TRAVEL: JOSHUA TREE
I recently traveled to Joshua Tree this past week and couldn’t be more grateful for the experience. JT has been on my travel list for quite some time – I had seen and heard all good things so when a social media campaign opportunity popped up, I decided that JT would be the perfect spot to shoot my images.
The drive through the mountains was unlike anything I’ve seen before…it literally felt like I was on a different planet. I’m from a big, flat, city and the only epic views you can hope for, are of the lake and other skyscrapers. The landscape in JT is truly inspiring and the weather is just right in April.
We rented a Jeep so that we could drop the top, handle the terrain and enjoy the ride to our AirBNB rental. The first rental we booked was a mix of rustic and modern. It was secluded with a beautiful views of the desert from all the windows in each room. Attached to the rental is an outdoor space with a chic camping vibe that included an Airstream Trailer, a plunge tank, fire pit and a BBQ area. It was the perfect spot to take it slow, cook and eat healthy and decompress. The desert isn’t for everyone but you enjoy the simplicity and the pace and quiet, this is definitely the spot to find that.
Hiking was a big part of our days. Joshua Tree National Park was located near our rental but the park itself is massive. Driving from one hiking trail to another was at least a 10 min drive. That said, we really enjoyed the Ryan Mountain hike which is fairly intense (2 hours uphill and then you have to get back down). We also enjoyed the Hidden Valley hike – a quick 45-1hr loop. We didn’t have time to see the Cholla Cactus Garden but it looks like a great scenic trail.
Our friends from Vancouver happened to be travelling within California at the same time so we paid them a visit in Palm Springs (45min away). Palm Springs is also a beautiful area. The homes have a cool, hollywood mid century vibe and the weather is a few degrees hotter…perfect for the pool day we had. If you’re thinking of booking a similar trip, my recommendation is to stay in JT for 3 days and PS for 3 days. You’ll get the best of both worlds this way.
Our last few days were spent in another AirBNB desert house in Pioneertown called Casa Mami. The rental was perfectly curated with black + white details with shoppable furniture items – think boutique store meets AirBNB. We spent these days creating content, reading books, lounging around and enjoying the beautiful views.
Last but not least, I recommend stopping by Joshua Tree Coffee Co for some next level Nitrogen-Infused Cold Brew coffee and Pie for The People for a NY Style slice.
