Palm Springs, CA

Palm Springs sits right at the edge of the Coachella Valley, where the San Jacinto Mountains rise straight out of the desert in a way that feels surreal—like giant slabs of stone suddenly bursting from the sand. People have been drawn here for more than a century, chasing dreams, searching for escape, or bringing their vision to life. It’s one of those small cities everyone recognizes. Just say “Palm Springs” and most folks think of vintage Hollywood glamour, nonstop sunshine, and a kind of laid-back, effortless cool that hasn’t really faded, no matter how much time passes.

But way before the movie stars showed up, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians called this place home. For thousands of years—archaeologists say more than 8,000—the Cahuilla lived all along the canyons, near the hot springs that eventually gave the city its name. They hunted, gathered, and knew the desert plants inside out—what you could eat, what made good clothing, what counted as medicine. The Agua Caliente Band is still a big presence in Palm Springs. A lot of downtown and the surrounding land sits within the tribe’s checkerboard reservation, which the federal government set up back in 1876. Be sure to include this location in your visit to California.

By the 1920s, Palm Springs wasn’t just a desert oasis anymore; it had turned into a winter hideaway for Hollywood’s rich and famous. All that sunshine, dry air, and stunning scenery meant movie stars just kept coming. Frank Sinatra built his famous Twin Palms house here. Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Elizabeth Taylor—they all carved out their own spots, turning neighborhoods like the Movie Colony into the city’s brightest constellation. The Rat Pack pretty much lived here on and off. It really was private, and the vibe was irresistible—lazy days by turquoise pools, warm nights under candlelight, mountains in the background. Palm Springs officially became a city in 1938, but it already felt like a place with its own beat and personality.

Then came the mid-century architecture boom. A bunch of young architects—Albert Frey, William Cody, E. Stewart Williams, Donald Wexler, Hugh Kaptur, and William Krisel among them—showed up, ready to experiment. They created Desert Modernism: think flat roofs, floor-to-ceiling glass, post-and-beam construction, with homes opening out toward the views and the light. The style’s all clean lines, natural materials, and the boundary between inside and outside is almost invisible. Now, entire neighborhoods—Twin Palms Estates, Vista Las Palmas, the Movie Colony, Deepwell Estates—are packed with these mid-century gems. Every February, Modernism Week brings thousands here for architecture tours, lectures, film nights, exhibits, and design events—celebrating these funky masterpieces with a mix of real scholarship and a lot of fun.

It’s not just about star power or great buildings, either. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway opened in 1963, whisking people almost 6,000 feet up from the desert to the cool forests of the San Jacinto Mountains—one of the steepest climbs you’ll ever find in a tram. Up there, trails wind through alpine terrain, all the way to a summit over 10,800 feet. Down below, Indian Canyons, which the Agua Caliente Band manages, offer miles of hiking through palm groves and rugged canyons—landscapes that haven’t changed much in a thousand years.

Palm Springs doesn’t brood over its history or fuss about its beauty—it wears both lightly. The city keeps reinventing itself, but each time, it somehow stays true to whatever made it special in the first place. If you’re seeking a trusted kitchen remodeler, click here.