I discovered why Palm Springs has long captivated stars and sun-seekers alike. From the vintage charm of Avalon Hotel & Bungalows – once a retreat for Golden Age celebrities – to Sinatra’s favorite watering hole and the iconic statue of Marilyn Monroe, the city pulses with nostalgic glamour.
I strolled Palm Canyon Drive, toured midcentury modern homes, and hiked among the Joshua trees under a vast desert sky. With its Hollywood history, artistic flair, and dramatic landscapes, Palm Springs offered a delightful short getaway.
A highlight was dinner at The Shag House, a midcentury home that’s an explosion of color, whimsy and creativity.
See our full story and photos of The Shag House.
It was my first visit to this California city and I wanted to experience as many iconic things as I could in just four days. I was attending a conference so time was limited. Here’s how I made the most of it.
Stay in a historic hideaway where Golden Age celebrities once relaxed
I didn’t choose the hotel – it’s where my conference was being hosted – but I couldn’t have picked a better one. With an entrance shaded by a large tree, bubbling waterfall in a koi pond and bright yellow doors, Avalon Hotel & Bungalows Palm Springs captured my heart before I even walked into the lobby.
The property consists of Spanish-style studios, suites and bungalows, tucked away among beautifully landscaped palm trees and flowering shrubs with the San Jacinto Mountains as a backdrop. There are also three gorgeous pools, the Estrella Spa and the restaurant Chi-Chi featuring California fare.
The property opened as the Estrella Motor Inn in 1929 and was a popular getaway for Hollywood A-listers like Rudolf Valentino, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe and Errol Flynn.
I toured one of the bungalows with a friend who was staying there. It felt so Hollywood-starlet, with an all black-and-white interior. My room wasn’t quite as ooh-la-la but still lovely and had a patio overlooking one of the pools.
While I didn’t eat in the restaurants, conference attendees gave it two thumbs up. As an East Coast girl, I really appreciate that the hotel set out coffee around 6:00 a.m.
The Avalon was a lovely place for a small conference. Our meetings were held in a comfortable ballroom with meals in the shady Presidio Courtyard.
Avalon is less than 10 minutes from the airport and walkable to downtown. Beware of the heat if you visit during the warmer months. I walked to the bank, just a few blocks away, but it was 110+ degrees that day and even that short distance zapped my energy. Yes, it’s a dry heat, but it’s still hot, hot, hot so be sure to drink plenty of water.
So how did Palm Springs become so popular with the Hollywood crowd? Geography. The stars could escape from Los Angeles but still be within a two-hour drive.
The southern California city was already known as a resort town for its dry climate and hot springs but its popularity really soared in the 1920s when a morality clause was inserted into contracts with studio actors in Hollywood. Actors were required to be within a two-hour drive during production in case reshoots were necessary to comply with the stringent requirements of the Hays Code, which banned nudity, lustful kissing and superfluous use of liquor.
As Palm Springs grew in popularity, stars also came from Las Vegas to enjoy the quiet, more relaxed atmosphere, although I imagine they indulged in all of the above activities that were forbidden onscreen.
Although it’s not historic, the Thompson Palm Springs is a gorgeous place to stay. It was just about to open during my visit in the fall of 2024, but we got a sneak peek at the huge pool, elegant restaurant and white buildings that felt like wandering through a village on a Greek island.
Sip like Sinatra at his favorite watering hole
After arriving on Sunday afternoon, I started the weekend off in true Palm Springs fashion by grabbing a table in the bar at Melvyn’s Restaurant, right next to our hotel. Live music is featured every Sunday from 3:30 to 7:30 and our table was just steps away from the band.
Opened in 1975, Melvyn’s became a favorite of the Rat Pack, with table 13 reserved for Frank Sinatra who lived in the area for much of his career. His mother, Dolly, reportedly dined here every night. The walls are lined with photos of the late owner, Mel Haber, with celebrities that include Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and John Travolta.
It was a perfect introduction to the Palm Springs scene. The saxophonist, Kenyon Carter, mentioned he had lived in Atlanta, so I caught him between sets to chat. Turns out he knows my friend, Scott Glazer, and had played with him. Small world story.
Walk through history with Palm Springs Historical Society
I love a good walking tour, and Palm Springs is perfect for one – compact, flat, and full of stories. The Palm Springs Historical Society offers 14 historical tours, which include Frank Sinatra’s Neighborhood, Giants of Architecture and Golden Era Hollywood.
I went on the Heart of the City tour with Lee, who took us to the oldest adobe building from 1884, the Plaza Theater and to the famous 26-foot-tall Marilyn Monroe statue. Apparently, the statue has been the subject of much controversy.
No, she wasn’t in the Confederate army, but people objected to the location at the entrance to the Palm Springs Art Museum and what they considered a sexist portrayal of her. Good grief, people, she is wearing big ol’ white panties under that dress, covering more than what I see some people wear at the airport.
The statue has since been moved, solving the location issue, but her dress is still flaring up around her legs.
Marilyn was discovered in Palm Springs at the age of 22 at the Racquet Club by Johnny Hyde, a William Morris talent agent. She visited when she was married to Joe DiMaggio and later bought a home there.
Lee also pointed out a few Lucille Ball statues. She and her husband, Desi Arnaz, had a second home in Palm Springs and it seems she is still beloved there.
The timing was interesting as I had just returned from a trip where I saw Lucy’s childhood home, visited the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum and the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.
Dine, shop and stroll on Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Canyon Drive is where you’ll find the highest concentration of shops and restaurants. I wandered through the shops one day, stopping to purchase two postcards for my kids. When I didn’t meet the minimum for a credit card purchase, the salesgirl just gave me the postcards, along with a crystal for good luck. Now that’s true hospitality.
Because I was at a conference, I didn’t have a chance to check out much of the restaurant scene, but we did go to dinner one night at a fabulous restaurant, Trio, which is in a 1953 midcentury modern building.
Our server, Dominic, took great care of us. We dined on bacon-wrapped dates, crab croquettes and shrimp pasta with an apple pie dish for dessert.
Other restaurants that were recommended to me by a local are Spencer’s, Sandfish, Azucar and Clandestino.
Tour midcentury icons by car
One of the big draws for visitors to Palm Springs is its legacy of midcentury modern homes. You can tour them on your own with a self-guided tour from Visit Palm Springs.
I didn’t have a car but another conference attendee, Kris, had driven and was familiar with Palm Springs. She offered to take me and my friend Liz on a midcentury architecture tour. We took a leisurely drive by some of the notable hotels and residences, including Dinah Shore’s home, now owned by Leo DiCaprio, and Elvis’ honeymoon house.
The story of Palm Springs love affair with midcentury design started with George and Bob Alexander, a father and son who were successful builders. Bob, the son, bugged his father to let him build modern homes. George relented and after the homes proved popular and less expensive to build, they continued with the midcentury designs. The homes they built are still referred to as Alexanders and are highly prized.
Step inside a work of art at the Shag House
I was lucky enough to have dinner in The Shag House, an explosion of color, whimsy and kitsch that made me smile. I couldn’t stop taking photos as each room featured a delightfully unique design.
The owner, Brandon McBurney, partnered with the artist Josh Agle, aka Shag, to create a home he could live in when he was in town and to use for fundraising events for charities. He took a mural that Shag painted and incorporated elements of the mural into the home, so it was like stepping into a painting.
I did chuckle when I thought about what British guests would think of the name, as shag has a different connotation for the Brits. For us it’s a kind of carpeting and a dance. For them, it has a more lewd meaning, something you could never show onscreen in 1930s Hollywood films.
The home, which has four bedrooms and a pool, is available to rent on VRBO.
Explore Joshua Tree National Park with Red Jeep Tours
Having grown up in a humid environment and surrounded by trees, I couldn’t resist the call of the desert landscape so headed to Joshua Tree National Park. Our guide, Teresa, with Red Jeep Tours, picked us up at the hotel for the hour drive to the park, sharing facts with us along the way.
I learned several key facts about Joshua trees. They only grow in the Mojave Desert and they were supposedly named by the Mormons who thought they looked the biblical Joshua guiding them westward.
The park, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island, gets around 1 to 1.5 million visitors a year. It’s a haven for hikers and rock climbers. But note, there is no plumbing, no cell service, no shops. Just nature at its most rugged and beautiful.
We went on a few hikes and drove around the park, stopping to take a photo by one of the oldest trees. The park has two deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado, and is popular with rock climbers.
While my time in Palm Springs was limited, I still felt I was able to capture some of the Palm Springs experience.
For more on Palm Springs, go to VisitPalmSprings.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief