Recently Viewed
Palm Springs Modernism Bike Tour
5.0
239 Ratings
Palm Springs
Embark on a 2.5 to 3 hour bike tour of architecturally and historically significant residential neighborhoods in Palm Springs. Explore Deepwell Estates, Twin Palms, and Indian Canyons while learning about specific homes and architects. No athletic ability required!
Duration:
3 hours, 10 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- South Palm Canyon Drive - We’ll visit three distinctive and historic neighborhoods in south Palm Springs: Deepwell Estates, Twin Palms, and Indian Canyons.
- Deepwell Estates - Home to many luxury midcentury houses built starting in 1950.
- East Twin Palms Drive - Twin Palms Estates is a historic neighborhood built by the Alexander Construction Company and designed by William Krisel.
- Canyon View Estates - Condo community designed by William Krisel in 1961 – the location where “Don’t Worry Darling” was filmed.
- Indian Canyons Golf Resort - More luxury vacation homes, built starting in 1960.
What's Included
- Bottled water provided
- Guidance from an expert tour guide
- Enjoy perfect weather
What's Not Included
- Bikes are NOT INCLUDED in the tour price. Please rent from Big Wheel Tours, or you are welcome to bring your own bikes if you have access to some.
- Bring sunscreen! We have 500 days of sun a year!
- Bring extra water! It’s the desert – you’ll be glad you did!
- Tour Guide gratuity is completely optional, of course! (cash or Venmo or margaritas, lol)
Additional Information
SUMMER 2024 UPDATE: Wow, it’s scorching! Typically, we don’t have tours during the summer, but if you’re visiting and can handle the heat, please reach out to me directly at Brennan@ModernAndMoreTours.com for summer details.
This is an intimate 3-hour bike tour through three architecturally and historically significant neighborhoods in south Palm Springs. With quiet streets, no hills, constant sunshine, and minimal traffic, it’s perfect for both novice and experienced cyclists. (Don’t worry, this isn’t an athletic tour!)
We’ll visit Deepwell Estates, Twin Palms, and Indian Canyons, making frequent stops for photos and to discuss specific homes and architects.
NOTE: BIKES ARE NOT INCLUDED! You can get discounted bike rentals at Big Wheel Tours, which offers colorful retro cruiser bikes and e-bikes.
[ This tour is designed for serious architecture and history enthusiasts, with in-depth, academic-level information. It may not be the most entertaining tour for some children. ]
Location
Big Wheel Tours-Palm Springs
South Palm Canyon Drive
Tour start location will be Big Wheel Tours where you'll rent your bikes, if you're not bringing your own. (Please don't go to the Palm Desert location!) Free off-street parking is available behind the shop. We can wait 10 minutes for late arriving guests.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(239 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Isabel_m
Jun 1, 2024
Very enjoyable afternoon - Did this tour with a girlfriend and loved it! Very interesting and beautiful. Would definitely do this again if I was in town with different people.
Review provided by Viator
157darbys
May 31, 2024
Brilliant history of Palm Springs and lets you see classic l homes. - Fantastic tour that provides a look into the history of Palm Springs and lets you see classic Palm Springs homes. The majority of the biking takes place on residential streets and gives you a look at Palm Springs you might miss from the car.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hamilton_h
May 26, 2024
Great time! - Super interesting stories about the architecture and owners across three generations of stars. Though I've lived around here for years, the casual tour took me to parts of Palm Springs I've never seen before. A must do!
Review provided by Viator
Alysa2565
May 26, 2024
Fun bike tour with the Mayor of Palm Springs - Brennan is awesome! This is a must do tour of Palm Springs. It’s a very easy bike ride with lots of opportunity for stops and pictures. Brennan is so knowledgeable and passionate about Palm Springs preservation and architecture. We learned so much! Brennan is like a local celebrity. He clearly loves what he does and is a pleasure to spend time with.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Treffle_l
Apr 22, 2024
A must trip to learn the story of Mid-Century architecture of Palm Springs - Brenan was a wonderful leader of our trip. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and totally engaging on the tour. We had a blast and would do it again!
Review provided by Viator
Jordan_w
Apr 19, 2024
Fun and Easy! - Brennan was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be around. We saw so many beautiful homes and learned plenty thanks to our guide. And the ride was smooth and easy. We recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Martinl
Apr 14, 2024
Best bike tour!!! - Don't miss this bicycle tour of Mid Mod architecture in historic Palm Springs neighborhoods. Brennan is an excellent tour guide! You'll learn SO much about Palm Springs history while cycling by some gorgeous examples of mid-20th-century homes.
Review provided by Viator
Helen_h
Apr 12, 2024
excellent tour - We were on a Backroads hike/bike trip in Palm springs and Joshua Tree.
If you know Backroads, they know the best places, where to go and who to do it with and they selected Brennan for our guide.
Until this trip we had mostly been in the parks and in nature so I did not have a good feel for Palm Springs. Brennan gave us the most wonderful tour with the history of Palm Springs, the architecture and then the homes of the old Hollywood celebrities and what brought them to Palm Springs.
I love facts like: in the olden days, movie stars could not venture more than 100 miles from a set in case they were called back to redo a scene. Palm Springs is 100 miles from Hollywood. Also, paparrazzi could not stalk the stars outside of 85 mile radius so Palm Springs was the perfect place for them. Much of the architecture is geared towards privacy. So interesting.
Brennan was the best!
Review provided by Viator
Gale_f
Apr 11, 2024
Palm Springs architecture tour with Brennan!! - Brennan was a fabulous guide.
We met in the parking lot behind the Big Wheel bike rental shop and traveled around 3 different neighborhoods with Brennan describing different types of architecture and landscape design. He was so friendly and full of information!! He was a considerate and personal guide. We had a great time and definitely would recommend this tour with Brennan.
Review provided by Viator
Pvpzwd2zn2
Apr 5, 2024
Great tour - Great personalized tour. Great info and great stories. Highlight of our trip! Will be back soon to do again.
Review provided by Viator