Tour de Palm Springs: Ride, Rally, and Celebrate Community

Every February, Palm Springs wakes up to the hum of spinning bicycle wheels, cheering crowds, and thousands of spandex-clad people taking over the streets. The annual Tour de Palm Springs is one of the city’s most beloved outdoor events—a celebration of cycling, fun, and community set against our iconic mountain backdrop.

Founded in 1998, the Tour de Palm Springs began as a small grassroots charity ride with a simple mission: raise funds for local nonprofits while encouraging people to get outside and enjoy the desert. Since then the event has grown into one of the largest cycling events in Southern California, drawing more than 7000 riders from across the U.S. and beyond and raising nearly five million dollars for more than 150 local charities.

In addition to giving back to the community, one of the reasons the Tour de Palm Springs feels so quintessentially Palm Springs is its inclusivity. Whether it’s your first cycling event or you’re adding another medal to your collection, the Tour is designed to be approachable, social, and supportive. Riders can choose from a variety of route lengths, ranging from a relaxed seven mile loop to longer, more challenging distances like a century ride. There’s even a short charity walk so that non-cyclists can help raise funds. You’ll spot rainbow jerseys, groups of friends riding and walking together, and plenty of spectators cheering everyone on, no matter the pace or skill level. Check the Tour’s website for registration details if you’d like to ride or walk.

You Don’t Have to Ride to Join the Fun

Don’t want to break a sweat? The Tour also includes a lively Vendor Expo featuring local businesses, food carts, souvenir shopping, and lots of great energy. Free and open to all, this festive event turns a stretch of South Palm Canyon Drive into a car-free street fair between Baristo and Tahquitz. With live music, marching bands, and thousands of cute guys in bike shorts it’s hard not to have an entertaining time at the Expo.

However you decide to participate, the Tour de Palm Springs is an authentic way to experience the inclusivity, warmth and generosity of the Palm Springs community. It really is an event like no other.