themselves to hiking, climbing and bouldering — there are 400 climbing formations and 8,000 climbing routes in the park. Some of the more well- known attractions in the park include Intersection Rock and Old Woman Rock in the Hidden Valley area, the Jumbo Rocks area with more than 100 hidden campgrounds and the 30-foot granite Arch Rock, which sits in the middle of a boulder field near the White Tank Campground. Many make the trek to Joshua Tree just to camp under the stars
of brand artifacts. In addition, the historic Arrowhead Springs Hotel, covering nearly 2,000 acres in San Bernardino, is famous for its hot springs, mineral baths and steam caves located underground. Fourteen driving miles away is Riverside, the largest city of the Inland Empire and the birthplace of the citrus industry. At the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, it has 24 nationally registered historic sites and more than 100 city landmarks commemorating its citrus connection. The California Museum of Photography and March Field Air Museum, which displays a significant number of military helicopters and planes, also resides in Riverside. The palm-tree lined sidewalks are filled with Spanish Revival architecture, including the eclectic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, which has a five-story rotunda and sprawls an entire block in downtown Riverside. To get a birds-eye view of Riverside, head to Mount Rubidoux Park trail, a 2.7-mile loop that includes a river and notable landmarks such as the World Peace Bridge. Joshua Tree This eccentric “town” in the Mojave Desert 40 miles from Palm Springs is home to an iconic and unusual ecosystem whose geography provides a mecca for urban escape and inspiration for numerous pop culture, spiritual and otherworldly moments. Ten minutes from the hub of Joshua Tree is Joshua Tree National Park, one of the most oft-visited federal parks in the country. The 800,000-acre playground is a natural treasure dotted with, of course, the twisted branches and prickly, pompom-shaped leaves of the Joshua tree, other plant life like arroyos and playas, wildlife and one-of-a kind rock formations that lend
in the unusual landscape that feels like it’s a million miles from civilization. And its striking vistas provide endless photo ops for both novice and professionals. The drive-up Key View lookout area perched on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains provides panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and the San Andreas Fault and is a particularly stunning spot to catch a sunset.
As you might expect, accommodations near Joshua Tree are full of whimsy and harken back to a simpler time. The 20-room Pioneertown Motel, for example, is a former Western film set built by Roy Rogers to accommodate celebrities making movies on the location. When traveling to the Inland Empire, the world is your oyster with plenty of fun pursuits for a short or even long-term stay.
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