"While Frank Sinatra is famously associated with Palm Springs - he lived out much of his life there, especially at Twin Palms, his home in the city's "Movie Colony" - he and his buddies also spent a lot of time in the high desert, specifically in Yucca Valley, a small town near Pioneertown that's a gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. Yucca Valley is where the Rat Pack held wild parties, hosted presidents and honeymooned in secret."
"Sinatra gets all the credit for bringing the Rat Pack to the desert, where they would hang at places like Melvyn's; there, he had a standing table every night. But it wasn't the crooner who introduced his friends to the area. It was his friend and collaborator Jimmy Van Heusen, whom some say Sinatra modeled his swinging lifestyle after. "I dig chicks, booze, music and Sinatra - in that order," Van Heusen reportedly said, according to the Desert Sun."
Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack companions frequently retreated to Yucca Valley for privacy and seclusion, choosing the sparsely populated high desert over Palm Springs. The group held wild parties, hosted presidents and even honeymooned there away from public attention. Jimmy Van Heusen introduced Sinatra and his circle to the area and epitomized the Rat Pack lifestyle. Van Heusen was a four-time Oscar winner and songwriter of hits like "Call Me Irresponsible" and "Come Fly with Me," and he forged a close friendship with Sinatra in 1930s New York. The group favored venues like Melvyn's, where Sinatra maintained a standing table nightly.
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