desert · United States

Less crowded alternatives to Palm Springs

Love the idea of Palm Springs but not the crowds? These desert destinations offer a similar trip while staying noticeably calmer during the busiest weeks in Palm Springs.

Want the month-by-month crowd calendar first? See when Palm Springs is busy

Calmer places to visit instead of Palm Springs

🇺🇸 Joshua Tree

United States2 bands calmerQuietest in June

🇧🇴 Salar de Uyuni

Bolivia4 bands calmerQuietest in February

🇵🇪 Huacachina

Peru3 bands calmerQuietest in January

🇨🇱 Atacama Desert

Chile3 bands calmerQuietest in March

🇳🇦 Namibia

Namibia4 bands calmerQuietest in January

🇹🇳 Saharan Tunisia (Tozeur)

Tunisia4 bands calmerQuietest in June

🇲🇳 Gobi Desert

Mongolia4 bands calmerQuietest in January

🇲🇦 Sahara (Merzouga)

Morocco4 bands calmerQuietest in June

How we pick these

Every alternative is a same-category destination from our dataset that sits at least one crowd band lower during the peak weeks in Palm Springs. The ranking comes from the same seasonal crowd model as the map, not editorial opinion, and we favour places in the same region so the swap stays realistic.

Common questions

What are the least crowded alternatives to Palm Springs?
Joshua Tree is the closest calmer match, and the full list below ranks similar destinations that stay quieter than Palm Springs during its busiest weeks.
Why visit an alternative to Palm Springs?
Popular spots like Palm Springs get crowded, pricier and harder to enjoy in peak season. A similar but quieter destination gives you the same kind of trip with shorter queues and more room to breathe.
How are these alternatives chosen?
We compare our crowd estimates for hundreds of destinations and surface same-category places that are measurably calmer than Palm Springs when it peaks, preferring ones nearby or in the same region.
See the crowd calendar for Palm Springs →Browse the least crowded months