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Palm Springs: these two words are synonymous with unparalleled glitz and glamour. During the past 50 years, the desert has become the preferred destination for many of the world’s VIPs, who’ve made it a land of enchantment.

To many of these important people, the desert embodies the blissful existence of Shangri-La. To some it is a magical village like Brigadoon, filled with passion and romance. To others, it symbolizes a position of power and privilege, their own version of Camelot.

But for most observers, Palm Springs will always be the kid brother or sister to Hollywood, from where, on weekends and holidays, throngs of rich and beautiful people have traveled to the desert to seek privacy or find their own pleasure.

The past half-century saw a huge invasion of celebrities, who thrived and prospered under the desert’s clear skies. Hundreds of movie stars, from Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, and Lana Turner to Dean Martin, Kim Novak, and Steve McQueen lived out their dreams here.

Marilyn Monroe owed her superstardom to a lucky encounter with photographer Bruno Bernard at the Palm Springs Racquet Club. Monroe returned here time and again, to say “thank you” to the desert for her fame and fortune.

Many clever stars became successful entrepreneurs. The Marx Brothers, George Burns, and Danny Kaye were among the founding members of Tamarisk Country Club — the desert’s first nonrestricted social club.

In 1954, Bing Crosby and Phil Harris opened Blue Skies Trailer Village with streets named after their friends such as Jack Benny, Barbara Stanwyck, and Greer Garson.

Lucille Ball’s first husband, Desi Arnaz, was one of several investors who built Indian Wells Country Club, which was the epitome of nouveau riche luxury when it opened in 1957. These and other dignitaries brought increased urbanization and sophistication to the region.

Frank Sinatra dominated the valley’s social scene for nearly 50 years. His first desert home, designed by E. Stewart Williams, was located in Palm Springs. Sinatra moved to a bigger house in Rancho Mirage, where he entered semi-retirement and staged his celebrated comeback.

Undoubtedly, the desert’s busiest cultural ambassador was Bob Hope, who emceed the Academy Awards 17 times, entertained 11 presidents in the White House, and told thousands of jokes to 10 million troops in four wars. Hope watched the full orbit of his extraordinary career from the living room of the Palm Springs Movie Colony house he shared with his wife Dolores Reade for more than 60 years.

While Palm Springs has enjoyed an enviable reputation as the playground of movie stars, it has also earned a distinction as a playground for presidents. Every U.S. leader since Harry Truman has visited the Coachella Valley for high-level talks and occasional weekends of party-going.

In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower’s arrival for a seven-day Palm Springs vacation brought worldwide media attention. Six years later, “Ike” bid farewell to the Oval Office and retired to Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells.

President John F. Kennedy paid four memorable visits to the valley, staying at the homes of Sinatra and Crosby. In 1964, Palm Springs was chosen as the venue for a historic meeting between President Lyndon Johnson and Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos.

Richard Nixon marked his 1968 presidential win with a victory party at Walter Annenberg’s Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage. Nixon was so grateful for his host’s generosity that he appointed him the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain — a post that Annenberg held for six years.

After leaving office, President Gerald Ford built a winter home overlooking the 13th green at Thunderbird Country Club, where he and his wife, Betty Ford, resided for the next 28 years. Former Vice President Spiro Agnew, meanwhile, moved to the Springs Club.

Ronald Reagan was a welcome visitor for six decades — first as an actor, then as governor of California and, ultimately, as the nation’s 40th president. Reagan participated in many important desert functions and recreational activities, including horseback riding.

Royalty has also enjoyed the desert’s hospitality. In 1983, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Sunnylands; the following year, Prince Charles was Annenberg’s house guest and played a charity match at Empire Polo Club in Indio. — H.J.