JOSHUA TREE: SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP
In December 2016, Jim and I went on an epic 2-week southwest road trip. It was winter (the “off season”), we both had a bunch of time off, and some killer flight deals. Unless you’re desperate, don’t book with Frontier. Not a good experience. A story for another time!
Anyways, on this trip we explored the states of: Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California. This post shows only images from Nevada and Southern California. These are days 11-14 on the itinerary below. Highlights on this section of our trip include: Valley of Fire State Park, Mojave National Preserve, Palm Springs, Morongo Valley, and Joshua Tree National Park. If you’re a plant lady like me, you would want to take home a cacti or succulent of course. Hit up Cactus Mart in Morongo Valley! Jim and I had so much fun wandering the place. It was a cacti and succulent lovers dream come true! And yes, I took home the cutest little cactus. It’s on our kitchen window sill now; a nice reminder of the desert here in the Midwest.
At the last second Jim and I decided to see what all the hype was about in Palm Springs. Boy were we pleasantly surprised! First of all, the temperature jumped up 20 degrees, which was a nice change from 40’s + 50’s we were experiencing the whole trip. We visited the stylish Ace Hotel & Swim Club to check it out in person. The nice people there said Great Shakes was the best place for ice cream around. Totally right, wow. BEST. SHAKES. EVER. Take my advice and get one sometime. We also drove by that pink door and awed at all the mid-century design goodness.
Can I brag for a quick second? Our Airbnb in Joshua Tree was thee best! The Joshua Tree Campover Cabin is a secluded and renovated 1950’s cabin in the middle of the desert (just outside of Joshua Tree). It sits on 22 acres! We woke up to sweeping sunrise desert views every morning and a sky full of stars every night. So quiet and relaxing! Plus the inside was decorated so beautifully! We would come back and book with these guys again in a heartbeat! They have some other rad cabins in the area too! Nearby places to hit up: Pie for the People! Quite literally one of the best pizzas I have ever had. And I’ve had a lot of pizza in my 26+ years on Earth. For coffee lovers: Joshua Tree Coffee Company. It’s just a little building in downtown Joshua Tree, but big taste! I bought some of the breakfast bliss roast home. I loved it so much that I ordered more online! There are so many quirky shops and good eats in downtown, so make sure you schedule some time in to explore it!
Ready for a southwest road trip yet? Or a Joshua Tree elopement/wedding? I have a ton more information and love trip planning! Just shoot me an email and I’ll happily share my advice, experiences, and itinerary details.
SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP ITINERARY:
Days 1-2: Phoenix + Scottsdale, AZ
Day 3: Sedona, AZ + Grand Canyon NP
Day 4: Flagstaff, AZ (Horseshoe Bend)
Day 5: Lower Antelope Canyon + Monument Valley
Days 6-7: Moab, UT (Arches NP + Canyonlands NP)
Day 8: Goblin Valley + Capitol Reef NP
Day 9: Bryce Canyon NP
Day 10: Zion National Park
Days 11-13: Joshua Tree National Park
Day 14: Las Vegas, NV
SEE MY CURRENT TRAVEL DATES HERE!
Emily Hary is an adventurous outdoor wedding + elopement photographer.
Although based in the Midwest, she is available for worldwide travel.