Best Palm Springs Nightlife

Girls and guys looking for late-night action have made Zelda’s Night Club a top spot for more than 30 years. Locals say the vibe is hotter than ever, now that Zelda’s has new owners and a new location (an easy-to-find strip mall). DJs spin top-40s to old-school and Latin, as the primarily 21 to mid-30s crowd jumps on the dance floor or joins the go-go dancers on raised platforms. The vast bar area offers space for chatting. Luxury sky boxes, VIP booths, bottle service and scheduled live entertainment add a Vegas tone to the new two-story digs and make it a great spot for parties.

Dink’s is short for “double income no kids” and the space, a huge arena-like room with deep red walls and white-leather ottomans, was created to attract a fun-loving, sophisticated crowd. It’s worked. Dink’s has been jammed since opening in 2008. The shows are relentlessly eclectic, from vocalists like Irene Soderberg to 15-piece big band orchestras, Elvis tribute singers, live radio broadcasts with local DJs, and drag-queen productions. If there’s a big sports event, the gigantic flat screens over the bar pack the house. A retractable ceiling and glass walls let the stars shine in on balmy nights, and the outside bar and private cocktail cabanas (for up to six people) offer a cozy retreat for chatting or smoking (smoking outside is still legal in California). This is a great place if you want dinner and live entertainment—some tables face the stage—but if not, sit at the huge rectangular bar or at the cocktail tables and chairs fronting the stage. Some shows require reservations.

The name says it all. Flip flops and tank tops are the rule, not the exception, for the college-age patrons, who dance and drink to the loud, live bands belting out everything from reggae to pop at this funky Palm Springs nightclub. Huge glass windows are the only separation between the sidewalk and the band, so you can see and hear the fun before you even step inside. There’s a second bar in the courtyard in back, and a third bar upstairs, with dartboards and pool tables. This is where bikers hang out when they’re in town. The kitchen stays open until 1:30AM, so if time slipped away and you’re looking for dinner after the dinner hour, the Village Pub is still going strong when the rest of downtown is slumbering.

This is a new take on an old concept and offers a nice way to while away an evening. Bing’s (the locals shorten everything) is a loving homage to Bing Crosby. You can view his golf clubs and pipe collection, but it’s the classic publicity photo of Crosby, Grace Kelley and Frank Sinatra in the 1956 movie “High Society” that grabs your attention and makes you want to relive the glamour. The piano bar is in the center of the restaurant, with nightly live entertainment. Wally’s Desert Turtle is across the street, so if you’ve had dinner there, Bing’s is perfect for a nightcap. If not, Bing’s cuisine is Five-Diamond rated.