, not great, and pretty expensive. Another $35 for a slice of pizza, a salad, and a beer. You are allowed to bring your own picnic food, but you need to eat it outside - which is better, anyway. Plus a photo, if you choose to buy one (like the amusement park gimmick - they take a photo of you on the way in, then try to sell it to you.) Definitely remember to wear closed toe shoes and bring a jacket (the small packable kind is best). The walking trails are very steep - you won't be able to just stroll around - it's a hilly walk. Check the weather forecast. I was there in mid-December and it was much warmer than I was expecting. No snow. But it easily could have been snowy and colder. Despite all that, I'm glad I went. A fun ride and very interesting geological exposure.

The tram conductors made the ride up and back even more fun! We loved the temps, the breeze and all the trails at the top! A Perfect Day!

I have a morbid fear of heights so my eyes were in the closed position. But my wife informs me that it was absolutely fantastic. A big thank you to Gill, the tram operator for reminding me to breath and helping me to stay relatively calm.

This was easily the best thing we did in Palm Springs, maybe the best thing we did in California. The tram ride itself is worth it, but then the walks and the views from the top are also spectacular. It's worth having some time to explore once you are up there.

Regarding the rides everything was excellent as well as the organization of the rides. However I would like you to PLEASE take note of a very important matter. When the ride ended one has to take a bus and this bus takes us to the parking where our cars are. While waiting for the bus, there was this 60 year old lady in a wheelchair and her son helping her with the chair. The BUS DRIVER never got off the bus to help the lady get inside the bus. My husband told the Bus Driver to hang on for a moment because he was going to get off the bus to help the lady. The Bus Driver agreed and my husband got off the bus and between the lady’s son and my husband they could finally get the lady inside the bus. When we got to parking lot letter J my husband and the son again helped the lady, this time to get off the bus. We got off the bus on parking lot H and we noticed there actually was a RAMP that the Bus Driver should have used to help the lady in the wheelchair get inside the bus. The son and the lady both from Mexico. I hope this is not a discrimination matter.We felt very bad and sorry for them. Thank you.

Very enjoyable! We loved that the Tram rotated 360 deg during the ride up and down the mountain. Beautiful views and fresh air at the top. Be sure to watch the two short films on inventing and building both Trams.

Terrific experience. Tram ride was fun. Views are spectacular. Hiking in Mount San Jacinto State Park was wonderful. A “must do” in PS.

You get some amazing views from the car the outside walls rotate. So every one gets a good view. It can be a bit misty at times better on a clear day. Its also a lot cooler at the top a relief from the heat of Palm Springs. The ride can be a little bumpy when you cross the towers. A good experience.

I am rating the tramway but, to be honest, what made it worth the trip was doing a hike on top. I did the desert trail hike - there was some snow when I went - and enjoyed it a lot. Some beautiful views. For reference I am able bodied with low-moderate fitness levels and found the hike easy enough and fun!

Even though it was cloudy, rainy and some snow it was spectacular! Will definitely go again. The forest ranger up on the top on February 20 was very helpful. The tram driver coming down played great music.

absolutely amazing! The ride up the mountain is both thrilling and beautiful, offering incredible views of the desert landscape below. Once you reach the top, there's so much to explore, from hiking trails to a cozy restaurant with delicious food. It's definitely a must-do experience if you're in Palm Springs!

This was a wonderful experience. Very clean and well managed. The Tram was quick and rotated so smooth to allow a view the entire accent and decent. The altitude was real!! I was winded just walking up the parking lot - haha. We had a clear blue 86 degree day and 62 degrees on the top of the mountain. Great terraced restaurant with amazing views and quick service. I would love to see it in the snow next visit.

Nice place . We requested for wash cloths and towels since they were not in our room. Someone knocked on our door and delivered hand towels and wash cloths. The next day when we requested regular towels we were told by text to check with housekeeping. This place prides itself on easy check in. That part is great. What I miss is that connection with the managers. Never did see anyone

Terrific views. We love it. This trip reminded us when we took the tram at Jackson Hole. We highly recommend for this trip.

We spent a wonderful morning at the top of the mountain by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. By purchasing the ticket online it was so easy to board and begin our adventure. Views were absolutely spectacular!

While the tram ride was truly breathtaking, the ticketing process leaves a bit to be desired. Be aware that when you purchase a ticket online, it doesn’t save you any time. When you arrive, there is a $15 parking fee above and beyond the ticket price. Then you must wait in line for the bus to take you to the base where you once again wait in a long line to get your timed ticket to ride the tram. After showing our voucher that we’d purchased online, we then had to wait another 90+ minutes to board the tram. So the experience took over four hours. That’s a lot of waiting.

I purchased tickets thru trip advisor, this did not save any time or give any favor in the process (pre-paid line or preferred line). After redeeming our ticket for two, we were assigned the first available timed ride tickets for 2.5 hours later. Our mistake was to go around 11am on a Saturday. There were loads of people waiting, not enough seating/shade, or things to do while you wait. The fact that you are not able to purchase a specific timed ticket online is unfortunate. We had planned on spending 4hours and it was more like 7 hours and required us to cancel evening dinner plans. Go during the week, go in the morning. The tram itself was very cool, the restaurants were expectedly more expensive for food and drinks; the peaks restaurant for lunch was very tasty. How exactly you can make a dinner reservation and then know how you can be there in time without being very early or late, beyond me.

Great ride. Not for the faint of heart! Gorgeous views. Parking cost $15 in addition to your ticket. Nice gift shop. The park is breathtaking once you arrive. Easy trails

It was great! Absolutely beautiful views, wonderful hike on top and tram ride fun! Staff is nice and efficient! I would highly recommend even if you have done before!

Beautiful way to head up into the National Forest and hike around for the day. Best time to go so far for me as a lot less people were on the tram. The view is awesome. Well worth it.

We've ridden aerial trams around the world and we both thought this was the best of them all -- for the views, quality the facilities, smooth ticketing and operations, helpful staff, and overall visitor experience. The restaurant is terrific, with lovely views. The visitor center atop Mt. San Jacinto has everything you need and is staffed by wonderful professionals and volunteers. And the hiking trails lead to viewpoints offering stunning views of Palm Springs, the valley below, and beyond. All in all, a very enjoyable way to escape the heat and spend the better part of a day outdoors.

Simply a perfect experience. Get up early and walk the trails. Stay for lunch. Have a cocktail poolside. Beautiful views.

The aerial tramway was a fun ride with gorgeous views on the way up and down. The restaurant at the top was excellent and so were all of the views from various outlook points. Great place for hiking enthusiasts. Everyone who worked there were very friendly and helpful. A couple of nice gift shops also.

I took the tram, thinking it would be terrifying, but it rode so smoothly! It was super sturdy and that made it a lot less terrifying for me. The views were spectacular--it was a clear day. We did the short hike and that was enough for us. Well worth the $. We bought ahead of time, but if we had waited, I think we could have gotten a senior citizen discount on-site. We went first thing Sunday morning and there was no line.

Absolutely loved it! It’s been awhile since I’ve done it. Actually hiked around a bit also. The food was expensive up on top but better than packing it up there.

Wonderful experience. A must see attraction when in the area. Tram was a pretty cool experience overall. Views from the top, fantastic.

I finally made it back to Palm Springs and to the tram. I loved this adventure up the mountain. It's a quick tram ride up to the top. There is a 1 1/2 mile loop hike that at first I thought would be too short and boring, but at 8000 feet up, it was strenuous enough! The overlooks were spectacular and the Jeffrey pines released an intoxicating scent all afternoon. It was so fresh and quiet that I didn't want to leave. Back inside, make sure you visit the two movie theatres explaining all that can be enjoyed in the area and how they built the tram. At the bottom of the mountain, I had the best chicken sandwich I've ever had.

Well organized, fun
and very beautiful views ! Super staff ! Great food at Peaks Restaurant and service . We are seniors so we walked to bottom of paved walking paths. It was amazing day . Finished up with a great scenic view and singing bunch on the ride down !!! 😊🤩🤩🤩🤩

Exciting!!! Love the views and experience. Very informative as well. I was amazed at how this could be accomplished. Enjoyed every bit of the trip. Thank you. 🙏

Way too many people, 90 mins wait for the Tran ride. Not worth it. Bad cafe food. Skip it. Too many people walking hazards not worth time.

It had been eight years since my last visit. This was well worth the time to come back. It was great to enjoy this with my wife this time.

Unfortunately we could not take this experience I scheduled it and when we picked up our friends discovered that they both suffer from Vertigo I called to cancel and requested refund but no one got back to me.

We tried for three days to make reservations online. They were booked. I tried the night before and one ride was open for 7:00, too late for us.
We decided to go anyway and hoped we could get on the tram. After waiting in a very long line of cars , we arrive at the ticket place and was told there was a two hour wait, we declined. Also, $15.00 to park on their place of business is insane.

Very fun experience. We went in December. It was 84 degrees in Palm Springs. Beautiful day at the top.
There was actually snow. Walked a trail a bit took some great photos. Arrived around 10. Purchased tickets easily. Got a coffee then it was our time slot. 10:45. Cute gift shop. Had a nice lunch in the restaurant with great views. We didn’t have reservations but it was not a problem. Arrived and departed via Lyft. Drove us right to the entrance. It is something I would recommend you do if you have the time at least once.

My boyfriend had never been on the tram. I have gone multiple times every since I was a little girl. So we came for my birthday. It is so nice. I loved that they took a souvenir picture for us. The ride is breaking, and we took a little hike at the time. So beautiful 💜

Good organization and terrific views . It was cloudy but cleared off enough to get some good pics!
Great bar- kinda pricey but Giovanna was super!

Although it was crowded, everything went smoothly. The ride and the view was awesome.
Employees were very helpful and courteous.

I've done the tramway before, but now the cable cars spin. Just get a place next to the window and you'll see every direction on the way up and the way down.

Here's a TIP: The website claimed that all the tickets were sold out on the day I went and the next day. I don't know why. When I talked to the parking fee attendant, he said they NEVER sell out on a Monday. Sure enough, I was able to get a ticket up on the third tram of the day, 10:24 AM.

PLAN ON a 40 degree temperature drop. We wore 3 layers and ski gloves. Walking around the upper grounds in the snow was fun. We saw people ride up in shorts. They wasted the trip by having to stay in the heated lodge.

We loved the tram ride!! Awesome dinner at the restaurant up top!! Oh and our tram driver was the best!! We were singing and dancing up and down!🩷

This is a must! Super cool and unique activity to do with a family. My 4 and 5 year old loved it! I would recommend going early! We arrived a little before 10AM and it was just starting to get busy. By the time we left it was packed.

So much more than expected. Beautiful day. Things I did not know: dress warm it is 20 degrees colder there. If you plan on hiking make sure you wear appropriate footwear. I did not and slipped on ice. But an absolutely great day.

Great ride with a rotating floor up the side of the mountain. Spectacular views, you can hike down. No need to make reservations, tram goes every 20 minutes. Take stairways on top to get even higher for the valley views below.

Great experience with a view and some nice hiking trails , but $15 for parking is a little ridiculous. $5 - $10 with the bus ride would be fine.

I was with a group of botanists on a field trip and this one was of our excursions. The ride on the tram was fabulous! Absolutely gorgeous. The guest center was clean and had plenty of room to eat a bite or just enjoy the vista. Temps were about 25 degrees cooler than in Palm Springs. The walk was easy going UNTIL YOU HAVE TO HIKE THE QUARTER MILE STRAIGHT UP to get back to the guest center. That damn near killed me bc I was already tired. Luckily I didn't roll back down hill any or I'd still be living there at the bottom.

This was the first stop on my 6 day vacation.
I was thinking I would start the hardest part first.... dragging me up the side of a mountain on a cable.
This turned out to be so much fun it was going to be hard to beat.

My husband and I decided to visit the top of San Jacinto and there is one way to do that….use the aerial tramway. The trip only takes about twenty minutes. Anthoney was the Tran driver and did a good job with the very large crowd inside. We have ridden the tram before but I did not remember so many people being crammed into it. We were thankful that it did not take too long!

Highly recommend! Beautiful views. We ate at the restaurant at the top and the food was very good.
Short hike afterwards. The altitude is a great way to get out of the July desert heat!

The day was wonderful. Great ride up and down. Only negative was the walk in the parking lot up to the main building. Would recommend your to anyone but be aware if you are fearful of heights.

Great experience no matter what the weather. The day we went it was raining in Palm Springs and snowing at the top of the mountain. A family had sledding equipment and a few people had their snow shoes to adventure outside. Couldn’t see the valley floor but still fun

Go early in morning to avoid any rush preferably on a good day. . Well organized, remember to bring good walking shoes if you want to try any of the trails and also something warm as the temperature is a lot cooler at the top. Good views of the valley from the front deck. However $15 for the car park plus $30.95 each for the tramway itself makes this quite expensive.

I was visiting my Friend in Palm Springs and we decided to check it out. I made the reservation online through TripAdvisor, but it doesn’t guarantee you a time slot. When we got there around 12:45 and we were able to get on the 1:15 timeslot. It was not that hard as I read in other reviews. They had a fun little museum that you could walk around and kill some time there until you got on. It was a beautiful ride… And not super super crowded. The restaurant upstairs was decent and the views were spectacular. Again nothing hard to get into. The right down was a hoot with everyone singing in the car… It was a really fun experience all in all.

Be warned on the view from the tramway car, it is higher than you expect and a lot steeper. I was almost in tears from fear, I clearly didn't do my homework and am not a thrill seeker. The floor rotates so everyone can see down into the valley on both ways up and down and this was unexpected and a nice surprise. the hikes at the top are plentiful, but the service in the restaurant wasn't great and the food is well overpriced for what it is even knowing what it takes to get it up there.

Palm Springs was a wonderful surprise. What a hidden gem—and wow, wow, double wow! I had no idea the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway even existed, but OMG… it completely blew my mind. 🌄

From the moment the tram began its ascent up the rugged mountain face, I was in awe. The ride alone was thrilling, but learning how two tectonic plates once collided to shape this stunning landscape? Mind-blowing. 🌍

At the top—Mount San Jacinto State Park—we planned for a short walk, which turned into a peaceful 2-mile hike surrounded by towering red pines, giant trees, birdsong, and skittering lizards. 🍃🦎🪶

I even carved out a quiet moment to sit in stillness and meditate in the forest. Serene, majestic, humbling—this place felt sacred. Mi Ra’s happy place, for sure. 💚

Would love to return one day in winter, when everything’s blanketed in snow. But for now, I’m holding on to that breathtaking view—layers upon layers of mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. ✨

#PalmSprings #PalmSpringsAerialTramway #MountSanJacinto #NatureLovers #HiddenGems #RoadTripVibes #CaliforniaAdventures #ScenicViews #WanderWithMira #MiRasHappyPlace #NatureHeals #MountainMagic #WestCoastWonders #HikeCalifornia #PeacefulPlaces #TravelWithMe #RoadTripUSA #DesertToMountains

My family and friends had a great time walking through nature, viewing the mountains from 8k feet in the air and taking a ton of pictures.

The experience was all positive from the getting the ticket online to the great ride up and the experience on the top. We went on a lovely weather day and had great view of the surrounding area. They were right about the temperature being 30 degrees cooler than below— a warm jacket is needed. Snow was a few feet deep. Go early to cut wait time to actually ride up. Plan to walk up a steep incline from car or if needed, drop people off and then park.

We took the tram on a sunny Saturday morning. It was a fun ride to the top, our tram guide was funny and everyone was laughing and singing all the way up. Once there, we walked / hiked for about 2 hours through the snow trails. I had running shoes on and slipped alot (my partner had hiking shoes on and I wish I had brought mine too). It was beautiful with the snow and sun shining. Great views of the valley below. Would recommend this as a good day trip for couples or families (lots of kids brought sleds).

What a beautiful, ride and engineering feat! This rotating tram is one of very few in the world. I wish I would’ve brought my walking stick for the hike at the top. Pretty, snowy trail, but big decline/inline to get down to it and back to the Top station. Well worth it!

It was great escaping the heat of the desert floor for a few hours. We hiked the trails and probably spent half a day on the mountain. Tram ride up and down was smooth sailing. Crowds were manageable but wouldn’t want to try this on a weekend. Seems like the further away from the tram landing up top you can get, the quieter and nicer the experience. All in all, a good day.

It was exciting trip ...amazing..my cousin from UK and her husband luv it...the tram ride and their experience playing in the snow....my son love it too....

Words cannot describe the beauty of what you see on the tram and when you get up to 8516 feet!! You can see the mountain and all its beauty so closely on the ride, and arrive in a forest primeval. And then, you can grab a drink looking out over mountain forests and the Coachella valley. I’m afraid of heights, so was scared to go, but the ride is smooth and I did not get scared at all.

The tickets sold by TripAdvisor were not really tickets so had no time stamp. The notice did say that the voucher had to be redeemed at the Tram. We did not understand that would mean over a 2 1/2hour wait. The big kicker - the price was the same as getting the tickets directly from the Tram with the time stamp.
The place 5 stars!!!

We enjoyed the ride and views at the top, we did later in the day there is a discounted twilight rate, the sunset views were lovely

Fascinating ride up the mountain in a feat of great engineering ! Unfortunately they load 80 people in a tight-space which is not possible to stay out of someone’s face. It’s flue season you idiots!.Do not recommend until they decrease the number to no more than 45-50 people.

My wife and I used this Aerial Tramway - it is a must if you are in the area. We did have an hour wait at the ground station - timed tickets (we went at the weekend so maybe quieter during the week). The return was only about a 10 minute wait. The ground station has a few things to occupy you whilst you wait. At the top you can go on a short walk plus there are a couple of places to eat and shop.

I had a nice time there with my man. We loved the scenery and beautiful sight at night. I wish we could’ve went during the day so we could see the view more. But this gives us something to look forward to for our next trip to PSP!

We had to cancel because of very high winds. I tried to cancel the tickets but could jot access tripadvisor website. I will dispute this charge on my charge card unless the tickets are rescheduled

I'm so glad we made the effort to take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Great weather, great views, friendly crew. Worth the ticket price.

Nice to know that If the official website for aerial tour is booked you can still get tix thru TripAdvisor. No trouble at all. We booked for “same day “ entry with no specific time to be able to get on tram and we were on a tram half hour after we arrived. And we got a $25 promo code discount.

We had heard the parking could be dicey so we went early and got easy parking. There are shuttles if you get a lower lot. The tram ride was very fun as the car rotates and gives views of both the hillsides and the valley. There is a nice gift shop and cafe if you have a wait for the tram ride. Be aware that it does get cooler at the top and a sweater or jacket might be needed (they do sell sweatshirts at the gift shop on the crest). There is a nice sidewalk once on top to some tables and a natural area. We did not hike, but the children enjoyed wandering and exploring the trees, water, and pinecones. It was a little startling for one family member who doesn't like heights when the tram jolted at one of the towers... Over all, a nice family adventure.

Beautiful view. Staff very knowledgeable & fun. Parking was plentiful. Loved that everyone was singing & happy on the way down. Beautiful sunset. Nice area for glass of wine.

Very cool and nice scenery. Would go again.....Not sure what else to type. But maybe try their restaurant another time.

What an amazing iconic gem in Palm Springs.
We got there late pm for ticket up to top, dinner included in ticket, su set, Eve ing walk and return down by 8,30 before it got to hectic.
Fantastic iconic scenic tourist spot.
Great value dinner, tram ride up and back. Lovely bar and restaurant. We had a great time.
Terrific views, great parking. A must to do if you are visiting Palm Springs, note**** take a jacket, temp can be very much cooler at the top of the mountain to the valley.

Well worth the trip out of Palm Springs to go up the aerial tram and really experience the winter weather (we were there in January). The tram itself is great, but there are a lot of great trails at the top that you can hike around.

Pre-brought tickets through trip advisor. Screenshotted booking reference number since there little to no cell reception once in the parking lot. Once in the lobby got our tickets for next available tram. Seems as though you didn’t need to get the tickets in advance. Trams leave every 15 mins. Views were amazing. It was cool to experience the higher temp (82 degrees) at the bottom but when you got to the top how much cooler (47 degrees) it was. Would highly recommend we spend a good hour and half here.

Unforgettable experience. Very organized. Limpeza. The bondinho provides a magnificent view and on top has trails and place for food.

The ride up and down was fun and dramatic. From the top you can overlook the valley on the east side and walk in the forest on the west facing side. The reason I deducted two stars was because of the ridiculous ticketing process. You can pay for your tickets online, assuming that you can avoid the long ticket line at the tram entrance, or get a requested time, but you would be wrong. You have to stand in the same line as walk ups. Paying in advance also doesn’t give you a preferred time. So, it’s pointless to pay online in advance, and if you need to cancel for some reason it’s a hassle. Just go and buy your tickets there. Earlier is better because the line starts getting very long after about 10:30.

We enjoyed the very quick ride up and down in the tram. We chose to go up at sunset and the views were gorgeous going up. It was dark when we came back down, but it was also kind of cool to see the city lit up from above. We couldn’t believe the temperature difference from base to the top! We do wish we’d gone up a little earlier—we saw the sun set on the way up which was beautiful, but it was too dark to see anything once we reached the top.

We did the ride & dine package, which was a great deal. The food was fantastic in the café (some of us had the beef and some the chicken). We definitely left very full. I’d highly recommend the ride & dine package!

Excellent. Very worthwhile. Easy buying tickets at the Tram. Dress warm in the winter. Can hike out from Tram station.
Watch the film on constructing the Tram.

This was a recommended "to do' in Palm Springs and quite an adventure. It was 60 degrees at the bottom and 20 degrees at the top with at least a foot of snow! We had to wait 90 minutes for our tram but had plenty of time to enjoy the displays and area at the bottom station. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip up the mountain especially the revolving floor which gave us all a great view of the area. Because it was snowing at the top, we weren't able to get a view of the valley. We had a nice snack at the cafe and could only walk the trail a little due to all the snow. It felt like a ski lodge! All personnel were helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.

Booking our tickets for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was easy through Expedia. We went early in the morning, catching the 8:45 tram. This allowed us to park conveniently in the A lot. Signage at the Tramway was excellent and picking up our tickets way easy. The Aerial tram is an enjoyable experience. The operators were informative and full of humor. Safety was a top priority. Once at the top, the hike through the state park was beautiful and the visitor center had a lot of good information about the tram and the park. On the decent back down the mountain was smooth and our operator played fun music that had everyone signing along. This is a must-do activity if you are visiting Palm Springs! Worth every penny spent.

Wow! What an amazing experience! Engineering marvel! A MUST DO do if you are in the area. The floor, windows & rails all slowly rotate to give everyone a great view. Didn't feel dizzy or nauseous at all. Very organized -- As you pay for your ticket at the gate, you are told which lot to park in. A bus comes by to take you to the Tram loading area. 2 trams run every 15 minutes.. one up, one down. Each tram holds 80 people. No A/C but windows open. Nice places to eat in the 3 level air conditioned building at the top. Nice bathrooms. Free pop refills. Definitely wear athletic shoes & watch your step if you choose to take the metal steps to higher viewing levels.

We had a great time using the tram! The rotating floor is a unique feature to allow everyone to see every view several times. The restaurants at the top were great. We had the lucky experience of the tram shutting down, so we were stuck at the top. All staff were calm and helpful. We enjoyed the bar, and there was plenty of food available. It was worth the experience to take the tram down in the dark - this was spectacular! The state park offers several easier trails and some challenging ones. Biggest complaint: you have to pay for parking in addition to the cost of the tram.

Very cold , going up was surprisingly fun. 360 degree view from cable shuttle. snowing but very nice .like to go back in summer. Had good time

Wow is all I can say. This very popular attraction draws tourists and locals. We were there during Modernism week so the crowds were large. The wait was 2-3 hours, but a few days later, we only waited a little over an hour. Even in the lounge waiting area there is a cafeteria, historical review and gift shop. There is a lovely outdoor waiting area. The experience is very organized with times listed on your ticket. There are two trams that travel back and forth. Each car holds approximately 30 people - quite large. Going up the mountain is both exciting and daunting. Arrival at the top is awesome. It is a state park at the top with trails, a restaurant, cafeteria and gift shop. I would definitely recommend this experience - unless you can't handle heights.

I managed to overcome my fear of trams and was glad I did for this unique experience. Very well organized and short enough in duration (10 minutes), that I didn’t even hyperventilate! My only suggestion for improvement is to not play music in the tram. Don’t know why our guide decided to do this on the way back down, but it was unnecessary, loud, and distracting. The ride was enhanced by a lovely lunch at Peaks Restaurant. First rate food & service with a marvelous view.

Great activity for larger kids and teens. Enjoyed our day playing in the snow, dining in the restaurant, and the tram ride was fun as well.

The Tram runs every 15 min
Spectacular views of San Jacinto mountains and dessert valley. We we loved no hiking at the top😁

To do absolutely!
Once at the top, enjoy the few marked trails, the visit is only at the arrival station... be careful the first descent is well secured but the climb is rough for people in difficulty, then it is almost flat... and it is worth a look!
Attention the parking is $15!

The views were amazing and on the inside of the tram car there were bars to hold onto. It was a little scary when we passed the third tower because of the shake. on the way down we had a great conductor as he played songs like sweet caroline and pretty little woman and the floor didnt rotate on the way down but it was just a party on the way down.

Quick ten minutes trip up 6,000+ feet. Keep yawning and swallowing on the fantastic tram ride both up and down. The view are amazing. The temperature change went from 60s in Palm Springs to 20s when we left at sundown. Take a coat and hat. Or buy one up there.

It is a great place to visit at least once when you visit Palm Springs. This professional operation offers options for everyone. You can go hiking or sit back and relax and enjoy the views. It was snowing at the top, and I went to take photos. We had a great dinner at the upscale restaurant at the top.

Visiting Palm Springs, we were advised to travel the tramway. I don’t like heights and my husband is claustrophobic so we were doubtful! So glad we ignored this, it was truly amazing. The journey up and down in the revolving car is breathtaking, the walks at the summit are incredible, the wildlife is beautiful- we had no idea the experience just starts as you get off the tramway. We turned up on a Saturday morning, no queues, and only 20 minute wait for cab. They left every 12 minutes. I agree they are crowded, but it is a small price to pay. Just want to mention Ryan - he was the operator on way back down, got everyone laughing and singing to Sweet Caroline

Amazing. A must-see during your PS vacation. I would love to come back at night to see the lights/stars. The restaurant was busy but accommodating and speedy. You might make reservations in advance to avoid a wait. Bring a jacket :)

This is an awesome ride to the top of Mt San Jacinto state pk.
With amazing views of Chino Canyon on the way up and down.
When you reach the top 4000 metres above sea level you can explore the state park or just take in the views.
Take warm clothes as there is snow up there

I was a bit concerned about the heat because it was 114 degrees and there was no air-conditioning in the tram, but we were so very happy we went! Great views that you really can't get from the ground. Trails to hike and both a cafeteria with snacks and drinks and a restaurant which was were we ate. The food was delicious 😋 Highly recommend making this part of your trip!

Incredible experience and very family friendly. The staff and volunteers, from tram pilots to park volunteers to security, were all so friendly and warm. The ride up is easy and surprisingly comfortable even in 100f heat because of the shaded side of the mountain and ventilation of tram.

The highlight of course is the summit where you can see everything from then mountains and wildlife and also the entire valley. Facilities everywhere were clean and orderly.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest rotating tram car in the WORLD. It's a breathtaking ride with stunning views (and hiking, educational videos, bars and restaurants). It is a great half or full day - and - so completely different from the valley.

Cost: Parking was $15 and there was a shuttle. The tram was ~ $35 / adult.

Getting there: It was about 40 minutes from Indian Wells.

Wait times: We got there ~ 11:00 on a Monday morning, bought our tickets onsite and had ~ 1 hour wait. Evidently that isn't bad and people routinely wait a couple of hours. There are plenty of places to sit in the shade and watch the trams and people. There is a cafe and bar at the top and bottom.

** If you are confident about your schedule - I recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time on their website. **

Clothing: Wear comfortable walking shoes and take a jacket. It was 95 at the base of the tram - but snow at the top. Lots of $50 sweatshirts are purchased. :)

While you are there: Go to viewing platforms to see for miles - we were lucky to have a clear day and could see the entire Coachella valley including the Salton Sea. We hiked a couple of beautiful trails at the top ~ 1.5 miles. There is a steep sidewalk with handrail to get from the summit to the trails and the trails had spots with ice / snow / water (i.e. don't wear shoes you care about). We also watched the "making of" and "flora / fauna" videos that play continuously in the theaters.

A wonderful mountain walk. Top notch organization and staff. Very pleasant lunch at Peak’s restaurant.
Breathtaking view of Palm Springs.

Excellent everything was organized and right on schedule and on time, and also the facilities are excellent clean and so please

Good service nice I will back with my oll family thanks for experience I love palms spring olive tramway see you soon thanks

Great ride on the tram and spectacular views from the mountain. Took the Desert View Trail. Really enjoyed the hike and took some amazing pictures.

The views were pretty amazing, indeed! Our youngest daughter just had an issue with her popping ears going back down to where we had parked our car. Actually, we both did! But, other than that, it all went well! The snow up on the San Jacinto Mountain made our experience more memorable.

Our favorite day of our Palm Springs trip by far! The ride up was amazing, capped off by the 1.5 mile hike at the top. Do it..it’s amazing. The trip down, for me who is afraid of heights, was a bit unnerving but Gil, the Tram operator, was amazing! He talked me down and made me feel at ease. Thank you!! One thing that I would recommend if you are on a time constraint is to book your tour at a specific time. We booked through TripAdvisor, got there and had to convert the voucher to a ticket and ended up having to wait an hour and a half. It was a great wait because we sat on the patio and enjoyed the tram and the ambience. However, the weight was unexpected.

This is very well done. Make sure to get your ticket in advance if you can. Pick the time and day that is best for you. The views from up on top are amazing, but sometimes can be hazy from humidity is the air. There is a nice restaurant on top as well.

Wow! Absolutely incredible afternoon spent heading up and exploring the area immediately around the tram station. There are a couple of easier trails for the less experienced hikers to explore. It cost $15 to park and we had pre paid for the ride and dinner which was extremely generous with lots of choice, ranging from pizza and chips to ribs and corn. Felt like really good value and was hailed as a highlight of our trip so far!

Took the time to take the PSAT up the mountain to Mt. San Jacinto State Park. Arrived around noon and planned to spend the day hiking around mountain station and the wilderness. Wait for the tramway up was a little long (90 min), but there were comfortable areas to wait inside and outside. We purchased tickets on-site on a Tuesday, but our schedule was flexible, so we didn't mind the wait. If you have a set schedule you want to keep, I suggest purchasing tickets online. After a stop at the ranger station to get a permit, we decided on the Round Valley loop (4-5 miles). We had dinner reservations at Peak restaurant at mountain station after the hike. There are lockers at mountain station where we kept a pack with fresh clothes for dinner. Had the most enjoyable ride back down the mountain because of car/tram employee, Gil, who had the entire tram singing and dancing to popular songs as we rode through the dark.

The Team ride is terrific and the views spectacular. HOWEVER!
DON'T RESERVE THROUGH TRIPADVISOR. You don't get tickets, just a voucher to redeem for a ticket. You still have to wait in lines to get tix, and then wait until the scheduled time for the ride which can be several hours. So why pay a premium to TripAdvisor for basically nothing - no reservation, no ticket, nothing! Go directly to the Tram, do not use TripAdvisor.

Very boring not the hipe it lives up to the hot pool springs need to be updated very warn down Not a colorful city pretty bland

Really amazing experience! We rode up just before dinner (in daylight) and came down at night. It was beautiful, decent food at top, and fun music on the way down. Kids (13,10) loved it.

The ride to the top was amazing. The views going up and down were beautiful. Once on top there are lots of hiking trails to go on. It's a great way to spend the day.

What a wonderful experience! The views from the tram are beautiful. We went at sunset and returned in the evening. Love the Coachella Valley at night. Be prepared-It’s cold on top of the mountain! Although the views are beautiful this time of day, we were unable to walk the trails in the dark so you should take this into consideration when planning what time of day you go on the tram. Reasonably priced as well and nice restaurant/snack shop/bar at the top.

Amazing views. Kind and thoughtful guides and other employees. We found it comfortable for us seniors. We will recommend the trap to our friends.

I expect that the views of the valley are phenomenal, hence the 5 stars.

However, we did not get to go. We arrived at about 11:30am on a Thursday and it was a 2.5 hour wait!!

If you are going to go, go early!

The landscape and the views are breathtaking. The whole experience is easy from booking to arrival and totally worth the price

Tickets can be reserved online, but we had no problem buying them on-site. View of Palm Springs area is grand. Food is available at the top, but is very expensive.

Be prepared for long wait times to board the tram. But there are patio areas to sit and relax along with food options to enjoy while waiting. The views are AMAZING both at the base and at the top and well worth the wait! We left Palm Springs at 72 degrees and arrived at the top to 2 feet of snow and 39 degrees, so dress appropriately. The observation decks are all outside. There are also amazing views in the building at the top including a restaurant, a cafe with long picnic style tables and a bar with lots of high tops.
Our return tram operator, Gil, was funny and entertaining as he engaged all the tram riders in a rendition of Sweet Caroline upon our descent! I would say it was well worth the price paid and an experience to be remembered for years to come!

We came here on a Thursday afternoon at 2:00 after spending the morning hiking in Palm Canyons. We were concerned about the crowds and wait times given that it was spring break time too. When we arrived, we were informed it would be a 90-minute wait but it ended up only being an easy 30-minute wait, so we were thrilled about that. There are lots of parking lots with ample parking. There is a moderate difficulty walk up to the building. We appreciated that the tram rotated to give us stunning and sweeping views as we ascended the mountain up 8,500 feet elevation. We came prepared for the 40-degree drop in temperature (it was 80 on the ground and 40 at the top): I brought a white jean jacket to throw on that matched my tank top and my husband brought a light jacket to throw on. We took a short hike on a trail outside, saw a lot of snow, and enjoyed the breathtaking views. We then spent some time inside perusing the educational exhibits and films before descending back down the mountain. All staff here were super friendly.

We arrived in the morning and had to wait for the tram. There is a gift shop and café at the base. Also, there are some good photo opportunities. Once we boarded the tram it was a quick ride to the summit. About 8500 feet above sea level. We were fortunate to go on a clear day. While up there, there are shops and hiking trails. There are two restaurants: a sit-down restaurant as well as a café. The views were breathtaking! Don't miss this! It's worth the price of admission.

The tram ride was very quick, but it was a little shaky. I didn’t realize the inside rotated the entire time, but it was nice to see the view. At the top of the mountain, there were a few trails to walk, places to eat, and scenic viewpoints. We did the nature trail loop which was just under a mile. It was pretty flat, aside from the steep ramps to get to the path. It’s definitely chilly, but it’s great to see! We did have to buy tickets in advance, and it was getting fairly crowded as the day went on.

Let me start with the upsides - the views up top were really great - both the desert and mountains side. We liked having an option to get a sit down lunch at Peaks and not just cafeteria style. Getting a tram down was pretty easy, we just had to wait for one group before us.

But - if I knew what I know now, I would either wake up early to go on the first trams or skip it all together. We arrived at 10:00ish and between parking (with a $15 parking fee), a shuttle and long lines, we didn’t get a team up until 12:24. The lines were 3 hours long when we left.

The facility to wait in was WAY too small for the number of people waiting. Not enough shade or seating, grumpy workers, not generally clean.

It seems odd you can only book tickets the beginning and end of days and not the entire day (at least the day we went) - it would really cut down on congestion / people waiting if all tickets were available that way.

Sad to say, but our least favorite activity of the area.

The views were amazing. We took lots of pictures. Be away of altitude sickness. It is a very fast ascent. I would do it again.

Wow! The tram ride was unbelievable , the views were spectacular! Raining in the parking lot and snowing like crazy on top of the mountain. Go when you can spend an hour or so at the top , the restaurants at the top have lots of seating and spectacular views a great menu for cocktails, coffee and great food choices. We did not feel that the food or drink prices were higher than what you would pay in town, which is pretty remarkable when you know they are having to get staff and supplies up to the top daily. We went on a Thursday afternoon with dinner reservations at 5:30. 20 people were on the tram both ways, so not crowded at all. The tram operators were so kind and funny. Definitely felt safe. Cannot recommend this experience enough. Bucket list item for sure!

Great views. incredible experience. We should have dressed warmer. It was 40 degrees on top and 72 on the ground. The view was so beautiful. Once in a lifetime.

If you PLAN AHEAD this is amazing. Leaving this review to pay it forward as other reviews helped me a ton! I took four girls ages 9-11 and since we didn’t book ahead, it was either a 4pm slot two days from now or take our chances walking up. I read previous reviews about the latter experiences and decided to chance it with an early Wednesday visit. We got to the parking gate at 9:10 (no line), and got a spot in the very top lot. Short walk to the ticket station inside, waited in that line 20 minutes, and got tickets for the first tram, at 10am. We walked around for a bit so we got to the loading zone too late to get a window spot, so the ride up was just okay. Walking out at the mountaintop into a pine forest was like another world, though! Views everywhere, too. We only did the short loop (0.75 miles), because the girls just had so much fun exploring and climbing. After a decent bite to eat, we got to the front of the boarding area for the ride down, which…. was…. SPECTACULAR. The music, the singing, the views, the swaying over the 5 columns, all of it even contributed to a tram car camaraderie that was totally unexpected. One of the girls said it was her favorite thing she’s ever done (OK she says that at some point on almost every trip, but still!) I feel bad for another recent reviewer who clearly had a miserable experience without reservations but this isn’t any different than any other activity/venue that heavily suggests making sure to buy tickets in advance! Hoping this review will give others tips on how to plan ahead and have a great day without advance tickets! Oh and YES it’s expensive but come on. You’re riding a dream that was privately financed and a colossal achievement in design and engineering. Tallest example in the entire world. Don’t want to pay for the privilege? Feel free to hike up!

A very unique experience in Palm Springs. The tram has a cab in which the door rotates as you travel up the mountain. Once at the top there are trails, restaurant and restrooms. The climate and ecological environment is totally different from the desert down below. A wonderful investment of your time!

You will wait for one to five hours. You will be herded like cattle into a cramped tram with 50 people and the floor will rotate under your feet making it difficult to keep your balance. The view will be shockingly disappointing. When you finally reach the top, you will sit in a subpar cafeteria with overpriced and underwhelming food. You will wish you just hiked the beautiful Indian Canyons or maybe had dental surgery. Anything but this. Literally anything. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY OR RUIN A PERFECTLY GOOD DAY WITH THIS!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Breath taking views, very short hike bring water and snacks save money small backpack wear comfortable shoes and clothes

There were a lot of people waiting for the shuttle bus to the ticket station. We couldn't see the building due to twists in the road & assumed it was much farther up the hill than it was. We would have walked rather than wait 45 minutes & 3 busses to get there. Next time, we'll walk for sure ;) The tram ride was stunning. Peaks restaurant was cool and delicious. Snow on the mountain was beautiful and fun to play in. Highly recommended!

Great experience!
It is highly recommended to get tickets first thing in the morning for the desired time. And check the temperature at the top.
The day we went it was 30 degrees Celsius below and -1 at the top. We went from muscular to snow!
We went at 4pm and chose the option with dinner. It was great!
We found the snowy forest during the day (we could have gone earlier and bought a culipatin). The food was very delicious and abundant. We were able to see the sunset on the mountain and go down at night.
A complete experience!!!

My husband and I had purchased tickets online for Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - Kelly and Mark from Live went recently while doing their show from Palm Springs, so we thought it looked like a good idea.  We headed over for noon. It was $15 for parking just to get through the gate.  We were in A lot (closest), but even so, it was a difficult walk up to the building. We arrived just in time, and joined the group loading on the tram.  The tram is the world's largest rotating tram car - there were almost 40 people on it.  You stand for the 10 minute ride. It travels 2.5 miles over the Chino Canyon up to Mount San Jacinto State Park.  Great views. The Mountain Station has restaurants, a gift shop, a natural history museum. We headed out to the Observation Deck, and to the hiking trails.  A paved path at first, with a hand rail, quite steep. It finally turned into a dirt path, uneven and rocky, a little less steep.  Through the forest, not too scenic.  We walked as far as the first Notch (view point), which was pretty. We knew it would be a long, steep walk back up, and we sure had to take a lot of breaks. We rewarded ourselves with lunch at Peaks, the sit down restaurant with views of Coachella Valley. Only a short wait for the tram back down. It wasn’t too cold while we were hiking and it was sunny, but by the time we were leaving in the shade it was very chilly. We really enjoyed the day.

The ticket system is messed up. They hardly sell tickets online on the same day. However, they will sell tickets at the counter. The wait is 3 hours. Once you get there, you are stuck. You can either wait for 3 hours or go back. Why do they not sell tickets for the same day online, so people do not need to waste their 3 hours? They probably want people to sit there and spend money on the food. The ride is great. The view from the top is awesome. We could not enjoy the view too much as by the time we got up, it was about 4:30 PM and it was getting dark.

This excursión was fantastic! Definitely plan on taking walking shoes and a jacket for when you reach the top.
Very well organized and the staff is very friendly and helpful.
Worth it!
Would love to repeat in Winter!!

Last minute decision to visit and I'm so glad I did! The tram ride was really cool, a little crowded for my taste but once you get to the top that's really where this destination shines! The desert view trail was fairly easy hiking and took me about an hour to do the full loop. The views were incredible and so worth the price of admission. Be prepared to spend $15 for parking in addition to the price for the tram ticket. Dining options at the top are good. I got a bacon blue cheese burger and it was really good especially after the hike. A somewhat pricey experience given the total cost of parking, admission, and then the food and drinks I bought but overall would say it's a must do if you're visiting Palm Springs!

Breathtaking and a smidgen frightening. It was exhilarating and fun. The views from the top are incredible. Dress warm as there is snow at the top.

It was great! Amazing views, excellent crisp air but the sun was shining so not too chilly. The tramway itself was a fun experience.
Definitely worth the visit.
Come early!

The ride on the rotating gondola is an experience. The view during the ascent into the rock formations is definitely worth it. At the summit you will find a completely different climate than in the desert resort of Palm Springs. Even a short walk into the woods under the mountain station is recommended.

Beautiful place. Nice people. Many were bringing young children to play in the snow. Very clean, well organized and friendly. Loved the tram floors that moved in a circle so that you got a panoramic view.

The tramway was a worthwhile experience for old and young. It was a well organized experience. The staff from parking attendants to ticket takers.The tram operators were fun, pleasant and professional. The views and hikes at the top were top quality. If you go, as we did in January coats and scarves are necessary.

Absolutely beautiful at the top. There are lots of hikes at the top but I would be weather prepared for them. Snow shoes, crampons, etc and you will need a permit. The temperature from the bottom to top is about 30 degree drop.

Unforgettable experience of gaining incredible altitudes in minutes!
The parking could have been included in the ticket prices to avoid unpleasant surprises.

A unique and exciting experience, and a great way to see all of Palm Springs from above. Very well organised, very friendly staff. The rotating tram car floor is really cool! Worth noting if you were planning a sunset trip, the sun sets on the other side of the mountain, so it’s gone much earlier in the day.

Very nice views we took many pictures and ate at Peaks restaurant highly recommended for some excellent attention would do it again with family

We have taken the tram before but wanted to share the experience with our Irish visitors.

Once we arrived and paid the $15 parking fee, we learned that the next available departure would require a two hour wait. Given the high winds, they slowed the tram down.

Key learning? DON’T book the tram in advance, as tickets via Trip Advisor will NOT be refundable.

Instead, attempt to find “wait time” before purchasing your ticket.

But you’ll still need to eat that $15 parking fee.

A $150 loss has left a bad taste in our mouths about ever doing this again, and the Trip Advisor “Help Desk” seems purposely designed for anything but…

Buyer beware!

Breathtaking and a MUST DO!! Plan to go early on the weekends especially if you have an afternoon flight to catch. We did not do much exploring, but the rides up and down were amazing. Our aunt who is afraid of heights went twice and enjoyed it much more the second time around. Can't wait to go again sometime!!

Well run operation. The rides up and down are amazing and the views from the top well worth it. We liked the restaurant too. Nice views, good veggie burgers.

It offers a breathtaking journey with stunning views of the Coachella Valley. The tram ride itself is exhilarating, and once at the top, the mountain station provides a serene escape. Enjoy hiking trails, a unique dining experience, and panoramic vistas. A must-visit for nature lovers and those seeking a quick getaway from the desert heat!

This is not a review to reflect on Trip Advisor, but just know that there is no reason to pre-pay for vouchers as far as we could tell.
When you arrive at the security checkpoint, a sign will tell you how long the wait is. When we arrived it was a 2.5 hour wait. After parking (and paying $15), and walking up to the building (you can wait for a bus or walk from parking lot) you go into the building and whether you have pre-paid for a voucher or not, you have to stand in line to buy a ticket. Therefore, there is no reason whatsoever to pre-purchase vouchers online. We decided not to wait 2.5 hours so we left and thus were out $32.95/person plus the parking fee.

The team was amazing . Such a beautiful area. And the people were so friendly. They maybe it so easy to go thru the sight. The experience of being there and the information they provide makes the trip.

We all had a great time on the Tram. It was literally snowing when we got to the top of the hill which was an added extra for us..😂

Save your hard earned money for another attraction. The goal of this venue seems to be making you part with you money and not providing an a very good experience. Nobody is nice or welcoming. You need to add $15 for the price of parking to the price of $35 per adult, this is hidden away in their website nowhere near the information on ticket prices. The staff were curt and patronizing and more than happy to ring up the tickets overcharging us before we realized exactly what we were paying for (we asked before handing over our credit card).

Charging for parking in open lots is just another way to rip you off. We were directed to a lower level lot (even though places were available closer to the entrance) and forced to take a shuttle. The driver announced the rule is that everybody must be seated even though there wasn't enough room. Not wanting to wait in 100 degree heat for the next shuttle, people sat on laps...and apparently that was not against the rules! Charging some ridiculous price for parking in open lots in the middle of nowhere seems to be a thing in this area (Acrisure Arena and more...) Anyway I'm sure they won't be changing this just because a few people complain, but proceed with caution.

Views were great! Funny hosts on the tram. We got great pictures going up and when we were on top. Got great ideas from the gift stop as well!!

Beautiful view with great staff and team car operators but a problem in the restaurant. How can they possibly get away with charging these prices fort food?

From the person who answered my questions on the phone to the staff members from whom we bought the tickets to the gal who ran our tram, everybody was super friendly. We reserved tickets and had to change the date -- no problem. This is so worth it, you just gotta do it if you're in the area.

The only con I have is that there are so many people on the tram that it is hard to see if you don't have a window view.

Fun ride and enjoyable day trip experience. We parked at lot A for $15 and walked to gate. If your in any other lots they have shuttle. Grade is very steep and hard to walk up! We got there on Sunday May 12 at 1pm and got tickets for 2:12 Tram. Lots to see and do while waiting. It doesn’t matter where you stand in Tram as the floor rotates so everyone gets great views up and down. We explored top for abit and only waited 15 minutes for Tram down. Tickets were $60 for 2. Glad we did it!

Fun and challenging experience appropriate for walkers and climbers alike. The ride up and the view was spectacular..

This was so worth the money. The cable car is enclosed but the windows open a bit for ventilation. The floor turns so you get a fantastic 360 degree view of everything!
Gil, the return operator, was especially fun! Nothing unites a crowd like singing along to Sweet Caroline! It also takes your mind off the height if you are a bit afraid of heights. Would do this again if I come back this way.

Riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a memorable experience. The tram slowly rotates as it climbs high above the desert, offering amazing 360-degree views of the mountains and valley below. At the top, it’s much cooler, with fresh pine forests and great hiking trails. You can relax, take photos, and enjoy the dramatic scenery—all just a short trip from downtown Palm Springs.

The ride up and down the mountain was fun with amazing views. Scenery at the top was awesome. Lots of trails for those wanting to hike. All in all, worth the trip@

A bucket-list type of event that delivers! Beautiful views in every direction. There is a restaurant and bar at the top. I was surprised at the size of the complete facility at the top! I was even more surprised to learn that there was a hiking trail on the back of the mountaintop center for more access to nature and all of her beauty.

It was a wonderful experience to take the Aerial Tramway. It was a spectacular ride to the top. Due to paucity of time I did not go for a trek. There is a gift shop, restaurant and viewing decks on top. A must do activity in Palm Springs.

If you want to do this pre book, wait was too long for us to wait around so sadly we missed out on this. I had heard views great and trails to do at top so think would have been good.

We were worried since we were unable to buy tickets in advance, but we walked in when they opened at 10 am on Tuesday and got on the 10:25 ride up to the top. It was a great experience, and we loved sitting at the bar looking out over Palm Springs at the top.

I definitely don’t recommend buying your tickets through Trip Advisor. When we got to the site, The Aerial Tram was closing early and would only honor tickets purchased on their website and we were turned away after driving all that way. Very frustrating.

Great experience. Go from the desert floor to a beautiful pine forest. We did an easy hike and it was lovely despite being snowy. The cafeteria at the top has a limited selection of food and is expensive. There is lots to see.

Quite an experience—a “must-do” when you’re in the Palm Springs area. We went in January, and it was warm in the desert, but at the top of the ride the temp was near freezing. Dress in layers.

The views are literally breathtaking. We took dozens of pictures. The wait at the bottom was long—we didn’t board for an hour after we got our tickets, but they let you know ahead of time at the gate. There are things to do while you wait, including food and a nice little gift shop.

They packed us in the tram, but the car rotates so you get a full view. It’s a memorable ride. We didn’t stay long at the top, but there’s plenty to do and see. The ride down is a hoot; it feels like you’re going twice as fast, but actually the tram travels the same speed going up as going down.

Highly recommended attraction. If you can, start early and stay late.

Super friendly staff. Even though we went on a very busy Christmas holiday weekend and had to postpone our trip from the original booked slot due to weather, the staff were super friendly and helpful in accommodating us without too much of a wait.

We visited on May 5th. Temps at the bottom of Mt.San Jacinto were around 70 while temps at the top of the tramway were in the 30's. So be forewarned...dress appropriately! We enjoyed the 10 minute ride up to the top. The floor of the tram rotates so you get great 360 degree views on the way up and way down. We spent some time hiking down from the tram stationand had fun making snowballs on Cinco de Mayo. Nice hiking trails and a good workout walking back up the somewhat steep incline back to the tram station. Nice bar and snack stand at the station as well. All in all, it was a good day for us and not too expensive.

The cable car or the mountain station are ok , but this is not the highlight. The environment and walking trails at summit are special , it’s was quite a busy day when I visited , but you can easily escape crowd if you are willing to walk just a bit! . Awesome

Lines incredibly long- seems they would limit sales to avoid this issue. Also no internet connection so was difficult to get tickets downloaded

We enjoyed watching the sunrise Easter morning in March of 2024! Amazingly Beautiful views! We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and watched the sunrise and walk around seeing the beautiful landscape and enjoyed the views riding up to the top as the sun came up and daylight views coming down!

Experience a completely different biome with just a 10-minute ride. This is definitely worth the trip while in Palm Springs

Not cheap but ride up is nice and views from the top are great. Nice paths to walk as well but is cold up so dress well. Ride is smooth and fast.

The wait was over 2.5 hours and not much to do while you wait. We ended up leaving and not going on the tram after an hour wait.

Wow, what a delightful way to spend an evening in Palm Springs. The peak restaurant was fabulous and the wedge salad and salmon were prepared exactly as I like it. Seeing the steep mountain going up and the city lights coming down was a supreme pleasure. One of the best gondola rides I have ever been to

Was a nice ride up and trails are nice.. restaurant is pricey and food was barely warm for fries and chicken tenders..not worth the price of food..

Fun ride, great views.Glad I did it once , but.......
The parking at $15 and the ride at $29.95 (senior) are pricey but I get that. It was unconscionable that a cup of hot chocolate from a vending machine cost $7.23. Sure it was only a few dollars but while the chocolate was good, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll find someone else to rip me off.

Worth it but need more planning. We went on the Wednesday of Thanksgiving and arrived around 9:30 a.m. We did not have an advance reservation but I was told over the phone earlier that most of the tickets are reserved for non reservations. But when we arrived the wait was still an hour and a half. We used the time to have lunch at the cafe at the bottom, which was nothing special. There are some areas to eat at at the bottom, but it was very crowded.

When we did make it up, the experience was very fun. The tram rotates and you get to see a lot of cool things. The tram operator gives a little talk and everyone was having a good time. At the top we went on the Desert View hike. It was a bit long but very fun and we all felt proud we did it. Very nice views from the notches/view points, and a very nice nature setting.

The hardest part of the hike might have been the descent/ascent from the tram center to the start of the trail. It's only about 500 steps but several switchbacks and after you are done hiking, going up to the tram took some effort. But all at all, very worth it. We did not have to wait long due to send. There are water filling stations at the bottom and at the top. We went on a relatively cold day, probably around the 40s, but because of the hike we did not need super thick jackets.

We got there early enough that we parked at Lot A which is the closest. Very steep. There are the lots and there are trams that drop you off right at the center, so I don't think that's a big issue. A very hilly area. On the drive I was in the lowest gear the whole time.

Stunning, beautiful, amazing, beyond great!!! And excellent food at The Peaks restaurant. If in the area. do NOT miss this!

While we enjoyed the tram experience, it’s very crowded in the tram (up to 80 people, so tbh I didn’t see much at all. The viewing from the top was nice, it had just snowed and was too slippery to do the light hike. Was it worth the cost and hour and ½ wait for a 10 min ride up the mountain….not sure. Glad we tried it though.

It's important to go when the weather is clear. You take a big cable car tram ride up to the top of the mountain where there is a lookout point. It is safe and well-developed. The views of the mountains and valley are beautiful, especially when there is some snow on the mountain. Some winter sports here. A snack area.

We did some research on how to buy tickets and parking availability, etc., and made sure we got there. The tourist office was not functioning at all.
It was a wonderful view as expected.
The top was cold with strong winds, and there was snow left, but everything was OK because we had everything we needed 👌
After all, I thought we should prepare for this.
I see snow fall more than usual, but the cheers of those who saw it for the first time felt very fresh 😊

I wish I would've read the reviews before booking through trip advisor. The voucher doesn't give you a specific time so you'll have to wait up to 2 hours to ride up. Definitely book directly through the tram website.

The ride going up made me sick to my stomach. I felt like I was leaning the entire way. On the way back down I sat next to the conductor making it a much better drive. We enjoyed the pine trees, views, and rocks.

What a fun and adventurous day with my family! It was so cool! I will definitely go back and spend more time hiking in the warmer weather.

Experience the thrill of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—a truly unforgettable journey! Enjoy a breathtaking 10-minute ride that takes you from the Valley Station to the Mountain Station, soaring to an impressive elevation of 8,516 feet. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness stunning views and the beauty of nature from this remarkable vantage point!

We decided to do this while on a trip to visit our daughter at Twentynine Palms Marine Base, while her husband was deployed. The views are very beautiful, and glad we did it to experience it. However, it is pricey, esp an entire especially if you take a family. I did receive a veterans discount of a small amount for myself, my wife, and my daughter. Forewarning, or those who are prone to even a small amount of motion sickness, the tram car rotates as it travels up the mountain. As I get older, I find myself more prone to this and get nauseous. I did hear another lady say the same thing to her husband, and our daughter was feeling a little of the same. Don't let that stop you from going, just be aware.
Once you're on top, take your time, enjoy the short trails around to different views, different heights, and take a lot of pics. If you get hungry, eat before you go or just buy a snack; prices are predictably outrageous in the restaurants in the building at the top. We had just come from the airport and were hungry, so we ate lunch in a cafe. We were orig. going to eat in the full-service restaurant, but between sitting there for 10 minutes after being seated and not being approached for even drinks, and looking at the prices for the food, we left and went next door to the cafe. $90 later for sandwiches for 3, we were eating. Would not do that again.
Overall, a fun, 1x experience. Do it, enjoy it, and say you have been there.

Let me first off that I have a fear of heights, so the thought of doing something like this was super scary. But, it turned out not to be. It felt safe and you were up the mountain in no time at all. The views from the top were spectacular, as were the little hiking trails. We saw several birds, some chipmunks, a squirrel. Our descent in the tram was actually really fun. The tram operator, Liam, played some bangers and pretty much the entire car was singing along! My family and I will definitely be back!

I booked the experience through TripAdvisor via Viator. But I was not able to view it in TripAdvisor or Viator online apps. I had an email and sms confirmation for the booking but the link in the confirmation could not open it in any app. The only way to view the booking was to download it to my phone as pdf and view it. The TripAdvisor or the Viator apps didn’t give me an option to look up the booking. There was no phone support to call and talk to someone either. I spend more than an hour to cancel the booking due to heat advisory in the area without any luck and the I gave up. The booking app seems to be a one-way door just to make the reservation and collect the money with no thoughts about after sales services. I don’t recommend this experience to anybody.

Great experience! The location is immaculate and well-organized. The tram ride is such an iconic experience in Palm Springs. Must-do!

DO NOT USE TRIPADVISOR FOR PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAM!!!! The day before our trip after receiving confirmation e-mail our reservation was canceled so disappointed
and angry.

We did not get to ride the tram because there was no indication of "wait time' until we arrived to the site. It turned out that we would be required to wait at least two hours before even riding on tram...unfortunately our plane flight would not allow us to stay this length of time...

The Views, Nature, Enjoyment… still amazing after all these years

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February, 2025 Visit

My wonderful wife and I enjoyed a trip to Palm Desert and San Diego, with a visit to La Jolla.

We have visited Palm Desert / Palm Springs since 1999, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tram is on our list of top things to do… it’s so great to hike at the top, with the tall, tall trees, pine cones bigger than softballs, and wonderful views.

Recommendation: plan for at least a morning or afternoon, or longer if you want to explore more at the top. The tram ride itself is phenomenal, and the hike around Mt. San Jacinto State Park is beautiful. We have since visited with our kids, and with family, and each time the visit is unique and similar… unique experiences with tall, tall trees, boulders, pinecones bigger than softballs, and wonderful views of the Coachella Valley!

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A Brief History of the Tram
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The videos and books about the Tram are fascinating; in the 1932s, George Crocker and others were working in the hot valley, and he looked up and wished he could be at the top, in cooler weather… 30 years later, after thousands of helicopter trips carries workers and equipment to build the tram and buildings, the Palm Springs Aerial Tram opened in 1963, and it’s been operating ever since… and it’s awesome!

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Arrival
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The towns of the Coachella Valley… Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indio, Indian Wells… are all at approximately 200~600 feet elevation, with whole valley descending to -234 feet at the Salton Sea, the second lowest elevation in North America; only Death Valley is lower.

To get to the Palm Springs Aerial Tram, you take the road from the triangle-shaped visitor’s center that once was a gas station… and you take the road up to the parking lots; then walk or take the parking lot trolley up to the Valley Station at 2,634 feet elevation.

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Planning ahead to time your ride
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As of this writing, you can order tickets for the future, but not the current day. You may want to call to understand how long the line might be for the next available tram ride… or just plan to relax and eat and/or enjoy the sun on the patio, next to the tram, which has its own waterfall.

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The Tram Ride
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There you get a ticket on the tram to the top… 5,613 feet elevation gain, by a cable that is just over 2 mile long, up to 8,516 elevation at Mountain Station.

These are the world’s largest cable cars, which rotate 2x during your ride; both have wonderfully large windows to help you take in the gorgeous view.

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At the Top
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Indoors - restaurants, gift shops, and views from inside.

Outside - views to the west of the Coachella Valley; to the other direction, a walk down and into Mt. San Jacinto State Park… such a wonderful location. It is typically 40 degrees cooler at the top than in Palm Springs and the other desert / valley towns.

At the top, the pine trees are so tall… they you realize that is because they are so big that, at the bottom, you can make out individual trees at the top (along the ridge line).

There is a webcam you can check to see if there is any winter snow at the top, to help you dress accordingly.

The trails are easy to moderate; some places have slight elevation gains, and when you get to the top you have some of the most marvelous views… so nice. You might even find your own place to… propose and to say “yes,” as we did on our first visit.

The walkway from the trailhead back up to the Tram building is the steepest part of your hike, and is moderate… and it has handrails.

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We’re planning to visit Palm Desert more frequently in the upcoming years, and we’ll be riding the tram more often. Thank you to George Crocker and all who made the tram possible, and to each and every one of the staff who keep the tram and the full operation working so well for all of us visitors!!

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We went in August when it is good and hot in Palm Springs, refreshingly cool on top. Be sure to pay the extra few dollars to eat at the top. Food was better than expected and cheap. A bargain!

The views were amazing but the back deck was closed due to high winds. The ride up and back was ok, no seats, only standing and very crowded. The floor rotates but people don't always move so they plow into you. It was OK, I would maybe do it again in 10 years

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was an amazing ride through the mountains. We did this adventure with 2 families of four teenage girls and they loved it! The rotating car gave us incredible views all the way up the mountain and when we reached the top, we did the Desert Loop Hike which showcased large boulders, trees, and beautiful walks through the woods. It was truly worth the money!

3.5 hour wait on a Saturday, for a 15 minute ride. Skip buying tickets on trip advisor, you only get a voucher that then buys you tickets along with the masses, NO advantage whatsoever and the Tram won’t refund or reschedule you have to go through trip advisor . Live and learn !

Family of 8 adults had a great experience. Get tickets in the morning for a trip later that day. Up and down were a fun ride and entertaining staff. Restaurant at the top was good, glad we made reservation.

The 10-minute journey up and down the mountain gives you beautiful views of the valley and mountains. The floor of the tram rotates so everyone gets a chance to see out all the windows. The ride up wasn't too crowded but there was at least a 30-minute wait to go back down the mountain. It was 105 degrees in the valley and a perfect 55 degrees at the top. If you're going to hike through the state park at the top, bring comfortable hiking or walking shoes as you'll be going up and down hills. The restaurant and bar, outdoor seating on multiple levels, and gift shop are nice ways to refresh yourself and get a souvenir. $15 for parking and $30+ for admission ticket.

No tickets online. All sold out. We drove there and you have to wait 2.5 hours to get in to buy a ticket and then wait another half hour. Waste of day. Paid for parking to find this out and then left. Not worth my whole day to buy a ticket. Why not sell them all online until sold out. Who has time to sit in the sun and wait for a shuttle bus. Joke

Perfect quick get-away from heat of Palm Springs. Beautiful park, great ride with informative guides, and nice shops and restaurants at the top.

This tramway is unique in that no matter where you stand, by the time you arrive at the next station, you car will have rotated slowly almost two full turns, so you will get to see everything there is to see while standing in place.
The history of the tramway and the area is very interesting. The view from the top overlooking is breathtaking, and if you don't merely want to look out from the spacious terraces, there are several hiking trails to explore which take you to some other scenic overlooks. The temperatures at the top are noticeably cooler, a welcome relief in the hotter months of the year.
The food in the cafe is tasty, as well, and you can sit indoors or outdoors before or after walking around. The Tramway is well run and organized, but the tramway is popular, so reserve tickets ahead of time if possible.

Great break from the heat with amazing terrain and nice nature hike at the top. Go after four o'clock for lower "twilight" rates.

My friend and I took the tram ride and did not fully process just how high and steep the ride would be. It was over in about 10 minutes, but going over the towers definitely made our stomachs drop. The floor also rotates so that everyone is able to have a chance for all of the views.

Once at the top, we enjoyed the restaurant as well as all of the views. We were able to hike the back side of the mountain and enjoy the crisp air and fresh streams. It was such a nice break from the heat of the lower valley and desert.

Definitely remember to pack a light jacket -- it gets cold up there and we were able to still see snow in some areas! Also, drink lots of water, the high altitude had us a little short of breath.

It was great! Unique experience and amazing views. Be sure to bring a coat. It is at least 20-30 degrees cooler at the top.

Wait time after redeeming
the tickets purchased on trip advisor was about 2 hours, but the experience was worth the wait. Spectacular views, bring a jacket because it's really cold at the top!

Beautiful views, both during the daytime and at night. It is pretty crowded during the sat but the tram was only our family going down at about 8pm. The museum and videos didn’t take long at all, although they were very interesting to see. It is much colder once you reach the top so dress and prepare accordingly. The Peaks restaurant is delicious and has many tasty dishes and drinks.

Super easy to get to from Rancho Mirage. Well organized parking and tram loading.(I was there as soon as they opened in the morning.) the tram ride to the top was fairly short and very scenic. However, it might be a bit disconcerting if you’re uncomfortable with heights. At the top, there’s a café. lounge viewing points, static displays and Park Rangers to help out with your visit. Once you go outside, you’re at the trailhead for a couple easy but worthwhile trails and some much longer ones that I didn’t have the time to take. It is much cooler at the top of the hill than down in the valley -approximately 30° f difference. The scenery from up there is fantastic. The forest is beautiful highly recommend this as a way to occupy a morning or a full day.

Once we entered the parking lot, it was a wait for 5 trams before getting to the ticketing area. Then another 30 minute wait to get tickets with the wait being a half hour from then to go up. The top is beautiful and was 70. Nice hike but down several switchbacks so be in decent shape! Great eating area and views. Just don’t be in a hurry.

The views from the tram car were beautiful, both going up and coming down. I did not realize the platform rotated the whole time, but it was great to see all around us. I would not recommend the trip for people with claustrophobia or fear of heights, though. We hiked to Round Valley and Wellman Divide. I would rate the hiking moderate to strenuous, but well worth it to see the view from the Divide (9700 ft altitude). It was very cold and windy, so I was glad I brought extra layers, gloves and a hat. The hot chocolate at the cafe was only fair, and we had to wait about 45 min in line to catch the tram car back down. Those were the only drawbacks though. We did not purchase the pictures they took of us as we boarded the tram car to go up, but I saw another couple's pictures and they looked great. I would definitely go back if I'm in the area again. The hiking really made the trip worthwhile. If just going up and right back down, it is pretty pricey.

This should be on everyone's "bucket list" when they visit Palm Springs. The views were spectacular and the pricing very reasonable.

We had been advised to time our ride so we could see sunset against the mountains --- unfortunately, it was crowded on the day we went and had to wait an hour for entry and so totally missed the sunset. The ride up and down the mountain in the evening darkness was interesting but not spectacular since the view was very limited. The tram travels quite fast at 25 mi/hr, and if you're standing by the windows the floor moves so everyone gets a 360 degree view during the ride. I wish we had been warned about the moving floor when we purchased the tickets (would have been less a shock), but you get used to it quickly. Definitely not a ride for anyone who gets motion sickness, since the moving floor combined with slight swaying as the tram goes over several towers will potentially make you squeamish. The facilities at the mountain top were a pleasant surprise: many viewing decks and multiple places to eat including quite a nice restaurant. This is one of the few unique things to do while in the Palm Springs area, so don't miss it.

The tramway ride itself was wonderful but you should include additional information that the purchaser needs to go to the ticket window first to redeem their “voucher”.

Absolutely a must do!! Beautiful scenery, fun ride up and back, and plenty to see and do at the top. Temp at the bottom was 90 degrees… temp at the top was 52… but still sunny and warm. Staff was friendly and informative.

So amazing! Well worth every penny. Wear your hiking shoes and bring your walking poles. Beautiful, quiet and nourishing.

Visiting the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in October was absolutely perfect! The weather was beautiful—cool and comfortable for walking the trails at the top. The ride up offered stunning scenery, and once we reached the mountain station, the views were truly breathtaking. It’s such a peaceful and scenic escape from the desert below. Highly recommend taking the trip if you’re in the area!