Desert Dreaming in Joshua Tree

A weekend jaunt to Joshua Tree has quickly become one of my favorite getaways. Dozens of highly affordable, spaciously modern homes are available to rent if you prefer your star gazing from a hot tub rather than a tent. Most of the better rentals I have found are ideal for a large group or a set of couples. Given the desolation of this beautiful, arid town the company of a group is most welcome. Check out the Ocotillo Verde and Roca Vista, available for rent on Airbnb. I could not recommend these rentals more highly!    Joshua Tree is not a place for doing a whole lot. It's where time slows down, practically coming to a halt under the blazing mid-day sun. Yet it can hardly be described as a sleepy town. There is a creative energy that radiates from every inch of this wide-open expanse. With quirky, outdoor thrift yards, rustic handmade wares, and among one of the best craft beer selections at the local liquor mart, Joshua Tree is a bohemian dreamscape.     There is a ton of great boutique and thrift shopping to be done in Joshua Tree and neighboring city, Yucca Valley. With most of the weekend spent relaxing, I prefer to make this strip of shops along Twentynine Palms Highway my final pit stop on the way out of town. Hoof & the Horn is my favorite boutique store, selling an eclectic mix of bohemian labels, decorative succulents, and candles from PF. Candle Co.!     No trip to Joshua Tree is quite the same. Spontaneity results from the unpredictable fury of the desert heat and the eclectic energy of the community. On our latest trip, after spending the morning at Sky Village Swap Meet, an outdoor shanty-town that is part metal junkyard, part artists' enclave, we hit up the local bowling alley. Complete with cheap beer and games, the place was a blast from the past and the perfect detour for a mid-day, cool down pitcher!     Never pass up an opportunity to visit a local farmer's market while traveling! There is no better way to mingle with the locals and get a sense of the vibrancy of a town. The Saturday farmer's market in Joshua Tree is no exception- packed full of fresh-grown produce, delicious homemade goodies, and beautiful handcrafted ceramics!     The beauty of the desert is not the most readily apparent. Yet time and again, I find that my trips into these barren, wide-open landscapes are among some of my most spiritually rejuvenating getaways. There is an unparalleled reprieve to the mind granted by the vast calmness and space. With the elements of nature heightened comes a natural inclination for greater awareness. Never am I more grateful for the  absence of noise then when sitting alone on a porch in Joshua Tree, blanketed in the immense quiet of the magical desert.