The Palm Springs metro area, encompassing Coachella Valley cities like Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Cathedral City, has been a celebrity playground for decades. Its history is rich with stories of Old Hollywood glamour, wild parties, artistic retreats, and modern-day intrigue.

Here is a list of interesting and notable stories involving celebrities in the Palm Springs area, categorized by era and theme.

The Golden Age of Hollywood

• The “Rat Pack” Sands Hotel Era: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop essentially turned Palm Springs into their personal clubhouse in the 1950s and 60s. Their legendary parties at the Sands Hotel (and later, the Cal Neva Lodge) were the stuff of myth, involving copious amounts of alcohol, music, and star-studded guests. Sinatra’s infamous “Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedy” rumors also have strong ties to his Palm Springs compound.

• Elvis and Priscilla’s Honeymoon: After their wedding in Las Vegas in 1967, Elvis and Priscilla Presley flew to Palm Springs to spend their honeymoon at a house on Alejo Road. The story goes that Elvis had the entire property surrounded by a temporary fence and hired security to keep fans and photographers at bay.

• The “Two Bobs” and Their Twin Homes: Actors Bob Hope and Bing Crosby were not only golf buddies but also neighbors in the Southridge community. Their adjacent homes, designed by modernist architect John Lautner, were a famous landmark. Hope’s house, with its distinctive parabolic roof, is often called the “House that Hope Built” and is an iconic piece of Palm Springs architecture.

• Lucille Ball’s Near-Arrest: In a famous anecdote, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were pulled over for speeding on Highway 111. When the officer didn’t believe the woman in the car was the Lucille Ball, she supposedly launched into a frantic, hilarious routine to prove her identity. The officer, amused, let them off with a warning.

The Modern Playground

• The Rise of Coachella: While the festival is in Indio, its impact defines the modern Palm Springs metro area celebrity scene. Stories are endless:

  • Beyoncé’s Homecoming (2018): Her historic performance, which later became a Netflix film and live album, was planned and rehearsed extensively at a private compound in the area.

  • The Infamous Weekend 2 Tupac Hologram (2012): Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg debuted the groundbreaking hologram of Tupac Shakur at Coachella, a moment that stunned the world and was planned in secrecy at local studios.

  • Celebrity Compound Culture: It’s now standard for A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, and models like the Hadid sisters (who have a home there) to rent massive, architecturally significant homes for the festival weekends, leading to infamous after-parties.

• The Kardashian-Jenner Palm Springs Hub: The family has a long history of using Palm Springs for birthday parties, getaways, and photo shoots. Their presence often causes a media frenzy, and they are frequently spotted at local hotspots like Spencer’s Restaurant or shopping on El Paseo.

• The Liberace Museum in Palm Springs: While the main museum was in Las Vegas, Liberace had a spectacular home in Palm Springs (a pink mansion, of course) and was a major social figure. His flamboyant parties and generous philanthropy were a huge part of the local social scene until his death in 1987.

Architecture and Real Estate

• The Kaufmann House: This is one of the most famous stories in architectural history. Designed by Richard Neutra in 1946 for Edgar J. Kaufmann (the same man who commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater), it is a masterpiece of Desert Modernism. Its history involves a period of decline, a famous photograph by Slim Aarons (“Poolside Gossip”), and a meticulous restoration by a subsequent owner. It’s been owned by several celebrities and billionaires over the years.

• The “House of Tomorrow”: Designed by John Lautner for a chemical engineer, this futuristic 1960s home was later owned by Dynasty star Linda Evans and then by musician Beck’s grandfather, Al Hansen. Its unique design is a landmark of Space Age architecture.

• Steve McQueen’s Hideaway: The “King of Cool” owned a secluded home in the nearby hills of Rancho Mirage. He cherished the privacy it offered, away from the Hollywood spotlight, and was known to ride his motorcycle through the desert canyons.

Intrigue and Mystery

• Frank Sinatra and the Cal Neva Lodge: While technically just over the border in Lake Tahoe, Sinatra’s ownership of the Cal Neva is a cornerstone of his legend and involved the mob (Sam Giancana), the Kennedys, and Marilyn Monroe. His power and connections were felt strongly in his Palm Springs home base, where he was a larger-than-life figure.

• The “Palm Springs Underground”: There have long been rumors of tunnels connecting some of the old celebrity homes, like the one belonging to Sonny Bono, to nearby bars and restaurants. These stories, while likely exaggerated, speak to the desire for privacy and the illicit fun that defined the area’s early years.

• Zsa Zsa Gabor’s Husband and the Shovel Incident: In a truly bizarre 1989 story, Zsa Zsa’s husband, Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt, was arrested after allegedly chasing a mailman with a shovel and threatening him near their Palm Springs home. It was a tabloid sensation at the time.

The Palm Springs area’s history with celebrities is unique—a blend of mid-century sophistication, wild hedonism, architectural innovation, and modern festival culture that continues to evolve today.