Palm Canyon Drive runs through the heart of downtown Palm Springs and concentrates the city's restaurant, bar, gallery, and boutique life into a stretch that is genuinely pleasant to walk. The street has the texture of a mid-century resort town that never entirely lost its groove: low-slung buildings with clean lines, palm trees, and a relaxed pace that resists the urgency of most California cities.
The Walk of the Stars, embedded in the sidewalk, marks the entertainment industry figures associated with Palm Springs. The statues of Sonny Bono and Lucille Ball stand at opposite ends of the downtown core. Thursday evenings in season, VillageFest closes the street to traffic for a street market and live music. The drag performance scene and the openly gay character of many bars and restaurants along the strip make it a notably welcoming place.