Tram News

Special Hours and Holiday Dining

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will offer special holiday hours December 20 through January 4. The first tram up each day will be at 8:00 a.m., the last tram up will be at 8:00 p.m., and the last tram down will be at 9:30 p.m.

On December 25 and January 1, Ride ’n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and a holiday meal at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—are available for purchase from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Meal service begins at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are $41 for adults and seniors, and $27.50 for children (ages 3-10). The holiday menu includes a choice of honey-glazed ham, oven-roasted turkey, or vegetarian lasagna, and a selection of side dishes. A fountain beverage, coffee, or tea is included. Regular Ride ‘n’ Dine menu served on New Year’s Day.

Peaks Restaurant will serve a special prix fixe holiday dining menu on December 25, featuring a selection of roasted duck, pan-seared salmon, or filet mignon, accompanied by a seasonal appetizer and side dishes. For dessert, there is a choice of salted caramel cheesecake or chocolate caramel crunch. Christmas Day dining in Peaks Restaurant begins at 11:00 a.m. and is $89 for adults and seniors, and $39 for children (ages 3 – 10). Tram fare is not included. Reservations are recommended.

For more information or to view the full menus, please visit www.pstramway.com/dining/ or call 760-325-4537 for Peaks Restaurant reservations.

Guess who’s coming to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway? This December, families can enjoy two unique opportunities to visit Santa in an alpine winter wonderland.

• Santa will be stopping by the Mountain Station’s Pines Café on Saturday, December 6 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Children can share their Christmas lists with Santa himself, pose for photos, and receive a free candy cane. Santa’s visit is included in general tram fare admission. Tram tickets are $34.95 for adults, $31.95 for seniors, and $18.95 for children (ages 3 – 10).
• “Breakfast with Santa” will be held on Saturday, December 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in Pines Café. Join and Mrs. Claus for a special holiday breakfast and festive crafts. “Breakfast with Santa” tickets are $55 for adults and seniors, and $42 for children (ages 3 – 10). Tram fare is included. Advanced tickets are required and can be purchased by visiting www.pstramway.com/tickets or by calling (760) 325-1449. Seating is “family style” (tables may be shared with other guests).

Celebrate the holiday season at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. For more information, please visit www.pstramway.com.

The “Sounds of the Holidays” concert series commences December 3 at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Mountain Station. Continuing a decades-long tradition, visitors can enjoy Yuletide carols and holiday hits performed by high school choirs on select dates through December 14.

For the 2025 season, the Tramway is proud to present the following line-up:

• Wednesday, December 3 – La Quinta High School Chamber Singers
• Thursday, December 4 – Cathedral City High School Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers
• Sunday, December 7 – Palm Springs High School Madrigal Choir
• Wednesday, December 10 – Shadow Hills High School Chamber Singers
• Thursday, December 11 – Coachella Valley High School Concert Choir
• Sunday, December 14 – Quartz Hill High School Chamber Singers and A Cappella Choir

Showtimes are 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the Pines Café Stage and are included with regular Tram admission. Food and beverage will be available for purchase at Pines Café and The Lookout Lounge. (Note: The December 7 choral performance is outside on the Desert View Terrace at 5:30 p.m. kicking off the Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. That evening, there will also be a 7:30 p.m. performance inside on the Pines Café Stage).

To purchase tickets, please visit www.pstramway.com or call 760-325-1449 for more information.

Lance Bass, one-fifth of renowned vocal group NSYNC, will serve as the celebrity tree lighter at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, December 7, 2025. KESQ Chief Meteorologist and “Eye on the Desert” Host Patrick Evans will again emcee this year’s event at the Tramway’s Mountain Station. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Palm Springs High School Madrigal Choir performing holiday favorites. Following their performance, Bass will light the Tram’s landmark 45-foot tree comprised of over 4,000 LED lights, which can be seen throughout the Coachella Valley.

From small-town Mississippi to global pop icon, Lance Bass has spent over 25 years entertaining the world: singing, producing, and hosting. As a member of NSYNC, he helped define 2000s pop music, selling over 70 million records, earning multiple major awards, and releasing one of the fastest-selling albums in history, “No Strings Attached.” In 2023, the group reunited with “Better Place,” which debuted at #1 on iTunes.

Beyond the stage, Bass has produced films, hosted hit shows and podcasts, and co-owns one of the top entertainment venues in West Hollywood. In 2021, he and husband Michael Turchin, welcomed twins Violet and Alexander, inspiring his first of many children’s books, “Trick or Treat on Scary Street,” which also became a New York Times Best Seller.

A passionate LGBTQ+ advocate and philanthropist, Bass is also a voice in the diabetes awareness space and a board member of the Environmental Media Association. Whether raising awareness, raising twins, or raising eyebrows on TikTok, Bass continues to evolve with purpose, creativity, and heart.

The tree lighting ceremony is open to the public and is included with regular Tram admission.