In March, Akshay and I were invited to a wedding in Joshua Tree, so we decided to make a weekend out of it. For those who aren’t familiar with Joshua Tree, it’s an awesome desert in Southern California that spans over a thousand square miles!
Since the wedding was on a Saturday, we decided to drive in Friday night and leave Sunday. I found this really cool AirBnb called Moonlight Mesa. While it was small with only one bedroom and one bathroom, it was the perfect amount of space for us. It also came with a small “kitchen” area, which included a toaster and fridge. I loved all the bright bold colors and the fact that it had a ton of land with beautiful views. If it hadn’t been so cold, it would have been so nice to invite a couple of friends over for a beer.
Our schedule was pretty packed on Saturday, so we didn’t really explore the area until Sunday. I do want to call out that the wedding was the coolest experience ever! The bride rappelled down a cliff and they had a llama at the reception! Also, wild cactus makes for amazing decor.
I do believe that one day is sufficient to explore Joshua Tree if you’re not an avid hiker. We started our day exploring the property and taking in the views. Akshay took a ton of photos of me and was seriously the best Instagram husband. It was just too cute not to take advantage!
Afterwards, we headed out to the mini downtown area to grab a bite to eat. This place reminded me of the Wild West with its dark brown wooden structures, antique stores, small cafes, and restaurants. We were told that Country Kitchen and Crossroads Cafe are two restaurants to check out. Unfortunately, the wait time for both were too long, so we passed. We ended up making a pit stop at Joshua Tree Coffee Company, which is famous for its nitro cold brew. It is a bit hard to find since it does not face the main road. Keep an eye out for the pizza shop and yoga studio. We actually ended up eating at the pizza shop called Pie for the People! (literally has an exclamation mark after it). We ordered 2 slices of pizza, and while they were delicious, they were pretty greasy. Still good though!
After eating we ventured over to Joshua Tree’s National Park. If you have the National Park pass, it’s free to enter. If you don’t, it costs $15 for a 7 day pass. I was reading somewhere that the price may increase to $25, but I am not sure when that will be enforced. The ranger gave us a pretty easy-to-follow map which lists out all the attractions the park has to offer. Akshay and I decided to keep things spontaneous and stop at the places that caught our attention. We ended up visiting Quail Springs, Jumbo Rocks, Skull Rock, and Cholla Cactus Gardens.
I have to say my two favorites were Skull Rock and Cholla Cactus Gardens. Skull Rock is just cool because the rock literally looks like a skull! (Akshay’s note: that’s probably why they named it skull rock.) Cholla Cactus Gardens is a definite must see. The cactus start to pop up randomly as you drive towards the attraction. I don’t know what causes so many to grow in that one specific area, but it’s quite a site. To be honest, I was a bit scared getting too close. There were signs everywhere warning people to not touch the cactus. Apparently, the slightest touch will cause the cactus to jump out and pierce its needles into you!
I know the last photo I posted above looks pretty funny. The hill is actually a lot more narrow than it looks, and I remember being a bit paranoid that I was going to fall!
Akshay and I had a really good time in Joshua Tree. It was such a magical spot with so many beautiful views. A perfect weekend getaway.
