Desert couture meets casual in downtown Palm Springs, where regal palms sway above modernist galleries, chic boutiques, and retro speakeasies. Check out our neighborhood guide for some of the must-sees
Palm Springs Art Museum
Sophisticated without being snooty, this four-level museum houses an enticing mix of contemporary and modern art, including works from Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Ansel Adams. Don’t miss the Native American galleries with more than 2,000 baskets, textiles, bowls, jewelry, and kachinas. The lower level houses the intimate Annenberg Theater, which offers a range of Broadway, dance, and opera performances.
The Shag Store
Tiki mugs, kitty-cat coasters, and prints of glamorous couples sipping martinis poolside—what could be more SHAG? For fans of illustrator Josh Agle’s trademark color-popping work, this gallery/boutique is a must. Take home a SHAG martini shaker and you’ll be in retro heaven.
Birba
Dining al fresco is standard practice at this movie-colony watering hole, where almost every table is outside. Have a seat on the tree-shaded patio and start with a spicy Heated Snake cocktail, then linger with a salad or small plate before moving on to the pizzas and braised meats.
Just Fabulous
Owner Stephen Monkarsh curated this playful collection of eclectic wall art, large-format fashion and architecture books, irreverent refrigerator magnets, and old-school kitsch. Browse the one-of-a-kind clocks made by local craftsmen. Head out the back exit to see Palm Springs’ hidden gardens.
Ernest Coffee + Bootlegger Tiki
Coffee bar in the front, tiki speakeasy bar in the back—this dual-personality storefront can satisfy all sorts of vices. By day, baristas steam up Stumptown Coffee lattés with fresh-baked pastries. Find a nook by the bookcase wallpaper (no, they aren’t real books) and hang out until happy hour—offered seven days a week—to transition to rum cocktails.
Trina Turk
Trina Turk has defined desert style with her sleek fashion in vibrant colors and patterns. Stand beneath her shop’s crystal chandeliers and picture yourself lounging on the Riviera in a Turk-chic geometric-print swimsuit.
Dazzles
Shop for flea-market treasures—Lucite jewelry, vintage highball glasses, colored glass plates, and Georges Briard gold-plated serving dishes—at this midcentury-focused boutique. Remember those fabulous brooches your grandma wore? You can find them here, among the unmatched collection of costume jewelry. 760/327-1446
