We walked around Sunnylands and enjoyed the grounds and centre (free) but it would have been a lot more interesting if we could have toured the house and grounds, but can only do this on pre-booked tour that is $40 per person.
In the mid-1960s, Walter and Leonore Annenberg hired Los Angeles-based architect A. Quincy Jones (1913-1979) to create a midcentury modern residence in Rancho Mirage. Jones, who for many years was dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California, was known both for designs that integrated houses into the landscape and for "statement roofs." His signature style is evident at Sunnylands, where he used overhangs to shield the interiors from the direct sun, plus walls of glass to allow the climate's brightness to fill the rooms. Leonore Annenberg's deep love of flowers and nature is reflected in the cactus and rose gardens that abut the house and terrace. Interior rooms flow into each other with the same open expansiveness as the surrounding landscape.
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| President Obama |
Many key figures of the 20th century enjoyed relaxing as guests at Sunnylands. The list includes seven U.S. presidents, the British royal family, and Hollywood icons like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, Ginger Rogers, and many others.
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Queen Elizabeth
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| picture of part of Sunnyland that celebrity, royal family, and Presidents stay, with pools and golf course |
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| Sunnyland Centre |
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| Statue at Sunnyland |
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| art at Sunnyland |
