Page 106 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

PALM SPRINGS
The desert oasis revs up the hip factor
»DINE, SHOP,
GALLERY HOP!
Visitor Information
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IT’S TIME FOR AN ADULT BEVERAGE
poolside, above; color coordination Palm
Springs style, below; Indian Canyons inspires
awe, opposite top; a friendly welcome to all,
opposite bottom.
Palm Springs is the place to be. The fun-
loving city with a relaxed retro-chic vibe
keeps getting better thanks to an expanding
downtown that has given a new sparkle to
this sun-kissed desert jewel. Blessed with
amazing weather and juxtaposed against a
backdrop of spectacular mountains, Palm
Springs has long been Hollywood’s
celebrity playground. Frank Sinatra, Cary
Grant, Bob Hope, even Elvis, all partied
poolside at their Mid-Century Modern
hideaway homes.
Today, the original and ultimate year-
round playground draws a new
generation of Hollywood regulars, from
Leonardo DiCaprio to Katy Perry, inspired
by a hip desert lifestyle that’s the coolest
party around. This sophisticated archi-
tectural oasis with a stress-free airport
proclaims its open-minded desert ethos
in everything from cultural arts to fun-
filled pool parties.
Uptown/Downtown
Palm Springs’ boldly revitalized downtown
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B Y C H R I S T O P H E R P . B A K E R
is spotlighted by the steel-and-glass
Kimpton The Rowan hotel, with its exclu-
sive rooftop pool and terrace sky lounge. It’s
walkable, relaxed and fun. No car required.
As you head north you’ll be welcomed by
the Uptown Design District with its chic
vintage shops, designer boutiques, alfresco
restaurants and boozy cocktail lounges all
offering amazing views of the mountains.
Mod Style
Renowned as the Mod Mecca, Palm Springs
beckons design-savvy visitors with the
world’s largest concentration of “mid-mod”
homes and public buildings. The global
appeal peaks every February for Mod-
ernism Week—the ultimate celebration of
the distinctive desert aesthetic—when
many homes of luminaries who have lived,
loved and played in Palm Springs are open
to view. The downtown Palm Springs Art
Museum Architecture & Design Center, in
a stunning 1960s mid-century building,
showcases sensational design-related
exhibits. Plus, the vernacular style can be
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