It’s no surprise that Kathy Leonard, a former educator with 38 years of experience, would channel her passion for teaching into leading historical tours through the neighborhoods of Palm Springs. After retiring from her career — first as a physical education teacher at Raymond Cree Elementary and later as athletic director at Cathedral City High School — Leonard introduced walking tours 15 years ago to raise funds for the nonprofit Palm Springs Historical Society. About five years later, she added the popular biking tours, offering an ideal way to explore the city’s architectural treasures. She now serves as the historical society’s vice president and director of tours.
Biking tours start downtown on Tahquitz Canyon Way at Bike Palm Springs, which provides seven-speed bikes and helmets. Covering approximately 9 miles over three hours, the routes encompass what you’d see if you signed up for five or six of the 14 walking tours. Guides narrate with microphones while riders tune in via earpieces; narration continues on the move and at stops. Both the walking and biking tours provide information on Palm Springs’ calling cards of architectural and celebrity history.
Proceeds support the historical society’s preservation efforts, including managing the Village Green Heritage Center on South Palm Canyon Drive and opening a gallery in what was once the Oasis Hotel’s dining room.
Enjoy the Bike the Mid Mod Oasis tour on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, or Bike Like a Star on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Both operate from mid-October to mid-May, start at 9 a.m. (or slightly earlier in particularly hot weather), cost $95, and include a raincheck policy. Several walking tours take place throughout the week. Reservations can be made online at pshistoricalsociety.org or at the McCallum Adobe at Village Green Heritage Center.
What landmarks do the tours visit?
Bike Like a Star highlights an abundance of celebrity homes, including the Frank Sinatra estate and Elvis Presley’s Honeymoon Hideaway. Bike the Mid Mod Oasis features the midcentury modern neighborhoods of Twin Palms, Canyon Country Club, and Deepwell.
Are there any other differences?
The Star (north) tour has a few hills as it winds through Little Tuscany. The Mid Mod (south) tour is flat terrain and a bit more about the residential landscape.
What other famous figures feature in the tour narration?
Celebrities include Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Dean Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Marilyn Monroe, Liberace, and Walt Disney. Architects include Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Lloyd Wright, William Krisel, E. Stewart Williams, Donald Wexler, A. Quincy Jones, and Hugh Kaptor. The lists go on.
What’s the capacity?
We ride with a maximum of 10 guests. And our guide goes even if only one person makes a reservation.
Who typically joins your tours?
The average age for walking tours is 60. Biking tours attract a lot of people in their 20s and up to the age of 60. They are not recommended for children younger than 8 years of age. We get people from all over the world, especially Germany and England. And many locals are repeat customers.
