A PERFECT WEEKEND IN JOSHUA TREE

FRIDAY

10am - Leave LA in the morning so you can skip the traffic which starts in the early afternoon on Friday. 

12:45pm - Cactus Mart

You can dig your own cactus here or by any kind of succulent you can imagine with chickens roaming by your feet.  Very photogenic spot and there are some nice gifts and local provisions by the check out.

1:40pm - Lunch at La Copine

This little gem of a place in the middle of nowhere is only open from 2pm – 7pm and they don’t take reservations.  Arrive a little before 2pm to get your name on the list so you can try to be one of the first seated.  You can have a drink or coffee while you wait to be seated.  Dishes to order: Salad Copine and Grilled Flatbread.

3:15pm - Integratron

Just a few miles up the road is the legendary Integratron.  Reserve your 3:15pm spot well in advance.

George Van Tassel claimed extraterrestrials told him to build this domed structure here to magnify the existing magnetic fields.  Now it’s a place to experience a sound bath of crystal bowls with incredible acoustics.  Just don’t ruin it for everyone else and start snoring (really this happens a lot)!

4:30pm – Drive to your Airbnb and stop off at a supermarket for some food and beverage provisions.

5:30pm – Arrive at your Airbnb and settle in.

8pm – Head down to the Joshua Tree Saloon for karaoke and BBQ

SATURDAY

9am- Head into town and get some lunch provisions to bring into the park.  Either grab a veggie hummus wrap to go from the fantastic healthy vegetarian spot Natural Sisters or pack the napkins and a knife and get some bread, veggies, and fruit from the Farmers’ Market every Saturday from 8am-1pm.

9:30am – Drive to the National Park and buy your park pass when you get there.

Some favorite stops in the park:

• Hidden Valley Nature Trail: scenic one mile loop with very picturesque rock formations that you can explore. Popular spot for rock climbing and bouldering.

• Maze Loop Trail: off of a turnout soon after you enter’s the park from the west. There’s only a few parking spots so this is a great place if you want to get away from the crowds. Lots of scenic Joshua Trees here and a great place to catch the sunset.

• Arch Rock: a mini version of Arches in Utah, you can climb on top of it.

• Cholla cactus garden: for best light for pictures some in the late afternoon/sunset to get those furry cacti backlit.

• Ryan Mountain: challenging climb rewarded by sweeping views of the park

5pm – Drive back to your Airbnb to freshen up, have a drink, relax

7:30pm – Drive to Pappy & Harriet’s for your 8pm dinner reservation which you have hopefully made weeks ahead!  Keep in mind there is barely any cell service there so if you don’t have a designated driver arrange for a cab to take you there (order way ahead!) and arrange in advance a return time around 11pm or whenever you like.  Without cell service you can’t rely on Uber or Lyft out here.  Enjoy surprisingly good BBQ and sides with live music and the best people watching around.

SUNDAY

Sleep in and enjoy that Airbnb until they make you leave, probably at 11am.

11am – The Station

Gas station-turned-shop which offers an edgy edit of local goods

All the brunch and lunch spots in Joshua Tree will be packed so beat the crowd and drive towards LA to Yucca Valley about 20 minutes away.

12:30pm- Frontier Café

They usually have live music to go along with their healthy mix of salads, sandwiches and soups.  I love their Avocado Tartine, Vegan BLT, and soups.

1:30pm – Wander around Yucca Valley

It’s really only a few blocks around Frontier Café but don’t miss The End for a vintage oasis in the Mojave Desert.

2:30pm – Pioneertown

Not quite ready to go home?  You were here last night when you went to Pappy & Harriet’s but it was probably dark so you may have missed this historic ghost town where numerous Westerns have been filmed.  Take a stroll down Mane Street (pun intended) for some great ghost town photo ops.

4pm – Drive back towards LA and stop at Hadley’s for a road date shake.

7pm – Arrive back in LA just in time for dinner.  Are you on the 10 going through Downtown?  A nice stop is Blossom in historic Chinatown for Vietnamese food in a colorful picturesque pedestrian only setting with strung Chinese lanterns all around.

STAY

If you decide not to camp, Airbnb is definitely the way to go.  Perfect for couples or groups alike, pick an aribnb near the park entrance if you want to spend most of your time hiking and exploring and less time driving.  There are some good restaurants now but you’re here for the nature so skip the lines for breakfast and lunch and utilize that kitchen at your rental.

Here are some airbnbs I like – book far ahead: 

Wyatt’s Hideaway

Good for bigger groups that are looking for privacy and proximity to the park.  Very close to town with a hot tub and a desert view.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/27634479

Zebra’s Shadow:

Airbnb 10 minutes from the park entrance. Created by Somewhere Joshua Tree, feels like a hotel complete with two king beds, a fire pit, outdoor dining table, and a hot tub perfect for stargazing.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/29338836

Any property by the Maus:

https://www.airbnb.com/users/14651807/listings

Any property by We Are In Our Element:

https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/1690563

The Joshua Tree House:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/32694