California Desert Road Trip | Campervan Hire

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 the Joshua tree.
Prime Desert Woodland Preserve: Scenic location filled with natural simplicity.

Where to Eat:

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

Where to Park for the Night:

Frolic in 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 home to hundreds of acres of state parks, carefully maintained 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 600 feet (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 elements of the Mojave Desert.
Mojave Lava Tube Trail: Accessible volcanic tunnel.

Where to Eat:

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

Catch the singing dunes in the Mojave National Preserve

Mojave National Preserve is one of the largest national preserves in the continental US. It’s packed with natural attractions and the kind of unique experiences you can expect on a desert road trip.

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

On your way from the Antelope Valley, about half an hour before reaching the Mojave National Preserve, take a small detour to visit Afton Canyon, on Afton Road, known locally as the Grand Canyon of the Mojave.

End your stay at the Mojave National 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 film street, home to many kinds of art.

Where to Eat:

Pappy and Harriet's ($$): BBQ and live music in one place.
Red Dog Saloon ($$): Revived historic western saloon.

Where to Park for the Night:

East side of Mane Street ($)

Experience the Wild West in Pioneertown

Pioneertown is a permanent Old West film set. Constructing sets for films was expensive and complicated, making it hard to stick to a film’s budget. Actor Dick Curtis came up with the idea of creating a permanent set for Old West films to avoid those costs. The idea was to establish businesses — restaurants, motels, grocers and hardware shops, feed stores for horses, and saddlers — to serve the crew during filming and the town’s residents, who would act as extras.

Although it’s no longer used as a film set, the Old West spirit and its buildings 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 hidden in the desert.

Where to eat:

Café des Beaux-Arts ($$): Parisian brasserie with a lovely terrace
La Spiga ($$$): Tuscan-style villa with a unique outdoor area
Cork Tree ($$$):Distinctive menu in a relaxed atmosphere

Where to park for the night:

Get the best of both worlds in Palm Desert

Palm Desert has the best of both worlds, offering a cinematic shopping experience in the El Paseo Shopping District, a tree-lined boulevard boasting public artworks, upmarket shops and restaurants. It’s also the perfect spot to escape into the natural landscape 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 sculpture exhibition for desert hikers.
Font's Point: A viewpoint offering exceptional views over the California badlands.

Where to eat:

Red Ocotillo ($$): Ingredients from an organic garden and a pet-friendly patio.
Kendall's Cafe ($): A locals' favourite for an American meal.
Carmelita's Mexican Grill ($): Borrego Springs' go-to for a comforting Mexican meal.

Where to park overnight:

Stargaze in Borrego Springs

Borrego Springs is a natural wonder of California. Located about 125 km from San Diego, this desert area is packed with places of interest that can’t be missed.

About halfway through the drive between Palm Desert and Borrego Springs, you can see the Salton Sea, a saltwater lake that was once a hotspot for celebrities such as Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, these days it’s one of the most polluted and toxic lakes in the state.

Spending a night in Borrego Springs is an out-of-this-world experience. Thanks to the minimal light pollution, the sky above you is filled with twinkling stars that seem to fall from the sky.