The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is trading its usual desert panorama for a taste of Bavaria this weekend, with AutumnFest set to take over Pines Café atop Mountain Station on Saturday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The German-themed celebration, inspired by Oktoberfest, pairs a three-course meal with live polka music.
Tickets run $46 for adults and $32.50 for children ages 3 to 10, with admission covering both the meal and tram fare, according to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The feast comes with a live soundtrack courtesy of polka band Bavarian Stew, keeping the Oktoberfest spirit alive at an elevation where the air is noticeably cooler than down in Palm Springs. Patch corroborated the same schedule and pricing in its own coverage of the event.
Snow Guessing Contest Already Underway
AutumnFest isn't the only seasonal tradition rolling out at the Tramway right now. The attraction's annual Snow Guessing Contest kicked off October 1 and will keep running until the first measurable inch of snow falls at Mountain Station. Entrants have to mail in a postcard with their guessed date, and only one date per postcard counts toward the contest, per the Tramway.
The payoff for getting it right is more than bragging rights: the first ten guests to correctly nail the snowfall date will each win four regular Tram admission tickets along with a special Tramway gift. It's the kind of low-stakes guessing game that's become a fixture for locals who track the mountain's weather shifts as closely as the forecast down in the valley.
Dining Packages and a Few Conflicting Details
Beyond AutumnFest, the Tramway has also been promoting its Ride-and-Dine package, which bundles tram admission with dinner. The package's meal service begins at 4:30 p.m.; prices are $43 for adults and $29.50 for children. An earlier report by the same station in June listed Ride-and-Dine starting at 4 p.m., with dinner service at 4:30 p.m., and priced the package at $41 for adults and seniors and $27.50 for children ages 3 to 10. The two accounts list different prices and starting times.
The June report did note that no reservations are required for Ride-and-Dine, a detail that hasn't been contradicted elsewhere. Executive chef John Fritsch has highlighted the package as combining tramway admission with a three-course dinner at the mountain station, per the same NBC Palm Springs coverage.
A Mountain Escape Year-Round
The Tramway is offering Thanksgiving menus at its Pines and Peaks restaurants.
The Tramway has leaned into holiday programming in past seasons, too. In December 2025, pop star Lance Bass served as celebrity tree lighter at the Tramway's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.
For now, the immediate draw is AutumnFest's one-day run this Saturday, giving visitors a chance to swap the desert heat for a polka beat and a plate of German fare with a view that stretches for miles.
