Palm Springs
Where hip meets Mid-century Modern
Sun-kissed, relaxed and surrounded by spectacular mountains, Palm Springs has long been a hypnotic hideaway for a celebrity A-list. In the swinging 1950s and ’60s, it was a favorite retreat of Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood stars who partied poolside in their Mid-century Modern bungalows. Today, the glamtastic desert oasis has reemerged as a hip Hollywood playground thanks to exciting developments— from buzzing bars and great restaurants to stylish new (or renovated) hotels—that have reenergized Palm Springs with an irresistible retro-chic vibe and global appeal.
A spectacular redevelopment plan has put a new luster on downtown Palm Springs, highlighted by the light-drenched Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs hotel, and a pedestrian walkway aiming a visual spotlight on the world-class Palm Springs Art Museum. And Hyatt’s exciting Andaz Hotel will also open in 2019. Visitors can also experience glamorous style at the city’s other supertrendy hotels and many historic boutique properties. Add the Uptown Design District’s art galleries, fab new restaurants and edgy stores selling designer fashions to curated Mid-century décor, plus fun-filled pool parties and a sizzling nightlife to rival Miami and Vegas. No wonder a whole new generation of vacationers, trendsetters and celebrities—from Leonardo Dicaprio to Kylie Jenner—are flocking to where it’s the swinging 1960s all over again.
Haute Design/architectural Cool/year-round/lgbt Friendly
Renowned worldwide as the mecca of Midcentury Modernism, Palm Springs embraces and celebrates this design aesthetic like nowhere else. With more than two thousand mid-mod homes and public buildings—the world’s largest concentration of such architecture—palm Springs’ distinctive “desert vernacular” style can also be experienced in stunning interior
design, fashion and unique shopping. Midcentury glamour draws more than 100,000 visitors from around the world for Modernism Week every February and October.
Many of the finest examples of Modernism are boutique hotels—holiday House, Orbit In and Parker Palm Springs, to name a few—and almost all have played host to the Hollywood elite. In fact, many homes of famous personalities who have lived, loved and played in Palm Springs (from Ol’ Blue Eyes to Elvis Presley) are open to view during Modernism Week and at other times of the year.
Palm Springs’ population once surged in winter, with its guaranteed sunshine and warm nights, then cleared out by summer. No longer. Palm Springs is now a trendy yearround destination, not least as the weekend haven of choice for sleek LA hipsters come to chill out by the pool with cool cocktails. And Palm Springs’ sizeable gay and lesbian population translates into an uber Lgbt-friendly and fun destination, and never more so than during the annual Gay Pride Festival (November) and White Party (May).
Cultural Oasis in the Desert
Palm Springs, just a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, is gateway to a desert oasis where palm trees and majestic mountains—gloriously snow-capped in winter—offer stunning vistas from the historic downtown village. For centuries inhabited by the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians, Palm Springs was named by the native tribe for the city’s healing hot springs and palm oases. The four beautiful and wildlife-rich Indian Canyons, on the immediate outskirts of town, are open to the public for hikes. The tribe is in the process of building a sensational new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum scheduled to open in 2020. For those looking for lady luck, the tribe’s downtown Spa Resort Casino adds 24-hour excitement with its live music lounge and outdoor concerts beneath the starry night sky.
Basketry, pottery and other artifacts by local Amerindian tribes is a highlight of the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Mesoamerican collection. Considered one of California’s finest regional museums, this world-class venue is also notable for its contemporary art and astounding glass art in the Denney Western American Art Wing. A few blocks away, the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture & Design Center, in a 1960s former bank building of classic Mid-century Modernist styling, houses the museum’s growing collection of architecture and design-related pieces.
The Palm Springs Air Museum is one of the world’s foremost museums dedicated to WWII aircraft, displayed in two hangars replicating the European and Pacific theaters. Aviation buffs and WWII aficionados will exult to the warbirds on display, to flying demos and Warbird Rides in a P-51 Mustang and C-47 Skytrain.
Tramway to Another World/summer Fun
To truly appreciate Palm Springs’ beauty and scale, climb aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—the world’s largest rotating tram car—for a sensational cactito-clouds ride, and hiking and dining at 8,500 feet near the top of Mt. San Jacinto. The easy Desert View Trail begins near the Mountain Station and rewards hikers with sensational views over the city, as does the Bogert Trail complex at the southern end of Palm Springs. In summertime, chill at the Splash House pool party or find cool family fun at Wet’n’wild waterpark. Every Thursday evening, the downtown drag transforms into Villagefest, a traffic-free street fair with arts, crafts, local produce, plus great grub and entertainment. And every month is packed with festive events. There’s always something happening in Palm Springs.