Where to base yourself
Downtown Palm Springs. Boutique hotels and restored motels within walking distance of restaurants and shops; the most characterful base.
Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and La Quinta. Large golf and spa resorts further down the valley, 20 to 40 minutes from Palm Springs.
Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley. Small desert towns outside the west entrance with motels, cabins and many holiday rentals; an arty, laid-back scene.
Twentynine Palms. A plain, practical town at the north entrance with chain hotels and the park’s main visitor centre.
Food & drink
Palm Springs eats well for its size: classic steakhouses and tiki bars that suit the retro mood, modern Californian restaurants, good Mexican food and long weekend brunches by the pool. The Coachella Valley grows most of America’s dates — try a date shake at one of the roadside date farms. Around Joshua Tree, choices are simpler: diners, barbecue and coffee shops, and one or two desert roadhouses with live music.
Money-saving and safety tips
- Summer room rates in Palm Springs can be half the winter price — worthwhile if you plan to stay by the pool, not if you want to hike.
- Buy the America the Beautiful pass if Joshua Tree is one of several national parks on your route.
- Heat is the main danger. In summer, daytime temperatures commonly exceed 40°C (104°F); avoid walking in the middle of the day and always carry water.
- Do not touch cholla cacti, and watch where you put your hands and feet among rocks — rattlesnakes are present, though rarely seen.
- Desert nights are cold in winter, often near freezing in the park. Pack warm layers.
Sample plans
One day in Palm Springs
- Aerial Tramway first thing
- Andreas Canyon or an architecture tour
- Pool time in the afternoon
- Dinner on Palm Canyon Drive
One day in Joshua Tree
- Enter by the west or north entrance early
- Hidden Valley loop and Barker Dam
- Skull Rock and the Cholla Cactus Garden
- Keys View for sunset, or exit south via Cottonwood
Three days
- Day one in Palm Springs
- Day two in Joshua Tree, staying nearby for the stars
- Day three: a jeep tour on the San Andreas Fault or the Indian Canyons
Where to stay in Palm Springs & Joshua Tree
Stay in downtown Palm Springs for restaurants, pools and atmosphere and visit the park as a day trip, or spend a night in Twentynine Palms or Joshua Tree to be at the gate at sunrise.
