The Downtown Tour

We offer a three hour small group walking and tasting tour through downtown Palm Springs several days a week.

Our first stop is a real hidden gem: an artful cafe with gorgeous handpainted walls done in the happiest of colors. We’ll have a delicious brunch item with coffee, tea, espresso, or other non-alcoholic beverages included. The commitment and intention is so clear at this restaurant. They care deeply about what they are doing and it shows in all respects; the greeting at the door, the freshness of the ingredients, the presentation on the plate, and the all important taste. You can feel the love. It is a perfect start to our journey.

Upon our departure from the cafe , we’ll encounter sculpture gardens, art displays, important  architectural achievements and a monumental sculpture, a tribute to a genuine American icon. All of this, on our short walk to our second food experience!

Our stop number two is a small gourmet market where we will enjoy charcuterie boards with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, seasonal fruit, pickled vegetables, nuts and other items, along with generous pours of wine. There will be an opportunity here to do some shopping. Check out their beautifully packaged artisan-made products to enjoy while you are in town or to bring home for yourself or as gifts.Take advantage of a special store discount just for our group.

Next, we’ll make our way south to the Village Green and then back north through town, exploring the sights on both sides of Palm Canyon Drive, our vibrant, colorful and always interesting shopping street. Much of our earliest history is to be found here. We’ll tell tales of our early settlers, including our pioneer women who were so important in shaping Palm Springs, and our celebrities, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Pressley and everybody else from Albert Einstein to Marilyn Monroe. Wouldn’t it be fun to have a time machine and visit back in those days? We’ll endeavor to bring those earlier days back to life through storytelling.

On our way back north we’ll stop in at a family owned candy maker to sample their products and hear about their pure and simple but not easy process in making small batches of amazing candy. Spoiler alert: start with four of the best possible ingredients and add nothing else. We’ll also provide a small gift for every member of our group, from us to you, and the store will provide a discount opportunity to purchase more of their delectable treats, if you so wish. 

Our next stop is, in our not so humble opinion, the best Mexican restaurant in town, serving a variety of small and large plates and brilliantly hued cocktails. We’ll be sampling their freshly made chips and signature salsa, along with two of their craft margaritas served in tulip shaped glasses. 

We may also make dessert selections here from a list that includes beautiful presentations of choco flan, arroz con leche, pan de elote, a churro ice cream sandwich and coconut sorbet with fresh berries. OMG. The challenge will be picking just one!

Alternatively, our final stop, for dessert, might be a small family owned gelato shop located a couple of blocks to the north. The family is in its fourth generation as gelato artisans, originally from Italy by way of the Netherlands. Expect a next level creamy, smooth treat with pure, intense flavors, some of which are made with small batch, locally crafted products. This is real deal gelato made on site. Close your eyes and you might think you are in Roma or Firenze.

We’ll return to our starting point and bid our farewells, having met as strangers and now departing as friends. Is there a better way to make friends than by breaking bread and tasting wine together?