• Palm Springs Visitor Center - The tour kicks off in the parking lot of the Palm Springs Visitor Center at 2901 N Palm Canyon Drive. If you’re not already there, it’s time to head over. Before starting, it’s important to note that Palm Springs is filled with historic celebrity homes, though many are concealed behind walls, hedges, or fences.

Note: This 22-mile tour highlights the essentials of Palm Springs in 2-3 hours.

Purchase once, enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended stays and return visits over the next 12 months.

• Liberace House - Shortly, there will be an option to detour to see the Kaufmann and Liberace Houses, two of Palm Springs’ most renowned homes. The detour takes about five minutes and is recommended if time allows. To visit, turn right onto West Vista Chino ahead. Otherwise, continue straight to bypass the detour.

⚠️ NOTE:
Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please respect privacy during your tour.

• Kaufmann House - The Kaufmann Desert House is on the right, beyond the white gate. It’s considered one of the finest examples of mid-century modern architecture in the U.S.! Businessman Edgar Kaufmann, who owned a successful department store in Pittsburgh, was passionate about architecture. He even commissioned famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright to create a home called Fallingwater in Pennsylvania. When he decided to build a vacation home in Palm Springs, he hired the best, architect Richard Neutra. Neutra was known for designing open and adaptable houses with a distinctly modern look, and he applied all his skills to the Kaufmann House.

⚠️ NOTE:
Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please respect privacy during your tour.

• The Movie Colony - Driving through the Movie Colony, this neighborhood was home to many Hollywood stars in the 1900s. Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Cary Grant, David O. Selznick, Jack Benny, and Tony Curtis all lived here. The neighborhood’s charm is largely due to the El Mirador Hotel, which opened in 1928. It featured an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, stables, and a bell tower that became a Palm Springs landmark. In Hollywood’s early days, movie stars would escape to this hotel for peace and quiet in the desert. Many decided to stay, commissioning famous architects like Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, and Donald Wexler to build permanent homes.

• Robolights - After the next intersection, find a spot to park. Then, step out and look for the colorful sculptures peeking from behind the trees at the corner of East Granvia Valmonte and North Arquilla Road, on the right.

• Walk of the Stars Palm Springs - Here, 450 stars honor larger-than-life figures in Palm Springs history. They celebrate more than movie stars, including humanitarians, architects, artists, soldiers, athletes, and city pioneers. If they contributed to Palm Springs, they earn a star!

• Coachella Valley - Leaving downtown Palm Springs, explore more of Coachella Valley. Does the name sound familiar? It should! This valley hosts the world-famous Coachella Music Festival, but there’s much more to it!

• Palm Springs International Airport - In 1939, the United States Corps of Engineers sought a location for an Army Air Corps landing field. With the country on the brink of war, they needed space to train more soldiers. Coachella Valley’s favorable weather and mountain protection from strong winds made it ideal. After the war, it became a civilian airport.

• Frank Sinatra Gravesite - Sinatra passed away in 1998. He was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, a Zippo lighter, a pack of Camel cigarettes, and… 10 dimes. The first few items make sense, but what’s with the dimes? They date back to December 1963.

⚠️ NOTE:
Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please respect privacy during your tour.

• Willis Palm Trailhead - Ahead is the Willis Palm Trailhead. This moderately strenuous 4-mile hike takes about three hours and climbs 500 feet in elevation. Along the loop, you can see birds, desert wildlife, and desert wildflowers if visiting in spring!

• Pushwalla Palms Trailhead - The Pushawalla Palms trail is coming up on the right. Located at the base of the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve, it actually goes in the opposite direction. It’s a moderate 4.5-mile hike with a 700-foot elevation gain. The views are stunning! You’ll walk along the ridge of the San Andreas Fault and see palm tree oases where water bubbles up from deep within the Earth! There are groves of palm trees! It takes around three hours to complete.

• Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve - Arriving at the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve! This enchanting place offers numerous walking trails, wildlife, and lush scenery. Officials are currently renovating much of the preserve after a storm, so the visitor center is closed until further notice. However, the trails are open from sunrise to sunset!

• Forever Marilyn - This massive statue of Marilyn Monroe stands here thanks to sculptor Seward Johnson, who designed this 26-foot-tall statue in 2011. Initially funded to be displayed in Chicago for a year, it later received sponsorship to be placed in Palm Springs. The statue stood in Palm Springs for two years before touring the world, showcasing the artist’s work. It even moved to Australia for a time.

• 1326 N Rose Ave - The house at 1326 North Rose Avenue is often claimed to be Marilyn Monroe’s. Bus tours and maps of famous houses have said so for years. However, locals suggest it may not have been hers!

• Frey House II - The Frey House II at 686 Palisades Drive isn’t open to the public, but the Palm Springs Museum offers guided tours of the property. It’s famous for several reasons. Firstly, the architect, known as the father of “desert modernism,” was Albert Frey, a Swiss national. He earned his architecture diploma in Switzerland and worked in Zurich, Belgium, and France. At 27, he moved to the United States, where he began building the American modernist architecture movement in New York. After completing work on the Museum of Modern Art in New York, he settled in Palm Springs. It was just after World War II, and the population was booming! These people needed homes.

⚠️ NOTE:
Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please respect privacy during your tour.

• Palm Canyon Trail - Palm Canyon Trail is a relatively easy hike. It’s only 2 miles out and back with a 200-foot elevation gain. Most people complete it in about an hour. Hikers enjoy stunning canyon scenery along the way. Be aware: There is an entrance fee for this trail. The small building in the parking lot, called The Trading Post, is where you can pay the fee.
• Andreas Canyon Trailhead - Andreas Canyon is an easy hike, just a mile loop with a 175-foot elevation gain. Most people finish it in about half an hour. Along the trail, you’ll encounter over 150 plant species within half a mile! The trail features numerous palm trees, intriguing rock formations, and Andreas Creek. Plus, you can still see rock indentations where the Cahuilla people ground their food. It’s a beautiful hike!
• Moorten Botanical Garden - The Moorten Botanical Garden is a must-visit for desert plant enthusiasts. Chester “Cactus Slim” and Patricia Moorten established this garden in the 1940s. Cactus Slim had been an actor in the 1920s and 30s and even a stand-in for Howard Hughes! However, he developed a severe case of TB on a film set and discovered he needed the dry desert air to breathe.

⚠️ NOTE:
Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please respect privacy during your tour.

• Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram car. It travels 2.5 miles along Chino Canyon, ascending to the wilds of Mount San Jacinto State Park. The tram car rotates 360 degrees for a spectacular view of the valley below! At the mountaintop, there are restaurants, a gift shop, and plenty of hiking trails.
• Pioneertown - Yeehaw! There’s no place like Pioneertown! This town was created by Hollywood to replicate the Wild West. In 1946, Dick Curtis, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, and other showbiz personalities invested in transforming this spot in the California desert into a living, breathing movie set. They purchased 32,000 acres of land and turned it into Pioneertown, where they could film movies, vacation, and even have second homes!

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

Enjoy the sunshine with this self-guided driving tour of Palm Springs, a favorite retreat for movie stars and celebrities for nearly a century. Explore architectural wonders left by these fascinating stars, such as the lavish Liberace House. Pause at the gates of Frank Sinatra’s former estate and listen to intriguing stories about Ol’ Blue Eyes’ adventures in Palm Springs. And there’s so much more! Additionally, this driving tour will guide you to the tranquil Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve, a desert treasure abundant in natural beauty.

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require a reliable internet/Wi-Fi connection. Then, simply follow the audio instructions and the route.

Purchase once and enjoy for a full year! Perfect for extended stays and return visits over the next 12 months.

• How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
• Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
• Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.