• Palm Springs Visitor Center - The tour starts at the Palm Springs Visitor Center, located at 2901 N Palm Canyon Drive. If you’re not already there, head over now. Before we begin, it’s important to note that while Palm Springs is filled with historic celebrity homes, many are hidden behind walls, hedges, or fences.

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

• Liberace House - Shortly, there will be an option to take a 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 you’re not in a hurry. To visit the houses, turn right onto West Vista Chino ahead. Otherwise, continue straight to skip 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 US! Businessman Edgar Kaufmann, who owned a successful department store in Pittsburgh, loved architecture. He even had famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright create a home called Fallingwater in Pennsylvania. For his vacation home in Palm Springs, he hired architect Richard Neutra, known for designing open and adaptable houses with a modern appearance. Neutra’s skills are fully showcased in 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 - We are now driving through the Movie Colony, a neighborhood where many Hollywood stars moved in the 1900s. Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Cary Grant, David O. Selznick, Jack Benny, and Tony Curtis all lived here. The neighborhood’s allure 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 flocked to this hotel for peace and quiet in the desert. Many decided to stay and had famous architects like Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, and Donald Wexler build them permanent homes.

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

• Walk of the Stars Palm Springs - Here, 450 stars honor significant figures in Palm Springs history, including more than just movie stars. Humanitarians, architects, artists, soldiers, athletes, and city pioneers are all celebrated on this walk! If they contributed to Palm Springs in any way, they get a star!

• Coachella Valley - We are now leaving downtown Palm Springs to explore more of Coachella Valley. The name might sound familiar because it’s home to the world-renowned Coachella Music Festival, but there’s much more to it!

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

• Frank Sinatra Gravesite - Sinatra passed away in 1998 and was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, a Zippo lighter, a pack of Camel cigarettes, and 10 dimes. The dimes 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 - Just ahead is the Willis Palm Trailhead. This moderately strenuous 4-mile hike takes about three hours and climbs 500 feet of elevation. Along the loop, you can see birds, desert wildlife, and desert wildflowers if visiting during the spring!

• Pushwalla Palms Trailhead - The Pushawalla Palms trail is coming up on the right. Located at the bottom 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 spectacular! You’ll walk on the ridge of the San Andreas Fault and see palm tree oases where water bubbles up from deep within the Earth. The hike takes around three hours to complete.

• Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve - We’ve reached the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve! This magical place offers plentiful 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 huge statue of Marilyn Monroe stands here thanks to sculptor Seward Johnson, who designed the 26-foot-tall statue in 2011. Initially displayed in Chicago for a year, it was later sponsored to be placed in Palm Springs. The statue stood here for two years before touring the world, showcasing the artist’s work. It even moved to Australia for a while.

• 1326 N Rose Ave - This house at 1326 North Rose Avenue is often said to be Marilyn Monroe’s house. Bus tours and maps of famous houses have claimed this for years, but 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 hosts guided tours of the property. It’s famous for several reasons. Firstly, the architect, Albert Frey, is known as the father of “desert modernism.” A Swiss native, Frey earned his architecture diploma in Switzerland and worked in Zurich, Belgium, and France. At 27, he moved to the United States and began building the American modernist architecture movement in New York. After completing the Museum of Modern Art in New York, he settled in Palm Springs post-World War II, as the population was booming and 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 an easy 2-mile out-and-back hike with a 200-foot elevation gain. Most people complete it in about an hour. Hikers are treated to fabulous canyon scenery along the way. Be aware that there is an entrance fee for this trail, payable at The Trading Post in the parking lot.
• Andreas Canyon Trailhead - Andreas Canyon is an easy 1-mile loop with a 175-foot elevation gain, typically completed in about half an hour. The trail features over 150 plant species within half a mile, numerous palm trees, interesting rock formations, and Andreas Creek. You can also see dents in the rock where Cahuilla people ground their food. It’s a beautiful hike!
• Moorten Botanical Garden - The Moorten Botanical Garden is a must-see for desert plant lovers. Chester “Cactus Slim” and Patricia Moorten created this garden in the 1940s. Cactus Slim had been an actor in the 1920s and 30s and a stand-in for Howard Hughes. He developed a bad 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 and climbs high up to the wilds of Mount San Jacinto State Park. The tram car slowly rotates 360 degrees for a spectacular view of the valley below! The mountaintop features restaurants, a gift shop, and plenty of hiking trails.
• Pioneertown - Yeehaw! There’s no place like Pioneertown! This town was created by Hollywood to mimic the Wild West. In 1946, Dick Curtis, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, and several other showbiz personalities invested in making this spot in the California desert a living, breathing movie set. They bought 32,000 acres of land and transformed 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!

• Foods & Drinks

Soak up some sun with this self-guided driving tour of Palm Springs, where movie stars and other big-time celebs have flocked for almost a hundred years to get away from it all. Visit architectural marvels left behind by these eccentric stars, like the opulent Liberace House. Stop outside the gates of Frank Sinatra’s old estate and hear some wild tales about Ol’ Blue Eyes’ time in Palm Springs. And so much more! Plus, this driving tour of Palm Springs will take you to the serene Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve, a desert gem rich 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 good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

• How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
• How to start the tour: 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. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Amazing Savings: why pay for an expensive, crowded, and limited bus tour — priced per person! — when you can have ONE amazing audio guide on your OWN phone for your WHOLE group?
• Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
• Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
• Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
• Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
• Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
• Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
• Minimum Mobile OS Requirement: iOS 14 or later / Android 9 (Pie) or later. It is compatible with iPad models that have a GPS chip.
• Star Homes may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, shrubs, or private roads. Please do not violate anyone’s privacy during your tour.
• CarPlay and Android Auto are not yet supported. Connect your phone via Bluetooth, USB, or Aux for audio. Use phone speakers if needed.

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