Uptown Design District

The Uptown Design District is where Palm Springs' midcentury obsession becomes something you can take home. It runs along North Palm Canyon Drive between Alejo Road and Vista Chino, just north of downtown, and it is lined with the city's best concentration of vintage and modern furniture dealers, design shops, fashion boutiques, galleries, restaurants and bars. For midcentury pieces, browse dealers such as Modern Way, Christopher Anthony Ltd and Bon Vivant, where original lamps, credenzas and lounge chairs from the 1950s and 60s are displayed like museum pieces; for contemporary design, Interior Illusions and Grace Home Furnishings. Fashion runs from Trina Turk and Mr. Turk's bright resort prints to Iconic Atomic, Wil Stiles and Seaplane Shirts, and preLoved Palm Springs for vintage women's clothing. The Shag Store sells the work of Josh Agle, whose cocktail-hour illustrations capture the city's spirit, and Rubine Red Gallery adds contemporary art. Architecture is part of the stroll: The Shops at Thirteen Forty Five occupy a building designed by E. Stewart Williams. Food and drink are a big draw. Cheeky's, the brunch institution, is here, along with casual favorites like 1501 Uptown Gastropub, Chicken Ranch and John's, dinner spots including Eight4Nine, Jake's, Copley's on Palm Canyon, Workshop Kitchen + Bar and Birba, and cocktails at Truss and Twine, Bootlegger Tiki and Tailor Shop, a speakeasy hidden behind Bootlegger. Walking the district costs nothing, and the browsing is half the fun.

Uptown grew organically as dealers in midcentury furniture clustered along North Palm Canyon in the years when the style was being rediscovered, and today the district is closely tied to Modernism Week, whose February and October editions bring design events, open houses and crowds. Even outside the festival, the shops act like an informal museum of the era, and many owners are happy to talk about a designer or a piece's history. Prices for genuine originals reflect their collectibility, so treat it as browsing first and buying when something speaks to you; many dealers can arrange shipping.

The best way to do Uptown is on foot or by bike, starting with brunch at Cheeky's (go early on weekends, since lines are part of the experience), then working north or south along both sides of the street. Shops often open mid-morning and some close a day or two midweek, so weekend and Thursday-to-Saturday visits find the most doors open. In summer, browse in the morning and duck into the air-conditioned showrooms during the heat.

Pair Uptown with the Palm Springs Visitor Center in Albert Frey's former Tramway Gas Station at the north end of town, and a self-guided drive through Vista Las Palmas and the Movie Colony for a full design day. Finish with a cocktail at Bootlegger Tiki or dinner at one of the district's restaurants. Design lovers, shoppers and couples will find it one of the most enjoyable afternoons in the city.