Wellness Guide To Joshua Tree, California
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
#1] Joshua Tree Coffee Company: The only true coffee shop in town.. but it’s good! : )
#2] Frontier Cafe: We just got coffee here, but this looks like a cute spot for food, too too — bagels, avocado toast, + the green dream sandwich [look it up!].
#3] The Natural Sisters Cafe: This is my favorite place for brunch. It can get super crowded [especially on weekends], but it’s worth it! Juices, smoothies, all the breakfast things.
#4] The Yucca Tree Eatery: Loved their breakfast burrito! This is a good “grab + go” spot prior to a hike!
#5] Boo’s Organic Bakery: Looking for baked goods? Look no further!
Restaurants
#1] La Copine: *MUST. Everything we got here was so, so, so good + fresh. It’s only open 11–4pm, so plan accordingly. They take reservations, but save 50% of the seats for walk-ins… make sure to go early!
#2] Kitchen In The Desert: *MUST. Loved the vibe of this mostly outdoor restaurant — especially for dinner. If the apple pie is on the menu… get it! Best apple pie of my life ; )
#3] Pappy + Harriet’s: We sadly didn’t get to go here [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!].
Wellness
#1] Hiking [obviously ; )]: There is so much to explore in Joshua Tree National Park! I’ve done the Maze Trail, North View Trail, Barker Dam, Willow Hole Wonderland, + Ryan Mountain. You can’t go wrong with any hike you decide to do! *Highly recommend going to the Chollo Cactus Nature Trail for sunrise — it’s only .2 miles lol but WORTH IT.
#2] Methods + Ritual Spa: Did facial + sound bath session here + it was so, so nice. Highly recommend if you have time + want to treat yourself.
#3] Take A Yoga Class: We took an amazing yoga class at Untamed Yoga Studio. I’ve also heard great things about Cedar + Sage Wellness Studio.
#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:
#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. Most are all close to each other on Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley, so they are hard to miss! Stops to make:
- The End
- Desert Omen
- Hoof + Horn
- Acme 5 Lifestyle
- Moon Wind Trading Co
- Hi-Desert Daydream
- Habitat
#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.
#5] Need Plants? Check out the Silver Dollar Cactus Nursery on your way in [or out!] of town. Wow, wow, wow. So many options! It’s best to call to schedule a time to see the nursery.
To Stay
#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!
#4] Mojave Sands Motel: We’ve also stayed here — it’s super cute with great decor + amazing location to the park, but it was on top of the highway, so I’m not sure I’d recommend [*we were in the room closest to the the highway though, so maybe other rooms were better?]
Pro Tips:
#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!
Elisabeth