Drag & Fly Tours: Anita Doll’s Five Eras of Palm Springs
Gregory Douglass, Anita Doll & Glen Nadeau
Have you ever gotten Palm Springs history lessons from a drag queen on a tour bus with music videos, trivia, and actual prizes? Because that’s how we roll in the desert these days – literally.
Recently, The Palm Springs Guys experienced the iconic Drag & Fly Tours hosted by Anita Doll and Miss B. Guided (aka Rosemary Galore), and Palm Springs has never been more fabulously educational.
Anita, a former journalist turned storytelling showgirl, guides guests through five distinct eras that shaped Palm Springs into the queer desert utopia it is today – all aboard a luxury “theater on wheels” that turns history into herstory.
Thanks to Anita (a.k.a. JD Cargill), we now have a sassy, smart, and deeply thoughtful breakdown of Palm Springs’ queer-coded history – and as far as we’re concerned, it’s a theory worth considering.
If you have anything you’d like to contribute to this article, please email us (and let us know why).
In the meantime, here is Drag & Fly Tour’s Anita Doll’s five eras of Palm Springs...
Era 1: The Agua Caliente Era (Ancient–19th Century)
Cahuilla people courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society
Before the movie stars and muscle gays, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians were the first to call Palm Springs home – for thousands of years before Western settlers. The sacred hot springs were the literal and spiritual lifeblood of this region.
They believed in at least three genders, recognizing a “Two-Spirit” identity long before Westerners caught up. Their worldview instinctively saw gender as non-binary, rooted in spiritual and social balance – which means that this level of Queer wisdom has been around longer than all 1 million seasons of Drag Race.
The spring, still bubbling beneath the luxurious Séc-he Spa, was much more than just a spa day back then. It was survival, spirituality, and sanctuary. The stage was being set for Palm Springs eventually becoming a place of healing, transformation, and deeper connection.
In many ways, this era centers around the healing power of water – a resource so vital that it defined where and how people lived for generations.
Era 2: The Founding Mothers Era (Late 1800s–Early 1900s)
Nellie with her sons Owen and George. Photo courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society
The early 1900s gave us the original wellness influencers: a fierce group of women who built guest houses, sanitariums, and health retreats around those mineral-rich waters and our refreshingly dry desert air.
Enter Nellie Coffman (who built the iconic Desert Inn in 1909), Pearl McCallum, Cornelia White, Ruth Hardy, and more. These ladies created what Anita calls the “Girl Power Era,” establishing Palm Springs as a healing hideaway, rooted in the belief that the mineral-rich waters and arid desert air offered therapeutic benefits – especially for those suffering respiratory conditions.
They were building empires before they could vote, honey.
Today, their impact still echoes. The site of the Desert Inn is now home to the Rowan Hotel, and the Marilyn Monroe statue is just a stone throw away – both symbols of modern Palm Springs still standing on historic ground.
Era 3: The Hollywood’s Playground Era (1920s–1960s)
Liberace in Palm Springs
Once word got out about Palm Springs, the stars began to descend. Why? Because Palm Springs was just far enough (100 miles) from Hollywood that paparazzi wouldn't follow. Locals still refer to this as the “100 mile” rule.
Actors were also contractually obligated to still be close enough if they needed to be called into the studio last-minute. Palm Springs was the perfect escape.
Later, once cameras did arrive, the resorts were walled, gated, and gloriously hush-hush. Resorts were discreet, and owners were known for fiercely protecting their guests' privacy.
From the silent film era to the Rat Pack years, Palm Springs became a secret escape for the famous and fabulous during this era: Liberace, Rock Hudson, Truman Capote, Tallulah Bankhead, Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, and dozens more.
This was the era of mental health and personal freedom. Queer (but closeted) stars with “career-ending secrets” could live, love, and lounge under the radar – poolside martini in hand. 🍸
Notable venues included El Mirador, Ingleside Inn, the Desert Inn, the Oasis Hotel, and the Racquet Club (where Marilyn Monroe famously caught the eye of her agent).
Era 4: The Modernism Era (1940s–1970s)
The Sinatra House History with Piano Shaped Swimming Pool
Eventually, Hollywood’s elite stopped renting and started building.
As stars like Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope began buying and building homes, they hired the top architects of the day (now known as the Modern Masters – Albert Frey, Donald Wexler, William Krisel) to design custom homes that mirrored their liberated lives.
It was all about clean lines, indoor-outdoor living, and a fresh way of thinking – modernism as metaphor. Open floor plans met open sexuality, and a new aesthetic was born. Modernism symbolized freedom of thought and lifestyle – again tying back to health in terms of creative and personal expression.
The stars settled in, and the culture of design, art, and inclusivity blossomed. Even behind the scenes, queer influence shaped Palm Springs’ look and feel.
So next time you’re touring a MCM house in Palm Springs, remember that you’re walking through decades of queer-forward design thinking.
Search Homes at Modern Living Palm Springs
Era 5: The Queer Era (1980s–Present)
Then came the 1980s. A dark time, indeed – but also one of resilience.
As AIDS devastated our community, many sick gay men came to Palm Springs seeking the same healing energy their predecessors had. Gay men from San Francisco who were HIV+ had nowhere else to turn because the only hospitals who would treat them were here in Palm Springs. They essentially came here to die – and be cared for with dignity until then.
This marked the beginning of Desert AIDS Project (now DAP Health) – and from there, something powerful bloomed.
Palm Springs became a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community. Over the decades, a chosen family gathered: survivors, lovers, best friends, and allies. Now, it’s a place where representation reigns – from KGAY 106.5 FM to rainbow crosswalks and a majority-LGBTQ city council.
Today, inclusivity is a lifestyle here in Palm Springs: The city is now a global queer mecca, where identity is celebrated, and the healing, expression, and liberation continues.
The Common Thread: Health
As Anita brilliantly summarizes, health is the throughline across all five eras:
The Agua Caliente: Water as sacred life force
Founding Mothers: Wellness retreats in the healing desert air
Hollywood: Emotional and mental refuge
Modernism: Design as freedom of thought and spirit
Queer Era: Healing and community through crisis and recovery
Why You Belong Here, Too
Anita Doll’s Drag & Fly Tours
Whether it’s the sacred wisdom of the Agua Caliente or the fierce resilience of the queer community during the AIDS crisis, Palm Springs has always been a place of transformation, freedom, and healing – especially for those of us seeking to live our best gay lives. And thanks to Anita Doll’s Drag & Fly Tours, this rich history is now more accessible and entertaining than ever.
So, if you're planning a visit (and you absolutely should), add this drag queen-hosted joyride to your must-do list. Between the sunshine, the architecture, the pool parties, and now the most fabulous sightseeing tour on wheels, Palm Springs proves again and again that there’s nowhere quite like it.
What’s your favorite piece of Palm Springs queer history? Share your experiences!
If you’re curious to learn more about all the fun you can have here in Palm Springs and our beautiful Coachella Valley, check out some of our blog favorites, like:
Curious About Buying, Selling, or Relocating?
In addition to being one half of The Palm Springs Guys – Glen Nadeau is one of Palm Springs’ top-producing Realtors, known for his no-pressure approach, deep market expertise, and genuine commitment to his clients.
A member of The Caldwell & Linger Group – ranked a Top Real Estate Team by Palm Springs Life Magazine – Glen is also backed by COMPASS, which remains the #1 ranked brokerage in the country. Glen takes great pride in knowing that his clients are in such good hands.
“Hospitality is what drives me because helping folks achieve their real estate goals is essentially helping them build a better life for themselves.”
Visit Modern Living Palm Springs, or reach out to me directly. Ask me anything – I promise to give you much more support than ChatGPT, Google or the news will.
Your Palm Springs Insider,
Glen Nadeau (pronounced “Ned-oh” as in “meadow”)
📱 Call or Text: 805-220-8097
📨 Email: glen.nadeau@compass.com
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