California Desert Road Trip

Stop 1: Antelope Valley

Highlights:

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: Colourful fields of poppies and other wildflowers in spring.
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park: Home to Joshua Tree.
Prime Desert Woodland Preserve: Scenic location filled with natural simplicity.

Where to eat:

A.M. Café ($$): Comfy café for ordinary and extraordinary breakfasts.
Broken Bit Steakhouse ($$$): Combines contemporary American cuisine with a western flair.
Medrano's Mexican Restaurant ($$): Authentic Mexican food and live entertainment.

Where to park for the night:

Go frolicking through the poppy fields of Antelope Valley

Comprising the western tip of the extensive Mojave Desert, Antelope Valley is a natural paradise. It’s best known for its massive, colourful, and sweet-scented poppy fields, but this valley is home to a wide variety of wild plants and animals.

Antelope Valley is full of hundreds of acres of state parks, carefully managed to protect and preserve California’s wildlife. Take your time on the road and be sure to enjoy the fantastic landscapes of the poppy-filled valley.

Stop 2: Mojave National Preserve

Highlights:

Kelso Dunes: Isolated dune system more than about 183 m above the desert floor.
Edgar Peak: The highest point in the Providence Mountains.
Castle Mountains National Monument: Some of the most unique features of the Mojave Desert.
Mojave Lava Tube Trail: Accessible volcanic tunnel.

Where to Eat:

River City Pizza ($): A locals' favourite.
GP's Steakhouse ($$): US and European cuisine.

Catch the singing dunes at Mojave National Preserve

Mojave National Preserve is one of the largest national preserves in the contiguous US. It's packed with natural sights and unique experiences any camper can expect on a desert road trip.

From canyons and cinder cones to the astounding 'singing' of the Kelso Dunes, this 1.6-million-acre national preserve is sure to be a highlight of your road trip.

On your way from the Antelope Valley, around half an hour before you reach the National Preserve, take a short detour to Afton Canyon on Afton Road, known locally as the 'Grand Canyon of the Mojave'.

Round off your stay at the Mojave Natural Preserve with a quick stop at Amboy Crater, an extinct cinder-cone volcano just outside the preserve.

Stop 3: Pioneertown

Highlights:

The Integratron: An out-of-this-world structure.
Pioneertown Bowl ($$): Vintage bowling alley.
Pioneertown Mane Street: Old western movie street, home to lots of art.

Where to Eat:

Pappy and Harriet's ($$): Barbecue and live music in one spot.
Red Dog Saloon ($$): Restored historic western saloon.

Where to Park for the Night:

East side of Mane Street ($)

Get a taste of the Wild West in Pioneertown

Pioneertown is a permanent Old Western film set. Building sets for films was a costly and complex process, making it hard to stay within a film’s budget. Actor Dick Curtis came up with the idea of creating a permanent set for old Westerns to avoid those costs. The plan was to establish businesses — restaurants, motels, grocery and hardware shops, feed stores for horses and saddlers — to serve the film crews during shoots and the town’s residents, who would act as extras.

Although it's no longer used as a film set, the Old Western spirit and infrastructure remain.

Stop 4: Palm Desert

Highlights:

Shields Date Garden ($$): Well-known garden with biblical sculptures.
Santa Rosa and the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument: World-famous scenic landscape
Coachella Valley Preserve: An exceptional spot tucked away in the desert.

Where to eat:

Café des Beaux-Arts ($$): Parisian brasserie with a nice patio
La Spiga ($$$): Tuscan-style villa with a unique outdoor space
Cork Tree ($$$): Distinct menu in a relaxed atmosphere

Where to park for the night:

Enjoy the best of both worlds in Palm Desert

Palm Desert has the best of both worlds — it can offer a full cinematic shopping experience in the El Paseo Shopping District, a tree-lined boulevard boasting public art, upmarket shops and restaurants. It's also the perfect place to escape into natural surroundings for the day. The Indian Canyons and the San Jacinto Mountains are just two of the many attractions that make Palm Desert so inviting.

Stop 5: Borrego Springs

Highlights:

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Rich, unparalleled desert landscape.
Borrego Springs Sculptures: Free outdoor sculpture trail for desert walkers.
Font's Point: Viewpoint that offers exceptional views of the California badlands.

Where to Eat:

Red Ocotillo ($$): Ingredients from an organic garden, dog-friendly patio.
Kendall's Cafe ($): A locals' favourite for a US-style meal.
Carmelita's Mexican Grill ($): A Borrego Springs must for a comforting Mexican meal.

Where to Park for the Night:

Gaze up at the stars in Borrego Springs

Borrego Springs is a Californian natural wonder. Located 78 miles (about 125 kilometres) from San Diego, this desert area is packed with places of interest that can’t be missed.

About halfway into the drive between Palm Desert and Borrego Springs, you can see the Salton Sea, a saltwater lake that used to be frequented by celebrities, such as Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, nowadays it’s one of the most polluted and toxic lakes in the state.

Staying overnight in Borrego Springs is an out-of-this-world experience. Thanks to the minimal light pollution, the sky above you is covered in flickering stars that seem to fall from the sky.