Modernism Week 2027: 3 Design Tours and 5 Excursions

Why Palm Springs midcentury design: the Pixidia angle

Midcentury modern refers to a style of architecture, interior design, product design and graphic design from the middle of the 20th century (Wikidata). In Palm Springs it has proper names. William Krisel (1924-2017) partnered with Dan Palmer in the firm Palmer & Krisel. According to his Wikipedia page, their 1950s subdivisions helped nearly double the city’s surface area. Albert Frey is also among the six architects presented by the Mod Squad tours, which never take more than five people at a time.

Modernism Week began in 2006 as a loosely organized volunteer committee, and the Palm Springs Art Museum was one of the groups involved from the start, according to an oral history published by Palm Springs Life. The organization now presents itself as a nonprofit, described on Wikidata as a 501(c)(3) organization. The February 2026 edition included a 1957 house, The Marquee at Twin Palms, and fifteen neighborhood tours in the Coachella Valley.

The festival sells its architecture tours on its own website, with tickets for scheduled tours from October 15, 2026 to May 29, 2027. They are guided, in small groups, aboard a 22-seat air-conditioned minibus. There is no microphone or headset, and each tour begins with an introduction to the city’s history. The official site also announces that tickets for the February 2027 festival go on sale November 1, 2026 at noon, Pacific time. That date comes only from this site, so check it on modernismweek.com before you buy.

Here is what the list leaves out. The festival’s architecture tours and those of local operators are not in the Viator survey. Mod Squad Tours limits its groups to five people and offers three 90-minute tours, one focused on the outside of the work of six architects and one on the inside of three houses. The Modern Tour offers private or small-group tours of about two hours, with departures at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and private access to two residences that are usually closed to the public. These are serious options, but you book them elsewhere, and their 2027 calendar is not covered here.

Finally, the Coachella Valley is only a name for the region here. It is an arid valley in southern California, in the Colorado Desert, whose main cities are Indio, Palm Springs and Palm Desert. The music festival that shares the name has nothing to do with this guide. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, a federally recognized tribe, is linked to the Indian Canyons south of Palm Springs, according to Visit Palm Springs. The canyons are not about design, but they offer a contrast with the houses: the landscape that existed before the city.

The 8 experiences compared

The table uses prices and availability checked on October 25, 2026, and ratings as of October 24, 2026, for two adults. Prices are per person, and availability counts the open dates between February 11 and 21, 2027. Each row title links to the detailed listing.

Prices and availability checked on the Viator partner API on October 25, 2026, for February 11 to 21, 2027; they may change.

Practical tips on site

Start with the date. February 11, the first day of the window, is open for all eight experiences in the survey. On February 19, the Joshua Tree stargazing is no longer open, and the covered wagon offers only five dates out of eleven. If your stay is fixed in advance, check each listing on your exact date before comparing prices: availability changes faster than the rate.

Check the confirmations. Two experiences are not instant-confirmation: the six-seat golf cart and the jeep on the San Andreas Fault. For those, leave a margin in your schedule rather than booking another activity the same day.

Don’t underestimate travel time. The covered wagon departs from Palm Desert, via exit 10 of the highway, and the jeep departs from the Metate Ranch parking lot. The Joshua Tree stargazing does not include transport, and the site has no mobile network or toilets: instructions come with the booking. The drive time from downtown Palm Springs is not given here. Check it on a map before you book, and add the margin for the return at night.

Plan for tips separately. Tips are not included in five experiences: the downtown golf cart, the celebrity bike tour, the Indian Canyons, the San Andreas downhill and the jeep. Set a budget for them, as you would at a restaurant. The other listings don’t specify, so ask the operator if you are not sure.

Respect the age and group conditions. The Indian Canyons set a minimum age of 12 and require at least two people. The downhill bike ride depends on a minimum number of participants and may be cancelled if that minimum is not reached. The six-seat golf cart is designed for a group, but the survey covers only two adults, so ask for the actual rate for your group before comparing.

Modernism Week is booked separately. Tickets for the architecture tours and the festival are sold on the festival’s website, and the announced sale dates should be checked on modernismweek.com. The two combine well: a morning of neighborhood tours, then an excursion in the afternoon or evening.

Adjust the list to your profile. For a first trip for two, the golf cart and the celebrity bike tour give an overview of the houses in two half-days. On a small budget, the covered wagon is the cheapest at $139 per adult, but only if one of the five open dates works for you. For experienced cyclists, the San Andreas downhill is the longest experience, at four hours. For a family with a child, check the 12-year minimum age before choosing the e-bike hike. For a group of six, the six-seat golf cart is the only listing designed for that.

Accessibility. The survey gives no information on the accessibility of these listings, or on travelers with reduced mobility. Ask the operator before booking a walking, cycling or jeep experience, and don’t count on an indication that is not in the listing.