Palm Springs sprouted into a resort destination in the early 20th century. Ever since, it’s been beckoning visitors with its arid landscape, golf courses, handsome midcentury vacation homes and excellent restaurant scene. While many will spend their weekend simply lounging by hotel pools, there are plenty of other things to do in Palm Springs. Seasonally, it becomes the epicenter of cool during Coachella and hosts highlights like the design-focused Modernism Week and the quirky Christmas light display Robolights.
Even if you don’t need any information from the official Palm Springs welcome center, this distinctive spot is worth a stop to admire its architecture. The Space Age structure opened in 1965 as a gas station. When Albert Frey and Robson Chambers’s retro design was slated for the wrecking ball in the ’90s, it was saved and turned into a visitors center.