Desert Escape: My Journey Through Palm Springs and Joshua Tree
I spent a long weekend in Palm Springs during the coldest part of this year, and it actually snowed up in the mountains! Luckily, I had one day of sunshine and pool weather before the cold set in. I love good design and it was so much fun to see all the colorful décor of Palm Springs. Paired with fun, funky vintage shops, it’s a great place to visit for a long weekend.
I stayed at the Dive Hotel. I loved the small pool, hot tub, fire pit and lounge areas at the hotel, and that breakfast was delivered via room service each morning with items requested via text. I also enjoyed grabbing fresh citrus grown on the property! It was a low-key place for a getaway, without TVs in the room, where you could just relax. If you are looking for a more modern place to stay, want to be in town, or want more of a scene, the Thompson Hotel is where you want to be.
For the mornings, coffee at the Cartel Roasting Company was to die for, and Peninsula Pastries is a true French bakery with great croissants. These were good stops on the way to Joshua Tree.
Joshua Tree is a lovely national park and the main hikes are easy to see in one day. I did the Barker Dam loop, Hidden Valley hike, Skull Rock Trail and Arch Rock hikes. Stopping in 29 Palms on the way back, The Virginian was a must stop for this Virginian. We made the bartender ID us, and she yelled out there were Virginians in the house! We had burgers at Grnd Sqrl that were just perfect after a lot of hiking!
Vintage shops are everywhere, and of course I love to peruse each and every one for fun and unique finds.
There are so many options for dinner and drinks in Palm Springs. Dinner at Mr. Lyons steakhouse was an old school chop house, and it was hard to decide between that and Spencer’s for that vibe! Rooster and the Pig was a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant that was hip and modern. Tac/Quila was a fun Mexican restaurant with great tamales and tacos! Lola Rose is a great restaurant, and bar when the weather is nice!
The bar scene in Palm Springs is top notch. The Tailor Shop has curated cocktails in a dark and moody bar. Bootlegger Tiki right next door may be my favorite tiki bar in Palm Springs. Truss & Twine has an amazing selection of liquors, and the sandwiches are killer good on a long night out!
