What to see, eat and do in Joshua Tree, California

Joshua Tree is a magical one-of-a-kind place, drawing you in with magnetic force. You might go for its otherworldly landscapes, surreal geology and starry skies, but you’ll stay for its buzzing scene, which lures the curious at weekends.

Farm-to-table dining, alfresco desert gigs and vintage shopping coupled with perfectly curated holiday rentals — all an easy two-and-a-half-hour drive from Downtown LA — are putting it on the map for both Angelenos and road trippers.

Here’s how to spend 48 hours in the tiny Californian desert town, from hikes in the national park to snapping up energy-boosting crystals. Combine it with a few days in Palm Springs and you have yourself quite the long weekend out of Los Angeles.

Do

The main event in Joshua Tree is the national park itself ($30 for a week’s pass), which straddles the Colorado and Mojave deserts and seems to cast a spell on anyone who enters. The early bird really does catch the worm here; our morning drive from the West Entrance out to Twenty Nine Palms past its namesake trees, all gnarled and bristled, as well as jutting rock formations and giant boulders, was mesmerising. We came back for a couple of beginner hikes starting at Hidden Valley (about 45 minutes each) and staggering views from Keys View, looking down over Coachella Valley. Also high on the agenda should be a sound bath (book ahead) at the Integraton (integratron.com), a 40ft-high wooden dome in Landers (20 miles from Joshua Tree), and a drive-in movie night at Smith’s Ranch (29drive-in.com) on Fridays. 

Stay

There are a handful of cool motels in Joshua Tree, but to really experience its splendid isolation, rent a place of your own — somewhere with sweeping desert views where there’s little to do but stargaze. Night Moves, on the edge of the national park and a 10-minute drive from town, ticks all the boxes. A contemporary, cubic white house with three bedrooms, all of its windows frame the horizon to glorious effect, especially at sunrise and sunset when the light dances over the desertscape. 

It would be easy to stay holed up at Night Moves all day: starting with a coffee and yoga (there are mats in each room) on the whitewashed deck, watching desert hares, foxes and quail trot past the cholla cacti, and ending in the outdoor hot tub with homemade margaritas after dinner, with a soundtrack on vinyl. With three bedrooms and bathrooms, it’s ideal for three couples or a group of friends — especially thanks to the well-equipped kitchen and giant barbecue. Stock up in nearby Yucca at Stater Bros for your main supplies and Mike’s Liquor in town.

Eat & Drink

Joshua Tree and the desert towns have plenty going, especially at the weekends. Pie for the People’s (pieforthepeople.com) deep pan slices have a devoted following and La Copine has everyone driving up to nearby Flamingo Heights (lacopinekitchen.com) — and prepared to queue — for its farm-to-table menu. But it’s the rock’n’roll Pappy & Harriet’s (pappyandharriets.com) that steals the show: an open-air honky-tonk bar in Pioneertown, the Old West movie set town which is worth a visit in its own right. Book in for a steak dinner cooked over mesquite wood and stay for a show. Some very, very big names, including Sir Paul McCartney, have been known to stop by to play. 

Shopping

In town, drop in at Joshua Tree Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings for cheeses and people-watching, and Wonder Valley for Californian oils, from olive oil to face oil. But it’s next door Yucca Valley that is the real treasure trove for vintage-lovers and crystal hunters, with three blocks of vintage and antique stores, including The End, which has every beaded, tasselled or bejewelled outfit you would ever need for the Burning Man festival or Coachella. Next door, lifestyle store Acme 5 has homewares to kit out your fantasy Joshua Tree home, photography by Rezeta Veliu and Mojave oils and chunky crystals to take some Californian desert energy home with you. Just make sure that you check store opening times, as many are weekend or evening appointment only. 

Details: Joshua Tree

BA flies to Los Angeles from LHR from £279. Joshua Tree is a 2.5-hour drive from Downtown Los Angeles. Night Moves is from £151 per night via airbnb.com.