Yup - it happened. The government shutdown has closed the "doors" to Joshua Tree National Park and we are pretty bummed.
But . . . we are taking this opportunity to look at all the other amazingly unique, unusual, fun and funky experiences you can have out here in the high desert.
We've compiled a Plan B list of some cool places and experiences that await your willingness to try something unplanned and new in case you have found yourself without a National Park to hike in.
To keep things simple, everything on this list is within about an hour drive (mostly less) from RockHouse Retreat.
But . . . we are taking this opportunity to look at all the other amazingly unique, unusual, fun and funky experiences you can have out here in the high desert.
We've compiled a Plan B list of some cool places and experiences that await your willingness to try something unplanned and new in case you have found yourself without a National Park to hike in.
To keep things simple, everything on this list is within about an hour drive (mostly less) from RockHouse Retreat.
OCTOBER 2013 EVENTS NEAR JOSHUA TREE
Oct 5-6: Morongo Basin Orchid Festival
Oct 5: Gram Parsons 40th Anniversary Memorial Tribute Concert at the Joshua Tree Inn
Oct 11-13: 8th Annual Joshua Tree Music Fall Festival
Oct 11-14: Modernism Week in Palm Springs
Oct 12-13: High Desert Test Sites
Oct 17-20: Pioneeer Days in 29 Palms
Oct 19-20: Hwy 62 Art Tours
Oct 26-27: Hwy 62 Art Tours
Oct 5: Gram Parsons 40th Anniversary Memorial Tribute Concert at the Joshua Tree Inn
Oct 11-13: 8th Annual Joshua Tree Music Fall Festival
Oct 11-14: Modernism Week in Palm Springs
Oct 12-13: High Desert Test Sites
Oct 17-20: Pioneeer Days in 29 Palms
Oct 19-20: Hwy 62 Art Tours
Oct 26-27: Hwy 62 Art Tours
ACTIVITIES NEAR JOSHUA TREE
EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS
- Visit Giant Rock - the world’s largest free-standing boulder. Many mysteries and legends surround this rock.
- Go hiking in Pipes Canyon Preserve
- Go hiking in Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
- Go hiking in Tahquiz Canyon
- Explore the rocks behind RockHouse Retreat
- Stargaze with clear and dark night skies
- Go horseback riding at Joshua Tree Ranch
- Go horseback riding at Yucca Valley Equestrian Center
- Fishing at Joshua Tree Lake
EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW
- Integraton - The Integratron is the fusion of Art, Science and Magic. This historical structure is a resonant tabernacle and energy machine sited on a powerful geomagnetic vortex in the magical Mojave Desert. Don’t miss out on the Sound Baths!
- Pioneertown - Old movie set for over many famours motion pictures and TV shows including “The Cisco Kid” and the Gene Autry Show. Has since been turned into a real town. FREE gun fight shows on Sunday. Home of the legendary Pappy and Harriets.
- Gubler Orchids - One of the nation’s largest orchid growers.
- Noah Purify Sculture Park - Sculpture park made primarily out of scavenged and donated materials. Appt only
- Palm Springs Tram - Ascend two and one half miles to a pristine wilderness aboard the World’s Largest Rotating Tramcars. Take a ride, enjoy a bite at the restaurant at the top and then take a hike!
- Cabazon Dinosaurs - The World's Biggest Dinosaurs™ museum featuring two giant dinosaurs. The dinosaurs were built over 30 years ago. One took eleven years to build and is the biggest dinosaur in the world and hosts a gift shop in it’s belly.
- Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Gardens - a 1200 acre facility that specializes in the plants and animals found throughout the deserts of the world. Many exotic and endangered species can be seen in natural surroundings.-
- Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium
- Go golfing! There are TONS of golf courses out here.
- Knotts Soak City - closed for winter after October 6, 2013.
- Morongo Casino
- Spa Resort Casino
PAMPER YOURSELF
- Instant Karma Yoga in Joshua Tree
- Natural Hot Springs and Spas in Desert Hot Springs - Enjoy a spa experience at one of the boutique resorts known world-wide for natural, healing, hot mineral water.
- Joshua Tree Resort Center Spa - Get a massage at the oldest and largest retreat center in the Western United States; a unique architectural landmark on a sacred site. They have a great list of alternative spa options that include Reiki, Polarity/Cranial Sacral/Chakra Balancing, Sacred Gem Stone Healing, Raindrop Aromatherapy and a ton more.
- Luxuriate in RockHouse Retreat's sauna and built-in-the-rocks oversized hot tub.
MUSEUMS / ART
- Cabot's Pueblo Museum - unique Hopi sytle home. “Oldest Green Museum in America”.
- The World Famous Crochet Museum
- High Desert Nature Museum
- Joshua Tree Art Gallery
- Red Arrow Art Gallery
- Oasis of Murals - impressive murals on the sides of buildings in 29 Palms
- Palm Springs Air Museum
- Palm Springs Art Museum
- Take an Art Class at The 29 Palms Creative Center
- Back Street Art District in Palm Springs
- Desert Art Center in Palm Springs
- Palm Springs Historical Society
- Tons of Palm Springs Art Galleries
GO SHOPPING
- The Antique and Thrift Store shopping in Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley rocks! Add'l info.
- Go Shopping in Palm Springs
- Hit the Outlet Malls at Cabazon Outlets
ENTERTAINMENT
So while the government shutdown sucks in so many ways, we just realized that two fantastic things came out of it today.
- Pappy and Harriets - hipster honkytonk barbeque restaurant and live music venue. A legendary bar that has become an indie rock favorite.
- Theatre 29
- Groves Cabin Theatre
- Palm Springs Follies
So while the government shutdown sucks in so many ways, we just realized that two fantastic things came out of it today.
- Our travel bucket list just got longer. As we put this list together, we realized that there are a handful of gems that we still need to check out ourselves.
- We finally started our blog!