Wits audacious history as an off-the-grid playground for Hollywood stars in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, and as a creative hub for bohemians pulled into the desert by its healing spa waters and creative energy, Palm Springs is a storied escape, in close proximity to Los Angeles, at the tip of the Coachella Valley. Today, the studios may no longer be calling Frank and Marilyn back to the set for filming in-between whisky sours,but the town’s preserved mid-century modern aesthetic and glamorous nostalgia, combined with a new wave of artists and entrepreneurs drawn to the space and solitude of the desert, make it a ground zero for enjoyment. Whether you’re exploring the manicured suburb where Elvis and Priscilla honeymooned, watching the sun set over the San Jacinto Mountains, ordering another martini by the pool, or combing vintage clothing shops for original Halston pieces, Palm Springs remains destination pleasure.

Relive the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age at L’Horizon Resort and Spa. The original ’50s desert escape, designed by iconic Palm Springs architect William F Cody, was good enough for Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and a handful of former US presidents. A recent overhaul by celebrity architect Steve Hermann ensures this adults-only boutique resort, with just 25 bungalows tucked among 12,000 square metres of manicured gardens, still lives up to A-list expectations. The bungalows have an understated splendour, with private patios that spill out onto the velvety lawn and central pool. Try to picture a better moment of bliss than lying poolside, margarita in hand, looking up at the San Jacintos that soar above the bungalows as you receive a complimentary foot massage before your spa session, swim or nap. Colony Palms Hotel is another Palm Springs stalwart that dishes up silver-screen swagger – Frank Sinatra once called it his home away from home, which says a lot considering Old Blue Eyes had his own pad in the Movie Colony. The Spanish Colonial-era resort was first built in the ’30s, and the modern iteration of this desert oasis by British celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard includes a large saltwater pool that reflects the pink clouds and mountains at sunset; modern Southern Californian dining at Purple Palm restaurant; a spa offering garden massages; and rooms decorated in Suzani wall hangings, Moroccan tiles and sumptuous furniture from the same part of the world – a maximalist alternative to the town’s iconic design.

Parker Palm Springs is likely the most Instagrammed place in the valley. The Jonathan Adler-designed boutique hideaway nestles between a soaring breeze-block wall at the entrance and a tangle of lush garden that maintains the property’s promise of discretion. The vibe here is playful, and the interior is an eclectic, but curated, melange of vintage furniture, art and curiosities featuring everything from a gleaming suit of knight’s armour at the entrance to a ’70s hanging fireplace surrounded by shag rugs and caramel-leather furniture where you can sip a cocktail after a game of petanque, croquet or tennis. Rooms come in a colourful selection of suites and villas, including the two-bedroom Gene Autry villa, named after the singing cowboy who once lived on the property. Weaving through the leafy grounds to one of the many dining and drinking options (see Eat & Drink), you may easily be sidetracked by the call of the hammock lawn, the giant chess board, one of the property’s three swimming pools, or its art installations.

The Amado and Orbit In both offer a modernist-desert-motel experience. The Amado consists of five minimalist suites that open onto a central swimming pool complete with fire pit, barbecue area and inflatable pool toys, while Orbit In has kitsch ’50s styling, cruiser bikes for guests and a daily complimentary cocktail hour at their poolside boomerang bar. American actress Samira Wiley of The Handmaid’s Tale and Orange is the New Black fame escapes to Sparrows Lodge, which has a rustic, ranch aesthetic. “There are only about 20 rooms, so it feels very secluded. To be able to sit down all day and get lost in a book by the pool is a real luxury,” she says. The converted barn leads to the central swimming pool and alfresco dining space nestled under citrus trees. Acclaimed local chef Gabriel Woo serves classic Americana fare, including a standout chicken mustard sandwich, and his family-style dinners under the stars on Wednesday and Friday evenings have become an institution.

From the same owners, Holiday House Palm Springs is an oasis of coastal chic in the centre of town. A cooling blue-and-white colour palette with an even cooler curation of books, furniture and original art (including pieces by David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein) give this 28-room boutique hotel a true holiday house vibe. Beat the heat with a welcome glass of rosé, which you can sip by the pool or on your own patio – both promise mountain views.

Come to Parker Palm Springs for eggs Benedict and waffles at Norma’s, linger by the pool with a martini at the Lemonade Stand, then toast the end of a hard day at Counter Reformation – a dine-in bar where the small plates and moody ambience are inspired by a best-of-Paris bistro – think brioche toasts, quail eggs and truffle. Dinner at Mister Parker’s is a grown-up affair, where dim lighting, suited waiters and more French classics await behind a Bordeaux-hued velvet curtain. The final installment of your Parker eat-in is a nightcap at Mini Bar, an opulent pocket-sized space, all polished emerald and Art Deco gold embellishment to go with your favourite libation. Rooster & The Pig is a low-fi Vietnamese-American canteen in a carpark on the main drag with food that’s well worth the wait. Arrive early – before 5pm – to be the first to snag one of the chipboard tables and you’ll be rewarded with the likes of a moreish, umami-bomb chicken rice porridge topped with green onion and fried Asian shallots; a mouthpuckering salad of chicken, cabbage and cashews; and sticky beef skewers served with lettuce cups, daikon pickle and a creamy peanut sauce so good you’ll wonder how you’ve survived without it. Vietnamese meatballs are the perfect balance of fatty beef and fragrant lemongrass, and contend for the best dish with a mild curry of crispy cod with turmeric and dill. Just add a Chinese Yanjing beer or a gin cocktail with cilantro (that’s coriander to you and me), jalapeño, cucumber and lime.

Seasonal cocktails and farm-to-table plates are the highlight at Workshop Kitchen & Bar – a modern dinner and weekend brunch spot with a breezy LA feel. Exposed light bulbs hang in the cool (in both senses of the word) polished concrete interior, while the outdoor tables are a good choice once the sun has dipped behind the mountains. Provenence is key whether you’re ordering shaved brussels sprouts with pomelo and pepitas, diver scallops with grits and braised pork jowl, or an M-80 cocktail spiked with tequila, mezcal, lime, ginger and grapefruit oil. The sexy, wine-bar embrace of Mr Lyons belies the mod-steakhouse menu. There’s an extensive selection of steaks – prime and secondary cuts, grass and grain fed – with classic sauces to match, and an even more attractive line-up of sides – good luck choosing between the crispy brussels sprouts and lobster mac ’n’ cheese. There’s a raw bar to start, and pasture, sea and field options for the flexitarians. Liquid dessert? Pop behind the velvet curtain for a pineapple tequila sour at new speakeasy Seymour’s, named after the hotshot gin-swigging lawyer Seymour Lazar who had a hacienda nearby in Las Palmas and represented some of the biggest names in Hollywood in the ’50s and ’60s.

Notorious for being the Rat Pack’s hangout, Melvyn’s is half piano bar and half restaurant. Except for a new lick of paint, this storied celebrity haunt has maintained all the relics of Sinatra’s day, from his corner booth in the bar to the old-school French bistro menu and silvered waiters who flambé and offer silver service at the table with infinite charm, albeit a little slower these days. More recent additions to the Palm Springs drinking scene include Bootlegger Tiki, a hidden cocktail bar with an outrageous interior and tropicana drinks to match; and Truss & Twine, an industrialchic honeypot for bar flies that would be more at home in Manhattan than downtown Palm Springs. Not drinking? Ernest Coffee is the best spot in town for your caffeine fix, Palm Greens Cafe blends superfood smoothies and Ice Cream & Shop(pe) at the Arrive Hotel offers creamy scoops of date ice cream, which showcases the Coachella Valley’s key crop.

A desert safari is best done before the heat of the day. This means setting your alarm (very) early for the one-hour drive to Joshua Tree National Park to watch the sun rise over the vast expanse of rosegold desert studded with the iconic flora that resemble bristly old men. Not an early bird? Indian Canyon walk, with its canopy of palms is a good daytime option, as is a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway a dizzying 2500 metres above sea level up Mt St Jacinto, where sunset paints the Coachella Valley in a pastel palette – even more magical if there is a full moon rising.

For vintage clothing and accessories, check out The Frippery for kaftans and statement sunhats, and The Fine Art of Design for Halston gowns and Pucci pant-suits perfect for Palm Springs. Photographer and mid-century modern devotee Jaime Kowal, who photographed this story and who has lived in Palm Springs for the past six years, recommends A La Mod for high-end furniture: “Owners James and Miguel have a great eye; it’s a treat to browse the store,” she says. Kowal also covets Trina Turk for Missoni and Jonathan Adler homewares. Join Marilyn on holiday, Elvis and Priscilla on honeymoon and Frank’s last pool party on an insider’s architectural tour. Historian Michael Stern of The Modern Tour (themoderntour.com) has all the juice on Palm Springs’ iconic mid-century modern and Spanish-colonial buildings and, more excitingly, their notorious owners.