Though just an hour’s drive from Palm Springs, the region around California’s Joshua Tree National Park feels like a totally different reality. Of course, that has a lot to do with its otherworldly terrain—perched thousands of feet above sea level where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, the landscape is both brutal and beautiful, offering endless vistas of boulder-strewn mountains, cactus-studded valleys, and wide-open skies.

Known to locals as the High Desert, the area—which includes Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, Pioneertown, and the unincorporated community of Joshua Tree—has been home to indigenous peoples for millennia. It’s also been drawing visitors for centuries; legend has it that Mormon settlers gave the region’s endemic yucca trees the biblical name of “Joshua” in the early 19th century. And who could forget that the iconic band U2 named their seminal 1987 album after the desert region?

Recently, a new wave of visitors has discovered the charm of the High Desert—and many have decided to stay. Lured by the promise of wide-open spaces and more affordable homes, people from Los Angeles and beyond flocked to the area during the pandemic—an in turn, further fueled an already-thriving creative scene and set up a host of new businesses along the way. “Artists and seekers have long been drawn here, and it’s exciting to watch the area evolve further and to be a part of such a lovely and welcoming community,” says Jessica Pell, founder of the design firm Manola Studio and owner of the recently opened Hotel Wren in Twentynine Palms. “There’s something incredibly humbling about the High Desert and how it holds silence, space, and time differently. There’s an ache and a beauty in the contrast: the softness of light against sharp rock, the resiliency of wildflowers blooming in impossible soil, the brilliance of its creatures designed to endure such extreme conditions.”

With all that spellbinding natural beauty and a host of newly opened shops, restaurants, and lodging options—rumor has it that a Joshua Tree outpost of Miami’s Faena is also soon to arrive—it’s no wonder the High Desert holds everlasting appeal. Below, a look at some of the best places to stay, eat, and play should you decide to make the trip yourself. Just a word of caution to the heat-adverse: In the summer, temperatures can reach triple digits, so you may want to plan your trip for the cooler months between October and April—or, at the very least, make sure you have access to a very cold pool.

Where to Stay

For those who crave a quintessential camping experience without any of the discomfort, AutoCamp’s Joshua Tree location offers 47 custom Airstreams and eight sleek, tiny-home cabins. Nestled within 25 acres adjacent to the National Park and its West Entrance—and a stone’s throw away from the village of Joshua Tree’s main strip—it makes for an ideal launch pad from which to explore the area’s many delights. (So much so that it also served as the base for Vogue’s June 2025 cover shoot featuring Hailey Bieber, photographed by Mikael Jansson.)

And no wonder: Aesthetes and nature lovers alike appreciate both the high design and the attention to detail, which includes original art from local artists, dark sky-compliant lighting, native landscaping, organic-modern architecture by HKS, and handcrafted interiors by Narrative Design. In the mid-century modern-inspired Clubhouse, for example, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows, wood-slat walls, a free-standing fireplace, and plenty of clean-lined furniture in natural materials that echo the landscape outside.