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Where mid-century modern meets Californian cool

In honour of America’s most storied coastline, we’re proud to have curated an elegant new trip with 126-year-old luggage company Globe-Trotter; combining our deep-cut expertise with the Globe-Trotter ethos of ‘a life well traveled’.

Together, we’ll help you to take a long, refreshing drink of Palm Springs – a corner of America that has defined the imaginary of American modernism; between the shimmering Pacific and the ethereal landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park. Truman Capote called it home – as did Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich. The great, the good. And now you.

As ever, we’ve planned everything – from hotels and experiences to expert guides and unqiue access. Naturally, you’ll receive a special Globe-Trotter Palm Springs Edition Carry-On or Check-In case of your choice.

The trip

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Welcome to Palm Springs

Five languid days in the heartland of American modernism.
From £6,970 per person – including 4 nights’ accommodation, breakfast and some meals as detailed, private transfers and guides, and a customized program of unique experiences.

Day One

Arriving at Palm Springs International Airport, you’ll be greeted by your private driver and make way to your hotel: the elegantly euphoric Parker Palm Springs – the ultimate celebrity hideaway and a classic destination in which to see and be seen.

Brought to life by interior designer Jonathan Adler, the Parker is the embodiment of mid-century modern and flamboyant west-coast style. Vibrant, gracious, larger-than-life.

After taking in your luscious surroundings, you’ll sit down for dinner in the elegant surrounds of Norma’s – located in the hotel’s palm-shadowed outdoor terrace.

Day Two

Today, you’ll take a free-wheeling dive into the living history of mid-century modernism. Your driver, and guide, is a best-selling author, producer and leading force in the architectural world; with a peerless passion for Palm Springs and its inspired relationship with American modernism.

Together, you’ll step inside various homes that embody the geometrical, curving grandeur of mid-century modernism; gaining an architectural insight into the distinctive styles of figures including E. Stewart Williams, Donald Wexler, William Krisel, and Hugh Katpur. During your eye-opening drive through the valley, you’ll stop off at a number of outdoor art pieces, before enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour of the Palm Springs Art Museum. This will be led either by the Museum’s curator or a specialist Black Tomato guide – a figure deeply immersed in the milieux of Californian art and design to provide a in-depth exploration of the E. Stewart Williams designed Architecture and Design Center, the Edwards Harris Pavilion, and the Albert Frey House II.

Day Three

Today, you’ll embark on a tour of the iconic Joshua Tree National Park. From the trailhead, where you’ll meet your guide, you’ll set off on a winding 2-to-5-mile hike; of towering rock formations, plunging canyons, and sweeping vistas.

At your hike’s end, you’ll repair to a private, wilderness site within the park to enjoy a California-style BBQ cookout. Between the food and the flames, your guide will bring the historical and geological story of Joshua Tree to life – all while the sun, from burnt orange to shimmering purple, sets over the Pacific beyond.

Later in the day, you’ll set off for a sunset sightseeing tour – by Jeep caravan – into the heart of the region; riding through the San Andreas Fault to a private desert ranch. Waiting for you will be high-power telescopes and an expert astronomer.

Joshua Tree, Black Tomato x Globe Trotter

Day Four

Sunnylands is an architectural icon – elegantly designed by the legendary A. Quincy Jones. For more than 40 years, ambassadors Walter and Leonnore Annenberg welcomed the great and the good to their estate in Rancho Mirage, California. We have contacts among the Annenbergs and can happily arrange special access to their historic home. You’ll number among this elite coterie – enjoying a supremely rare opportunity to tour their historic home – a 25,000-square-foot Mid-Century Modern masterpiece. Walk through the spaces where history took place, including extravagant parties as well as nationally and globally important meetings. You will have the opportunity to tour the estate and its gardens, focusing on the history of Sunnylands, the Annenbergs and their guests, and the architectural style of the home and its gardens.

The house – a masterpiece of mid-century design – spans some 25,000 square feet, while its estate and gardens are filled with over 53,000 plants and cacti. It’s here that you’ll enjoy a resplendent welcome lunch.

Between mid-June and mid-September (when Sunnylands will be closed) you’ll instead have the opportunity to hike to the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tram – offering one of the most sensational views in all of California.

Sunnylands, Black Tomato x Globe Trotter

Day Five

Your final day is a chance is a chance to bid goodbye to Palm Springs, before your driver takes you to the airport for your departure.

A fond farewell. But only a temporary one, we hope.

A palm for every view

The geometric glamor of mid-century modern

Step inside the Palm Springs Art Museum

Trek into the heart of Joshua Tree National Park

Shadow, sun, light, lunch

The tasteful terrace of Norma’s, at Parker Palm Springs

Beneath the moon, beside the fire

Views from the Palm Springs Aerial Tram

The Case

A new, exclusive colorway befitting the artistic and architectural legacy of Palm Springs and mid-century modernism. When you book your Palm Springs getaway with us we’ll provide a complimentary, special Globe-Trotter Palm Springs Edition Carry-On or Check-In case. The choice is yours.