A look at 1959 Palm Springs

The Riviera is full of bold colors and is reminiscent of Las Vegas.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The straight lines of the Riviera pool’s edges have been curved.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The Riviera’s guest room decor is heavy on brown and orange.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

For visitors who’d like smaller hotels, Palm Springs has plenty to offer, including the Alexander Inn. Its four suites (each is approximately 1,200 square feet) surround a central pool.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The 11-room Desert Riviera, built in 1951, advertises itself as being “retro-licious.” Visitors’ reviews have made it the No. 1 Palm Springs hotel on TripAdvisor.com.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The 16-room Del Marcos Hotel, built in 1947 and designed by noted desert architect Willam F. Cody, combines jaunty angles and earth-tone stonework.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Del Marcos Hotel is rich with midcentury details, such as this clock and artwork.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The palms at Indio’s Shields Date Garden, a popular stop for midcentury Palm Springs visitors, bend in the afternoon breeze.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The main appeal of the Shields Date Garden is trying a date crystal shake.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

A sundial catches the first rays of morning sun at the Living Desert, a wildlife and botanical park in Palm Desert.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

A look at some of the Living Desert’s prickly residents.  (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)