Downtown Palm Springs: Walking Palm Canyon Drive, the 26-Foot 'Forever Marilyn' & Thursday VillageFest

Running one-way north to south at the base of the granite wall of Mount San Jacinto, Palm Canyon Drive is the walkable spine of Palm Springs. Divided into two sections, the Uptown Design District in the north and historic Downtown in the centre, it is backed by free public parking garages and shaded by cooling misting jets along restaurant patios in warmer months.

1. Walking Historic Downtown (Amado Rd South to Baristo Rd)

• The 26-Foot 'Forever Marilyn' Statue & Downtown Park (Museum Way, Free): at Museum Way and Belardo Road in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum stands Seward Johnson's 8-metre-tall (26-foot), 15-tonne painted bronze and steel statue 'Forever Marilyn' (Marilyn Monroe was discovered in Palm Springs in 1949 at Charlie Farrell's Racquet Club). Next door sit Downtown Palm Springs Park and the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.
• The 'Palm Springs Walk of Stars' (Over 450 Golden Stars): look down along Palm Canyon Drive between Tahquitz Canyon Way and Museum Way to spot more than 450 golden granite pavement stars honouring local residents including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Sonny Bono (Mayor of Palm Springs from 1988 to 1992), Liberace and Elizabeth Taylor.
• La Plaza Courtyard (1936) & McCallum Adobe (1884): explore the Spanish Colonial Revival arcades of 1936 La Plaza and Palm Springs' oldest 1884 adobe house at 221 S Palm Canyon Dr.

2. The 'Uptown Design District' & Thursday Night 'VillageFest'

1. The Uptown Design District (600 to 1100 Blocks of North Palm Canyon Dr): 5 minutes north of Alejo Road, browse Mid-Century Modern vintage furniture galleries, Shag Art prints (visit the Shag Store at 745 N Palm Canyon Dr for Josh Agle's retro cocktail paintings), Trina Turk's flagship boutique, and cafés.
2. Thursday Night 'Palm Springs VillageFest' (Free): every Thursday evening since 1991, the city closes three blocks of Palm Canyon Drive (Amado Rd to Baristo Rd) to traffic for an open-air pedestrian night market with over 180 artisan stalls, street musicians, kettle corn, dates and food stands, while nearby Palm Springs Art Museum offers free Thursday evening admission.