Where do hipsters, eccentrics, New Agers and the ghost of Frank Sinatra all play? Palm Springs - and luckily for you, you can too, especially as this underrated and oft-overlooked escape is our Trip Pick of the Week.

Once the playground of the Rat Pack - and then the play pen of the original thong-clad Spring Breakers of the 80s - Palm Springs has garnered a more sanitized, and sadly boring, reputation as of late. As a result, the city is doing its best to rebrand itself as a destination for college students looking for a party. So on a recent trip there, we were worried we'd find frat boys doing keg stands poolside - and we couldn't have been more wrong.

Palm Springs turned out to be one of the most relaxing - and quirkily fun - places we've ever been on vacation. This approachable town has beautiful mountain views and spring time temperatures perfect for poolside lounging and hiking. It also has lots to offer for design and shopping enthusiasts: amazing mid-century architecture, vintage boutiques galore, and more thrift shops per block than we've ever seen - anywhere. The desert and its vast openness attracts all sorts of artists, while LA refugees flock to the area's famous spas.

For those looking for a bit more action, Palm Springs is also just a short drive from both LA and Joshua Tree, one of our countries largest and most weirdly cool, awesome national parks.

The best part? The vibe in Palm Springs is leisurely - there's no sense that you have to pack everything in on one visit. 

Overall, Palm Springs makes for the perfect Spring Break for New Yorkers in need of some retro feeling R&R. So keep reading for our thoughts on what to do, where to eat and how to have fun in Palm Springs - we've even scored a serious deal at one of our favorite hotels (pictured) in the whole world for jauntsetter readers.

xo,

your jauntsetter team

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The weather in Palm Springs is wonderfully warm right now with highs in the mid-80's and lows at night in the mid 60s. Sounds just about right for us! So we say: head down as soon as you can, or at least before the end of May. Otherwise, Palm Springs gets too hot; daytime temperatures reach the 100s in the peak of summer. 

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We think 4 to 5 nights in this town is perfect. You'll get one day for hiking in Joshua Tree and a few other days to explore the area. There are lots of interesting day trips to take from Palm Springs, so if you've got more time to spend, go for it. 

On the other hand, if you only want to lounge poolside, sipping cocktails and reading magazines (and there's no shame in that!), this trip could be the perfect extended weekend getaway.

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Since you're likely going to rent a car on this trip, we recommend flying into LA and driving up to Palm Springs - it's under a 2-hr drive when there's no traffic. Flights are cheap to LA, with airfare on JetBlue flights (to Burbank) coming in at $259 from JFK and Virgin-America costing just $279 for most roundtrip, nonstop flights in April, all taxes and fees included.

If, however, you're not interested in hanging out in LA, and would rather cut down on LA driving time, fly directly into Palm Springs (SNA). Continental flies direct (from Newark) and flights, again with all taxes and fees, will cost you about $426 RT.

OK with stopovers? Then you're in luck. You can fly into Palm Springs on United or Frontier for the same cost as flying into LA - about $280 -  with just one short stop. We recommend booking on Kayak.com for the best fares.

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Unless you plan to stay firmly ensconced in your hotel, a car is pretty necessary in Palm Springs, especially if you want to take a day trip to Joshua Tree. Then again, for those lazy-spring breakers who really don't want to drive, it's possible to do Palm Springs car-less. The Ace Hotel, our #1 accommodation pick, has a complimentary shuttle that will pick you up at the Palm Springs airport and drive you downtown. They also provide free bikes for your stay (though it's a little hot to ride them around too extensively during the day).

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Our #1 Pick: Ace Hotel & Swim Club (pictured)

After spending a week in Palm Springs, the Ace Hotel & Swim Club quickly became one of our favorite hotels in the world. Don't get us wrong - this hotel isn't super luxurious, and in fact, it's our budget pick for Palm Springs. After all, room rates start at just $89/night. This minimalist accommodation is also the reincarnation of a former roadside motel, and it feels it. In other words, you won't be surrounded by lush grounds or offered fancy grandiose suites. 

What you will get, however, is tremendous value. The Ace Hotel has impeccable, friendly service; free Wi-Fi, bikes and newspapers; an outstanding, affordable restaurant; super cheap, delicious room service; and a huge hot tub and amazing salt water pool. On that last point - we toured lots of fancier hotels in the area, and no one had a better, or bigger, pool than this place. 

If you'd like to splurge at the Ace Hotel, that's possible as well. On a recent stay there, we indulged in a King Patio. The room ($199/night) itself isn't huge, but its decor, with its canvas walls and low bedding, make you feel like you're camping inside. Its private patio has a gas-fireplace, perfect for chilly mornings and evenings. 

Quite obviously, we think you should stay at the Ace Hotel if you head to Palm Springs. Luckily for us, so do they - they've offered jauntsetter readers a special deal. Get 10% off your stay, a free upgrade (based on availability), free breakfast daily (an amazing value; this is no breakfast buffet - you can choose anything from their regular menu), and a complimentary manicure OR pedicure from their spa. Phew. 

We are so in love with this hotel right now. Is it obvious? To book, visit reservations and put "jauntsetter" in the Promo Code field, then email sales.ps [at] acehotel.com to confirm your package, and mention again at check in (the hotel is new, so reminders will help!).

Our Midrange Pick: Viceroy Palm Springs

The Viceroy is located smack dab in Palm Springs proper, and there's lots going on at this stylish boutique hotel. Besides a happening poolside bar scene, the Viceroy features comfortable, spacious rooms, a well-regarded spa (closed Mondays), and three pools for ladies to lounge by. The Viceroy gets positive reviews all over Tripadvisor, and when we toured the facilities and rooms, we found the staff to be exceedingly friendly and helpful. 

In terms of guests, LA-escapees abound and we noticed lots of PYTs (pretty young things; in this case, both male and female) lounging about. On Thursday nights the Viceroy has a DJ flown in from London to spin poolside, plus discounted cocktails and a small-plates menu. So if you're looking for a little glitz and glamour on your getaway, the Viceroy should more than suffice. An added perk? Jauntsetter readers get a complimentary Signature Viceroy Refresh cocktail till May 31st.

There's a $25/day resort fee daily, which includes Wi-Fi, bikes, gym-access and newspapers. We recommend booking through TabletHotels, where mid-week rates start at just $125/night for a Premium Queen Studio and $199/a weekend night.

Splurge Pick: Parker Palm Springs

The Parker is ideal for anyone who visits Palm Springs with the intention of leisurely lounging and never leaving their hotel. This splurge pick has it all: designer decor (courtesy of Jonathan Adler), perfectly manicured grounds (replete with lush landscaping and hammocks, hammocks everywhere) and one of the nicest hotel spas we've ever seen. In fact, its 16,500 sq ft facilities feature steam rooms, saunas, a yoga room and two indoor pools - one just for men, and one for women - perfect for when your bikini line has taken a little bit of a vacation with you.

Formerly featured jauntsetter Jee Ahn recommended renting a suite at the Parker Palm Springs with girlfriends as the perfect post-break up trip. Based on our experience there, we'd say it'd be ideal under happier circumstances too (bachelorette party perhaps?).

The cheapest rates we found were on Hotels.com for $252/night (weekdays) and $415/night (weekends), plus a $30 resort fee. Or, consider one of the hotel's many generous deals if you're planning on spending lots of time (and money) at the spa, eating or on cocktails!

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We'll have some more blog posts this week on what to do in Palm Springs, so check back for our top day trip from Palm Springs! In the meantime, Design*Sponge also has a fantastic guide to the area, with plenty of tips on where to shop.

[Photo credit: Douglas Lyle Thompson and Jon Johnson]