Cholla Joshua Sinatra
A Small Snack Guide to Palm Springs, California, & Joshua Tree National Park
Desert sky—
Dream beneath the desert sky.
The rivers run, but soon run dry.
We need new dreams tonight.
- U2, In God’s Country, The Joshua Tree
Deserts tend to be renown as lifeless voids. But the southeastern corner of California that contains the resort town of Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park is packed with wonders. Below are some highlights along with an interactive map.
Palm Springs
In the town of Palm Springs, you can frolic the day away in the impeccable weather and with the utmost leisure amidst poolside cocktails, carpaccio platters, and polo matches. Whether you are a golfer, a gambler, a foodie, a hiker, a biker, an ATV rider, an aviation enthusiast, an environmentalist, an architecture buff, an art collector, a Sinatra fan, or are just seeking some sun, you’ll find something to your liking. The airport alone is worth the trip with its open air terminal that jolts the senses the minute you walk off the plane.
Two gents discussing football diving catch strategies in the pool at the Butterfly House in the Racquet Club Road Estates.
As far as food and drink, some Sinatra-era restaurants and lounges still hold up such as Melvyn’s and Mr. Lyons. More modern charm can be found at Azucar, Workshop and Sandfish. For coffee or breakfast, try Farm, Acai Oasis or Ernest Coffee in Palm Springs or Más o Menos in Joshua Tree.
Poolside tartar at Azucar.
There are numerous incredible hikes within 15 minutes from the town, but the Palm Canyon Trail is otherwordly on a many levels. It’s a mountain valley with a consistent source of flowing water that provides conditions that allow a mile long forest of towering palm trees to exist. A tranquil shaded hike always in earshot of a flowing stream has you admiring desert palms and snowcapped mountain peaks all in a single glance. An hour in and you have your choice of tracing your steps back, continuing onto more extreme mountain trails, or circling back along the Victor Trail which takes you atop various smaller peaks for a completely different experience on the way back to the Trading Post.
Palms and springs.
Joshua Tree
Drive an hour and you strip away all that glamour and excess in the off-the-grid, out-of-cell-service, boulder-strewn moonscape of Joshua Tree National Park. Just driving through the park is worthwhile to catch glimpses of the otherworldly rock formations and desert flora including the namesake cacti with the bizarre blooming habits. But you are vastly rewarded if you pull over even briefly to venture into the surroundings. The scale of the rocks are deceptively inviting, allowing most anyone to scamper up and explore in various directions. You regain a sense of a kid building a sandcastle as you choose your own line, discover dinosaur-size crevices, and leap across expanses. You might be 100 yards from your parked car, but you before you know it you are in another world wondering how the hell you are going to get back down.
When in Joshua Tree National Park, a great day-long itinerary is to visit at least one of the easily accessible boulder-ish formations of White Tank, Jumbo Rock, or Skull Rock where you can explore within site of the parking lot. Then try a more involved hike such as the one to Barker Dam which won’t take long and even young children can do it without too much effort. Finally, drive up to Keys View where you can marvel at sweeping views of the Coachella valley and Salton Sea.
All in all, this one-two punch of Palm Springs and Joshua Tree works well whether you are on a girl’s weekend, a honeymoon, or a family spring break. And a great place to stay while you are in the area is the Butterfly House in Palm Springs which is a single home rental with many first class amenities including pool, hot tub, bocce court, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and impeccable landscaping, art and furnishings.
This house does not suck.
Palm Springs
Mr. Lyon’s • New York Strip
Mister Parker’s • Lobster Pappardelle
Sandfish • The Venue Roll
Azucar • Yellow Tuna Tartar
Workshop Kitchen & Bar • Local Citrus Curd
Farm • Chicken BLT
Acai Oasis • Acai Cup
Ernest Coffee • Pistachio Latte
Joshua Tree
Pappy & Harriet’s • Ribs
Mas o Menos • Caffeinate
Melvyn’s • Martini
Barn Kitchen • Bloody Mary
The Colony • Aperol Spritz
Paul Bar • Margarita
Palm Springs
Palm Canyon Trail • Palm-shaded hike
Palm Springs Art Museum • Hockney
Palm Springs Aerial Tram • Snowy peaks
Off Road Rentals • Half hour ATV dune ride
The Butterfly House • Art-filled, modernist home rental gem
Joshua Tree
Barker Dam • Desert Stroll
Jumbo Rocks • Scampering
White Tank • White Tank
Keys View • Salton Sea view
Cholla Cactus Garden • Teddybear Cholla
Pioneertown • Strutting
