Palm Springs

Home to one of the largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture in the U.S., Palm Springs is a haven for design buffs, heat seekers, and the LGBT community. From stylish boutique hotels and high-end vintage shopping to the annual Modernism Week, the desert city is practically a living museum of twentieth-century architecture. You’ll find homes by Richard Neutra, William F. Cody, Albert Frey, A. Quincy Jones, Donald Wexler, and Paul R. Williams, among others that celebrate a more glamorous era. Score colorful frocks at Trina Turk (the L.A. designer lives here part-time), channel the Rat Pack at Melvyn’s, and view some hidden gems with Palm Springs Modern Architecture Tours. If you’re not afraid of heights, take the Aerial Tramway 8,500 feet up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon for stunning views (its Valley Station was designed by Frey).

 

 

Walkability Score

31