Owning the most famous house in the world – the Fallingwater – was not enough for department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann: he needed a winter residence and he needed it in Palm Springs. In 1946, Kaufmann chose architect Richard Neutra – revered in his time as a pillar of American Modernism – to build a luxurious Desert House that would also function as an "efficient machine". The result was, arguably, Neutra's most famous design. Soon after its completion in 1949, for what was then considered astronomical $300,000, the sleek forms and mechanical imagery of this building became an emblem of high Modernist style in the US.

The five-bedroom, six-bathroom vacation house was designed to provide a seamless connection to the surrounding desert landscape, simultaneously offering shelter from the harsh climatic conditions. Large sliding glass walls bring the desert practically indoors, while the major outdoor rooms are enclosed by a row of movable vertical fins that offer flexible protection against sandstorms and intense heat. After Kaufmann's death in 1955, the house had a series of owners, including singer Barry Manilow.

Today, many critics place the Kaufmann House among the most important buildings of the 20th century in the United States, along with the likes of the Fallingwater, Robie House, Gropius House, and the Gamble House. Interestingly, despite its location in Palm Springs, this property was also included in an expert-reviewed list of all-time top 10 houses in Los Angeles, too.

Another exemplar of Modernist style, this is the house where Elvis and Priscilla Presley lived in luxury during their first year of marriage, from 1966 to 1967, throwing infamously lavish parties. With its Jetsons-style furniture and lava rock wall, complete with electronic controls for indoor climate, outside lights and automatic rain, this place was considered, at the time, an innovative "home of the future". It also has a lush garden, large in-ground pool, and a tennis court.

Located close to the San Jacinto Mountains and offering a wonderful view of the Coachella Valley and Santa Rosa Mountains, the property was carefully restored to its original splendor in the 1990s.

For a peek inside, a private one-hour guided tour – starting at 1pm or 3:30pm – can be arranged ahead of time. If you're an Elvis fan, you will feel special being able to sit on the same furniture the King of Rock and Roll once sat, walk through the same rooms he did (which have retained much of the original layout, including kitchen counters, appliances, and other fixtures) and thus enjoy a personal connection to the King. The tour guide is very knowledgeable and more than willing to take pictures for you, as there are quite a few fantastic photo ops here to take advantage of!

No other house reflects Palm Springs’ famed heyday in the 1950s and '60s better than this one – the hideaway of screen star Peter Lawford and his wife, Pat Kennedy, sister of the famed president John Fitzgerald Kennedy. A close friend and confidant of Marilyn Monroe, and as a brother-in-law of JFK, Lawford introduced the two in 1954, with rumors of an affair still holding their mystique.

Besides his successful career and being a socialite, Lawford was also part of the Rat Pack, with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis Jr. When the Pack was not partying at Sinatra's mansion, it was often here with the stars and moguls of Hollywood's Golden Age.

If you've ever been interested in seeing how legends lived back in the day, you can rent this recently restored home on a per-night basis and get a first-hand experience.

Legendary crooner, TV host and "Rat Pack" member, Dean Martin was among the last of the Hollywood elite to have moved to the desert. He was also among the last to have acquired a Mid-century modern marvel from the father-and-son architect team of George and Robert Alexander before they died in a plane crash. Martin, renowned for throwing lavish dinner parties, bought this house for $56,000 and luxuriated here for a while, along with his gorgeous second wife, Jeanne, back in the 1960s and '70s.

Like almost all the other homes built for life in the desert, 'Dino's Den' lies low and blends with the surrounding topography. Easily visible from the street, it has been a favorite on celebrity tours from the time the Martins moved in. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom dwelling features a pool, spa, ceiling-to-floor glass sliding walls, and fruit trees on the quarter-acre lot. The tan-and-white pattern, conjoined with several lush palms and rocks, augments the eye-catchy, modern design.

Sitting on one of Las Palmas neighborhood's biggest (and most expensive) lots, Ann Miller's house is what a great many people envision the exemplary Hollywood "dream home" to be – beautiful and bold, much like the acclaimed actress herself. Having decided against launching new construction, she chose to acquire a pre-existing 1928 property to which she added her own little touches of extravagance, which are now widely considered as timeless.

With exotic palm trees dispersed through the lawn, this home reeks of the ambiance of an archetypal oasis of paradise; a place where one can accomplish every dream.

It is here, in the upscale Old Las Palmas neighborhood, that you find the oasis of the one and only Elisabeth Taylor. Known as Casa Elizabeth, this home is full of Taylor's art collection, from photography to oil paintings, including Andy Warhol's famous portrait of the hostess.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor was a British-American actress who took Hollywood by storm as a child-actress in the early 1940s and continued starring in feature films up until the mid-1970s. Her most critically-acclaimed films include “Cleopatra” (that hit the screens in 1961) and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (released in 1966). Later in her career, Taylor became known for stage productions and television movies as well. She was constantly in the spotlight, with eight marriages to seven men and a jet-set lifestyle.

The property includes three detached casitas for guests, a large courtyard veranda, a second-story observation deck, and luxury landscaping. The pool is one of the finest in Southern California. An open-air pavilion, fountains, and lots of palm trees complete the oasis getaway look.

Renovated by Kathy Ireland and now sometimes referred to as "The Jewel of the Desert," the home is currently available for rent nightly or as a wedding venue.

Although throughout his lifetime flamboyant pianist, Władziu Valentino Liberace, (the Grammy winner and possibly the music world's ultimate showman) had owned four Palm Springs homes, this beautiful Mediterranean estate at the intersection of Alejo and Belardo roads is most widely known for representing his particularly eclectic vision.

After the acquisition, Liberace turned this former boutique hotel with five bedrooms into a set of thematic units. Prime among them was the Valentino bedroom, featuring a sleigh bed and other furnishings, all originally from Valentino's home "Falcon's Lair", purchased at an auction. There was also the perky Safari Room with a tiger painting, a lion tapestry, and a life-size horse sculpture; and a Persian tent room by the side of the pool. Outside the rooms, Liberace spent daily some time praying in his onsite shrine dedicated to St. Anthony. The musician reportedly passed away here in February 1987.

While the property has now lost some of its dazzles brought in by Liberace, the presence of several L's strategically placed throughout the exterior – including spots like the garden fencing, doors of the garage (where the pianist reportedly took to living at one point), and mosaic tiles in cement in front of the side door – remove any doubt as to the owner's identity.

If you know what "desert modernism" means, then you surely have heard about the Frey House II, which is located on West Palisades Drive, and fully represents this architectural style. The construction was completed in 1963. It is owned now by the Palm Springs Art Museum. Here you will find the mammoth rock, metal ceilings, glass walls and wonderful curtains completing the image of one of the most appreciated architectural styles, such as modernism.

Two incredible historic houses sit together, managed by the Palm Springs Historical Society. The houses themselves also contain artifacts from Palm Springs' past, such as the first telephones in the area.

The McCallum Adobe was the home of the first European American settler in the area. It was built in 1884, and it was the first adobe structure built in the area.

The Cornelia White house is a wooden home built in 1893. It's unique in that it is built entirely from railroad ties. The ties came from the Palmdale Railroad, a horse-drawn railroad that connected Palm Springs to Palmdale, abandoned in 1893.

Why You Should Visit:
Both houses provide a glimpse into what life was like in nineteenth-century Palm Springs. The two structures are the two oldest buildings in town.

The houses have been fully restored by the historical society, with artifacts from the time that tell the story of early pioneers in town. You'll see not only what living here was like, but also learn a little more about the town and why people came here.

Exhibits inside also feature notable town visitors, focusing on Hollywood starlets from the 1930s to 1950s.

Tips:
The homes are small, as most houses were in those days, so you don't need very long to see them. This is an excellent stop if you need a fill up a few minutes or get out of the heat. Admission is free, and you can see everything in under an hour.