To celebrate our first year as Mr & Mrs, Pablo and I headed to Joshua Tree for a little weekend getaway . We’ve been talking about going here for awhile, so when I saw this Airbnb available on our anniversary weekend… I didn’t even hesitate.
BEST.DECISION.EVER!
I now understand what the hype is all about. If you live in California (Los Angeles area in particular), this is THE place to go when you want to disconnect from the busy city life, have a romantic getaway, or even a solo trip.
Here’s a breakdown on the where, what, and how of our short but well worth it trip.
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STAY
I booked our stay at the popular Shack Attack House. This was such a beautiful, charming and cozy spot. It was ideal for just the 2 of us. With a back porch to sip our morning coffee, along with an outdoor tub to soak in after a long day of exploring, I did NOT want to leave.
EATS
Normally when we travel to new places, Pablo and I like to explore the neighborhoods and try all the restaurants in town. However, for this trip we decided to cook most of our meals instead of eating out. We wanted a more low key experience, as well as be more health conscious and budget friendly. So we made sure to plan out our meals for the 2 days and bought everything we needed beforehand. It all worked out perfectly!
Although that doesn’t mean we stayed at the shack the whole time. Our first day there, we planned to eat at the town’s pizza joint. But when we got there it had a 45 minutes wait and we were too hungry to wait for that. So instead, we headed across the street to Crossroads Cafe.
We also went to Joshua Tree Coffee Company. If you are a coffee lover, this is a must check out spot. We headed here after our hike and it was the perfect spot to grab a little pick me up and cool down during a hot day.
HIKING
If you love a good outdoor adventure day, then hiking at the Joshua Tree National Park is a MUST.
The park has many great short day hikes. We did Ryan’s Mountain, which is a 1.5 miles hike that took us about 1 hour (round trip). It is a fairly easy one, but the extreme weather definitely made it challenging. Halfway through our hike, the temperature reached 93F and it was only 9:30am!! So it goes without saying: Bring a TON of water and stay hydrated.
SCENIC DRIVE
If hiking is not your thing, driving through the park and enjoying its scenery is still a must do. The views are outstanding and straight out a Dr. Seuss book.
CATCHING SUNRISES & SUNSETS
Hands down one of my favorite things to do at Joshua Tree.
We made sure to set our alarms to 4:30am each morning so we could catch the sunrise. It is SO WORTH IT! If you’ve never seen a desert sunrise or sunset, make sure it’s in your bucket list. They are truly special!
Plus, there’s something so peaceful about enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the sunrise, next to your favorite person.
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Our time in Joshua Tree was truly special and I can’t wait to venture back in the spring time when it is cooler.
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