Twin Palms Guided Walking Tour: An Insider’s Perspective of the Desert’s First Modernist Neighborhood

Twin Palms was the desert’s first completed Modernist neighborhood and it established concepts and techniques later emulated throughout Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. This tour will introduce you to the innovative, insightful, and influential architecture of William Krisel and his extraordinarily productive relationship with the Alexander Construction Company. It will also familiarize you with significant midcentury works from architects Hugh Kaptur, Donald Wexler, and Hal Levitt, as well as notable and one-of-a-kind contributions of more-recent vintage.

Beyond architecture, many prominent writers and entertainers have called the neighborhood home, and Twin Palms currently hosts two pieces in the City’s public art collection. It’s no wonder its residential designs, rich cultural history, and enduring appeal continue to make it a subject of coffee-table books, articles in travel and lifestyle publications, and a frequent location for television commercials, print advertising, and music videos.

Your guide for this two-hour, two-mile tour will be Eric Chiel, a 16-year Twin Palms resident and founding past-Chairperson of the Twin Palms Neighborhood Organization. Eric was co-creator, creative director, and author of The ONE-PS Guide to Palm Springs Neighborhoods published by Palm Springs Life, and he specializes in the stories of Palm Springs neighborhoods. His uniquely engaging narrative will reveal neighborhood architecture, history, and culture, and its impact on the community—all designed so you’ll get to know Twin Palms from “An Insider’s Perspective.”

A portion of tour proceeds is donated to the Twin Palms Neighborhood Organization to help preserve, beautify, and encourage appreciation of this distinctive destination.

$45

Things To KnowAges 13 and older
Outdoor activity
Wheelchair accessible
Pets and animals not permitted
Photography permitted 
Parking and handicap parking available
Walking activity
Restrooms not available
Guided exterior tour
No smoking or e-cigarettes

Important InformationPlease park along either side of William Krisel Way and not in adjacent lots.
Please wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hats, and bring water.
The organizer of this event is WorldStageLIVE!

Check-in Location Twin Palms
1201 E Palm Canyon Dr (corner, E Palm Canyon & William Krisel Way)
Palm Springs, CA 92264View Map

Photo Credits: Ketchum Photography, Eric Chiel, Clark Dugger Photography, Eric Chiel, Henry Connell, Henry Connell / Eric Chiel {"locationAddressVisibility":"visible"}