Elvis's Honeymoon House in Palm Springs

At Chula Vista RV Resort, Chula Vista, California...

I almost forgot! A couple of posts ago, I teased you about our tour of Elvis's honeymoon house in Palm Springs and, with all the excitement about our other adventures, I failed to follow up on that promise. Well, I guess it's better late than never; it's so frustrating that the old memory isn't what it used to be. Anyway, here goes:

You may remember that I previously wrote about Sandy's youthful visits with Elvis and his parents at his home in Killeen when he was in the army and that she had twice obtained his autograph. Since then, we have visited his birthplace in Tupelo and the Graceland mansion, but we didn't know until this trip that he once owned this house in Palm Springs. He and Priscilla lived there in 1966-67 and spent their wedding night here after their marriage on May 1, 1967. We also stated that, while neither of us were rabid Elvis fans, Sandy's personal visits with him made a lasting impression, especially in consideration of the fame that eventually came his way. The house is located near downtown Palm Springs on a cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood of houses of similar age. Its design is mid-century modern, taken to the extreme:

We signed up for a tour and, since we were the only ones to show up on the appointed day, we had what amounted to a personal guide throughout the house.  According to the guide, Elvis and Priscilla had intended to be married in Palm Springs but, when the word leaked out, the publicity became overwhelming and Elvis borrowed Frank Sinatra's jet for a quick trip to Las Vegas, where they were married. Then, they jetted back to Palm Springs, where they honeymooned in this house. I know at least some of you are curious as to what it looks like inside, so here it is. Remember, the decor has been kept as it was when Elvis owned it, to the extent possible:


Here are the steps leading up to the front door. There is a waterfall that trickles down around the circular steps:

Looking to the left after entering the front door, the living room is visible. The sofa hugging the stone wall was custom-made and is 64 feet long:

Looking to the right from the entry hall is the kitchen. Note the black dome on the cooking island underneath the vent hood; this is the cover for a charcoal grill. Looking beyond the cooking island, you'll notice a round white mixing bowl, which is connected to an electric mixer motor below the cabinet top. It still works!

In the next photo, looking further to the right after entering the living room, you'll see this layout that appears to serve as a den.  Not seen in the photo is a jukebox or a replica thereof that was original to the house. By now, you may have noticed that the rooms we've seen are all circular in shape which, indeed, is the shape of all the rooms in the house.

 Not seen is a dining area between the living room and the den, but someone (duh) neglected to take a photo of it. Below is a shot of the back yard and pool area. There's no grass in this area--only shrubs and trees:

And now, the room all you ladies have been waiting to see--Elvis's and Priscilla's bedroom, with Sandy sitting on Elvis's side of their bed:  

It was here that Lisa Marie was undoubtedly conceived, as she was born exactly nine months after the marriage, on February 1, 1968.

Adjoining the bedroom was the master bathroom, whose centerpiece was a very deep Jacuzzi tub to accommodate Elvis's six-foot height. The light you see over the vanity is natural light from a rooftop skylight. Electric lights were used at night.

So, there you have it. Getting this accidental personal tour of the house was just another of the fun adventures we had at Palm Springs. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful life; 

please forgive me if I fail to appreciate it each day as I should.

We don't stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing. 

 ---George Bernard Shaw

"I get up every morning, and I just don't let the old man in." ---Clint Eastwood