When Hollywood stars were contractually restricted to a residential radius that allowed for spontaneous meetings, Palm Springs, just over 100 miles east, offered both escape and access, drawing A-list residents like Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. Moneyed clientele met celebrated architects in an era when modernism was the rage, perfect for indoor-outdoor desert living, at least in winter when temperatures hovered in the balmy 70s. The city’s midcentury legacy has lately attracted a new generation of fans like Leonardo DiCaprio, who bought Dinah Shore’s 1963 Donald Wexler-designed house in 2014. The fashion designer Trina Turk was among the preservationists who enabled the Palm Springs Art Museum to convert a former 1961 bank into the new Architecture and Design Center, Edwards Harris Pavilion. Though many travelers spend weeks reveling in Palm Springs modernism, surrounding communities from soak-centric Desert Hot Springs to Indio, site of the growing Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, expand the appeal of the valley, which, like the best midcentury modernist buildings here, effortlessly blends desert and design.
1.DRIVE-BY TOUR, 1:30 P.M.
There are few better ways to get acquainted with the wealth of modernist architecture in Palm Springs than to ride around in the six-passenger minivan of Robert Imber, owner of Palm Springs Modern Tours. Leading three-hour tours ($85 per person), Mr. Imber covers about 35 miles of drive-by gaping at structures from the 1946 Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra to modernist banks and the 1952 Palm Springs City Hall. Tours start at the Palm Springs Visitors Center, in a dramatically cantilevered former gas station designed by Albert Frey, and offer acquaintance with the valley’s hero architects of the period like E. Stewart Williams and William F. Cody, as well as contemporary architects such as Lance O’Donnell and Sean Lockyer. Don’t leave without perusing the $2 vintage postcards of resorts and pools in the visitors’ center.
2.MIDCENTURY SHOPPING, 4:30 P.M.
With a serious concentration of retailers selling curvy period couches, starburst-shaped lighting fixtures and other retro appointments, Palm Springs is a shopping mecca for fans of midcentury interiors. Hit the shop-filled Uptown Design District to indulge in fantasy home-feathering, beginning at Just Modern, dealing big-ticket furniture as well as more souvenir-friendly artwork, design books and dishware. Stop by the sprawling Trina Turk boutique featuring Ms. Turk’s sunny signature women’s wear collection as well as kicky shopping totes, notecards and swimwear. Across the street, Bon Vivant, Retrospect and A La Mod offer wonderfully curated collections of vintage housewares.
3.DINNER AL FRESCO, 7 P.M.
Given its legacy of Rat Pack steakhouses, country club surf-and-turf dinners and seniors’ early-bird specials, Palm Springs’ food scene has been conservative compared with its maverick taste in design. But earlier this year, the Italian chef Giacomo Pettinari, who previously earned a Michelin star at Valentino’s in Los Angeles, moved to the desert, attracted by the newly renovated luxury resort L’Horizon with the offer to lead its restaurant, Sopa. Mr. Pettinari’s menu surveys the Mediterranean from Turkish red pepper dip and roasted Spanish octopus starters to squid ink gnocchi and mushroom risotto. All seating is outdoors on a romantic terrace with lights dangling from the trees, ideal for sipping palomas. Dinner is about $100 for two, without drinks.
4.RAT PACK SHUFFLE, 9:30 P.M.
For after-dinner drinks and a retro spin on the dance floor, stop by Melvyn’s Restaurant. One has only to take in the wall of celebrity photos in the lounge to know Melvyn’s has a long history in Palm Springs. Known as a hangout of Frank Sinatra, the old-school restaurant has a new-school following, especially during the Coachella music festival, when parties frequently buy out the place. In its lounge, a pianist plays American standards and other pop numbers beside the dance floor.
5.SWING SET, 9 A.M.
Golf and tennis are perennial draws in the area, and the latter has been accented by the expansion of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in down-valley Indian Wells. Now owned by the Oracle Corporation founder Larry Ellison, who also owns the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament held this year on March 7 to 20, the tennis facility recently added a second stadium court and 16 more acres. The benefit to visitors is that they can play on many of the 29 courts on the club grounds. Keep your eye on the ball while taking in the mountain-ringed vistas (most clinics and drop-in classes start at $25).
6.SIFTING FOR THRIFT, 11 A.M.
As in many wealthy enclaves, thrift shopping in the Coachella Valley is rich. Cathedral City, to the south of Palm Springs, offers top one-stop secondhand shopping, starting at Resale Therapy. Its owner, Caroldean Ross, has a smart eye for vintage and gently worn contemporary apparel in a packed shop featuring Prada sunglasses and racks devoted to recent designs by Trina Turk and Tory Burch. Next door and across the street, two locations of Celebrity Consignments recently turned up reasonably priced midcentury modern dishware and costume jewelry. Nearby, Victoria’s Attic Antiques offered Red Wing pottery, vintage ice buckets and tiki bar mugs.
7.DESERT BOUNTY ON TAP, 2:30 P.M.
Quench your thirst at the two-year-old Coachella Valley Brewing Company. In a nondescript office park in Thousand Palms, the microbrewery owned by the brewmaster Chris Anderson offers a quaffable overview of the area’s agricultural bounty in its tap room, featuring beers made with local honey, citrus, herbs and spices. Up to two dozen selections may include such brews as Monument on Fire, an IPA made with guava, mango, roasted chiles and habaneros. Four four-ounce tasters cost $8.
8.SKY TOUR, 3:45 P.M.
The San Andreas Fault runs through the eastern valley, marked by thickets of shaggy palms that thrive in the natural springs that surface at the fissure. There are public palm oases, including Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve in Thousand Palms, which travelers can visit free, but it’s worth signing up for Desert Adventures stargazing Jeep tour to investigate further ($150). The three-hour trip starts on the private 800-acre Metate Ranch in a bird-filled oasis of soaring Washingtonia palms and continues through the slot canyons formed by ancient floods in the fault zone. After sunset, the Jeep pulls up to a particularly dark site where an astronomer leads a guided stargazing session.
9.PROGRESSIVE FEAST, 8 P.M.
Play the Palm Springs field in a walkable progressive dinner (or ride the new trolley, the free Palm Springs Buzz). Start with a luscious rye-and-citrus Ward 8 cocktail ($14) at Workshop Kitchen & Bar, a dramatic renovation of an original movie theater with 27-foot ceilings that won a 2015 James Beard Award for design. Try the shoyu pork belly ($12) or ahi tuna poke ($16) across the street at the eclectic new Eight4Nine, arestaurant and lounge, then continue down the street to the hedge-ringed terrace at Birba for an inventive pizza, such as Gorgonzola, brusselssprouts, spicy salami and egg ($16) from the local chef Tara Lazar. Have a mai tai nightcap ($12) at the tiny new Bootlegger Tiki bar, former home of the 1950s Polynesian popularizer Don the Beachcomber bar.
10.SACRED HIKE, 8 A.M.
In the cool temperatures and warm morning light, hike Tahquitz Canyon. Owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the canyon is considered the home of the shaman spiritual guide Tahquitz. The rugged two-mile loop trail leads to Tahquitz Falls, a 50-foot cataract that pools amid the rocks. En route, hikers will pass ancient rock art and rock shelters where artifacts dating over 2,000 years old have been found (admission,$12.50).
11.HOT SPRINGS SOAK, 10:30 A.M.
The springs beneath Palm Springs and surrounding communities have formed the basis of a spa culture built on warm soaks. Immerse yourself in the palm-shaded hot pools of Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs, which recently switched entirely to solar power. The calming effect of the naturally occurring lithium is said to boost moods within 30 minutes (from $65). The spa’s restaurant Essence has been refashioned in organic materials, down to a bark-shorn tree trunk as a centerpiece. It serves tuna Niçoise salads ($15) and wagyu burgers ($15) to a damp, robe-clad clientele at lunch.
12.GARDEN WALK, 1 P.M.
Walter and Leonore Annenberg, owners of the 200-acre Sunnylandsestate in Rancho Mirage, created a destination for world leaders, where Richard Nixon wrote his State of the Union address in 1974 and President Obama recently held a summit meeting with Southeast Asian leaders. In 2012, the property opened to the public, offering tours of the 1966 home designed by A. Quincy Jones. Ninety-minute tours of the 23-bedroom home cost $40, but the 17,000-square-foot visitors’ center, built in midcentury style, and the gardens are free, worth the trip to walk the shaded labyrinth and spy an impressive array of cactus.
Palm Springs is a true paradise for those who enjoy the finer things in life. This unique city in the desert boasts a wide variety of high-end shopping opportunities, upscale restaurants, and a bustling nightlife. This luxury property seamlessly blends into the culture of the city. If you’re looking to visit Palm Springs, you must stay at The Estate, at nearly 4,000 sq ft, this exquisite Luxury home with every amenity imaginable. This Mansion is unparalleled with space and luxury. The Estate boasts Instagram perfect spots throughout the property. With five bedrooms and four baths, there is enough space for any family or group looking for a desert oasis. Located in Palm Springs’ most sought-after Little Tuscany Neighborhood, Just three house off of Palm Canyon, the Estate is a quick 3 minute drive or 15 minute walk from fine dining and shopping.
The Estate is fitted with trendy modern contemporary flair while featuring today’s modern smart home technology, including state-of-the-art bathrooms with ToTo toilet washlets. For those home chefs, you’ll love the oversized Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen and premium appliances. Stay hydrated when the Palm Spring days are a little too warm or just want to watch the painted sunsets, this is the perfect home to experience Palm Springs outdoor living at its best! Hang out in the heated salt water pool, bubbling hot tub or the sprawling backyard including a Natural gas fire table and gazebo. Plenty of space for any size group – large or small. The home is large enough for everyone to gather together yet cozy enough for multiple private spaces, comfortably accommodating groups of 10 guests. Contact the Estate Palm Spring Rentals.
