CHAARG’s Guide To Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree is home to a beautiful national park + a funky, eclectic town. It’s the perfect place to spend a long weekend — hiking the desert, cozying in an airbnb + just enjoying the peace.
Funny story — up until a couple years ago, I thought Joshua Tree National Park was named after a massive tree in the middle of the dessert. I imagined a SINGLE LONESOME tree. Nope, Joshua Tree is a type of tree [see above!]… + there are a ton of them! They are super unique + special.
COFFEE + CAFES
Joshua Tree Coffee Company / @jtcoffeeco
#1] Joshua Tree Coffee Company: The only true coffee shop in town.. but it’s good! : )
#2] Frontier Cafe: It’s only takeout right now due to COVID, so we only got a coffee — but this was such a cute spot! It looked like it had great food, too — bagels, avocado toast, + the green dream sandwich [look it up!].
#3] The Natural Sisters Cafe: This is my favorite place for a bite. It can get super crowded brunch spot [especially on weekends], but it’s worth it! Juices, smoothies, all the breakfast things.
RESTAURANTS
La Copine / @lacopinekitchen
#1] La Copine: I wanted to include this because my friends highly recommended it… but unfortunately it was closed during our visit. Apparently they are only doing catering right now. So when you visit J Tree, make sure to see if it’s is available!
#2] Pappy + Harriet’s: Another spot we didn’t get to hit [we were on the *not guaranteed waitlist* lol it was the wait was that long] — but it’s an iconic spot. It’s a restaurant + music venue…+ is in Pioneertown [more on that below!].
*PSA — I do not recommend Red Dog Saloon — cool vibe, but the tacos were medicore. It seemed to be the place where the “waitlisters” from Pappy + Harriet’s went lol.
For Next Time: Kitchen In The Desert
Wellness
The Maze Trail / @etavierne
#1] Hiking [obviously ; )]: There is so much to explore in Joshua Tree National Park! I’ve done the Maze Trail, North View Trail, + Ryan Mountain. You can’t go wrong with any hike you decide to do!
#2] Methods + Ritual Spa: If I had more time in Joshua Tree, I would definitely book a spa date here.
#3] Cedar + Sage Wellness Studio: Yoga, pilates, sound baths, breath work, + wellness workshops… a CHAARG girl’s dream ; ).
#4] Integratron: I am dying to go here for a sound bath! It looks other wordly.
#5] Join A Wellness Retreat: Tons of retreats seem to be hosted in Joshua Tree like Cactus Moon Retreat Center + Desert Reset.
Things To Explore:
The End / theendyuccavalley.com
#1] Farmer’s Market: I always love going to Farmer’s Market — Joshua Tree’s is on Saturdays! Make sure to go to the Greek stand + get the feta cheese… wow wow wow, it’s so good.
#2] Thrifting + Antique Shopping: There are quite a few fun thrift + antique stores. They are all close to each other, so they are hard to miss!
#3] Pioneertown: Pioneertown was a Hollywood film set for old western movies back in the day, + it’s so fun to see how it’s been preserved. As I mentioned above, this is where Pappy + Harriet’s is, too!
#4] Natural Wine: Check out either Wine + Rock Shop or Desierto Alto — incredible selection + some other fun treats.
To Stay
The Joshua Tree House / @thejoshuatreehouse
#1] A Cute Airbnb: There are so many cute airbnbs in Joshua Tree — you can’t go wrong! I stayed here with Isaac + 4 friends. Great location + super cute… but only one bathroom, lol… so not sure I’d recommend it.
#2] The Joshua Tree House: I’ve been following them on instagram, + their house looks SO cute. It seems like it’s booked pretty far out on Airbnb — so
#3] 29 Palms Inn: If you are looking for a hotel with amenities — check this place out!
#1] Best time to visit [in my opinion!] is November. The sun is still quite hot [wear sunscreen! ; )], but it feels so good. Also, I recommend staying at a spot with a fireplace if you are there in the winter ; )
#2] If possible, I recommend grabbing your groceries prior to coming to Joshua Tree [we did Whole Foods in Palm Springs] — there is a tiny, cute health foods store in town [right by The Natural Sisters Cafe]… but like I said, it’s tiny!
#3] Get to the park early to avoid crowds. Also! You can’t bring dogs into a national park unfortunately, just FYI!
Have you been to Joshua Tree? Anything I missed on this guide that you love? Let me know!
