Palm Springs' Most Iconic Landmarks

The idea of a tramway up Mount San Jacinto took decades to realize, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway finally opened in 1963 after a difficult construction in which helicopters carried materials to the towers on the steep cliffs of Chino Canyon.

The tramway was later modernized, and in 2000 it introduced rotating cars, which turn slowly during the ride so that every passenger enjoys the full view.

The ride lasts about ten minutes, rising from the Valley Station at about 2,600 feet to the Mountain Station at about 8,500 feet, through several climate zones, from desert to alpine forest.

The temperature at the top is often much cooler than in the city, and snow can fall in winter. The Mountain Station has restaurants, viewpoints and exhibits, and it is the gateway to Mount San Jacinto State Park, with miles of trails through forests and meadows.

Tahquitz Canyon is a sacred place for the Agua Caliente people, linked to the legend of Tahquitz, a powerful spirit said to live in the canyon.

The canyon was closed to the public for many years, and the tribe cleaned and restored it before reopening it to visitors under its management.

A rocky loop trail of about two miles leads to a seasonal waterfall that drops into a pool, best seen after winter rains. Along the way, you will see rock art, an ancient irrigation system and native plants.

The visitor center at the entrance has exhibits on Cahuilla culture and the canyon's history.

The Palm Springs Art Museum was founded in 1938 as the Palm Springs Desert Museum, with a focus on natural history and the desert.

In 1976, it moved into its current building, designed by Stewart Williams, a low structure of dark volcanic stone at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. Over time, its focus shifted to art, and it took its current name.

Its collections include modern and contemporary art, studio glass, Native American and Western art, photography and architecture and design.

The museum also runs the Architecture and Design Center in a former savings and loan building by Stewart Williams, and it owns Albert Frey's house on the hillside above the city.

The Kaufmann House was designed by Richard Neutra in 1946 for Edgar Kaufmann, the department store owner who had earlier commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. Its flat roofs, glass walls and pinwheel plan open the house to the desert, the pool and the mountains.

The house became famous worldwide through Slim Aarons' 1970 photograph Poolside Gossip, which captured the glamour of Palm Springs. After years of alterations, it was carefully restored and remains one of the most important modern houses in the United States.

The Plaza Theatre opened in 1936 on Palm Canyon Drive and became a center of the town's entertainment life. From 1991 to 2014, it was the home of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, a celebrated revue featuring performers over 50.

After more than a decade closed, the theater reopened in December 2025 following a restoration of about $34 million, which revived its starfield ceiling and upgraded its lighting, sound and projection. It now hosts shows, films and events in the heart of downtown.

The McCallum Adobe was built in 1884 for John Guthrie McCallum, one of the first non-Native settlers of Palm Springs, using adobe bricks made with local materials. It was later moved to its current site in the Village Green Heritage Center downtown.

Today, the Palm Springs Historical Society uses the adobe to display photographs, artifacts and stories from the city's past, from its pioneer days to its Hollywood years. The society also leads walking tours of downtown and the city's historic neighborhoods.