Allan surprised me with a quick getaway to Joshua Tree this past weekend and it was great! I had never been to this particular part of CA and it did not disappoint! He found a super cute Airbnb and off we went on Friday evening. Here’s the thing, we need to learn our lesson and not drive at night to unknown destinations. We did this once before in Northern California when we stayed in an A-frame in Cazadero near the Russian River…and we got SO lost. Fast forward to us on a dirt-ass road in the MIDDLE. OF. THE. DESERT. this past weekend in the same situation. It was pitch black and we had no idea how long the dirt road we were driving went on. We probably should have had a 4-wheel drive vehicle, but Dave (our Honda Fit who does no wrong) pulled through and got us to our little oasis in the desert.

Now, sure, did we pass what looked like a makeshift trailer home with likely murderers inside lying in wait for us? Yes. Did I think they would eat our bodies and bury us in the desert never to be found again? Also, yes. BUT, all was well once we arrived at our Airbnb and settled in for the night. (…and by settled I mean the wind kept us up all night because, again, we were in the MIDDLE. OF. THE. DESERT.)

OK, so the desert is no joke. I say that because it is an awe-inspiring thing in the MOST literal sense of the word. It is so formidable and beautiful that I can’t help but respect it. The desert is SO vast that it produces this reverence within me. Like it could kill me if I wandered out into it, but it’s also the most peaceful thing I’ve experienced. Animals have found ways to thrive in it, people have settled in it and conquered the harsh environment, our government uses it as training grounds complete with mock middle eastern villages (which, by the way, we could see from the back of our jackrabbit cabin) <—-Click on that link for some dope history in California homesteading! Alongside a slew of authors and artists, I’m impressed by it's strange, other-wordly beauty. The desert has this way of carving out spaces for individuals seeking alternative, wholistic, and artistic lifestyles and I’m just completely intrigued by it and by the individuals who declare it as their home. As much as I am surprised by places like this because they’re so foreign to me, I also fall in love with them. The mixture of weird and serene that environments like this produce is truly fascinating. I’d love to go back and experience it all again!

Below is our quick Joshua Tree city-guide that I put together for our weekend stay! Click on any of the items below to get more information!