Southern California Desert Day Trips

Shoshone, California, is a small desert town near the southern entrance of Death Valley National Park. Located along Highway 178, Shoshone was originally named Metberry Spring. In 1909, the area was renamed Shoshone and used as a station stop on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. For many … [Read more...]

Scotty's Castle is still closed. No opening date has been set Built in 1927 by wealthy insurance executive Albert Johnson, smack dab in the middle of Death Valley National Park is Scotty's Castle. A 32,000-square-foot two-story Spanish Villa in Grapevine Canyon. A trip to this magnificent … [Read more...]

Tecopa Hot Springs is located just outside of Death Valley National Park.  This sleepy little desert town is about a 90-minute drive from Furnace Creek Visitor Center or Las Vegas. The main attractions in Tecopa are the natural hot springs, mud baths, a couple of run-down resorts, and the Death … [Read more...]

Coachella Valley Preserve is a short, convenient, air-conditioned day trip from Palm Springs. Take a nice leisurely walk through a natural oasis in the middle of the desert, or work up a sweat under the sweltering desert sun, and then retire for a cool drink in the shade of a gorgeous palm grove. … [Read more...]

What do Ronald Reagan, Queen Elizabeth II, Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, and Richard Nixon all have in common? They have all stayed behind the pink security walls of Sunnylands, the former winter residence of billionaires Walter and Leonore Annenberg in Rancho Mirage, California. Once only … [Read more...]

Answer Natures Call with a View The Glass Outhouse Art Gallery 29 Palms is where. Visitors will view a unique art gallery with a very unusual outhouse. The Glass Outhouse Art Gallery, located on Thunder Road just off Highway 62, is unique in several different ways, beginning with its location: … [Read more...]

While it is possible to visit many of Death Valley's attractions in one-day most visitors spend a night or two in the park. There are plenty of campgrounds in Death Valley, but hotel accommodations are limited. The Death Valley National Park Hotels include The Ranch at Furnace Creek, The Oasis at … [Read more...]

Aptly named after the Pronghorn antelopes that are said to have roamed the desert floor until being eliminated by hunters in the 1880s, Antelope Valley is a unique blend of remote desert landscapes and cutting-edge technology. Known as the “ aerospace capital of the world, " The principal cities … [Read more...]

Palm Springs, California, offers many options for relaxation away from the big city. Still, few know about the Indian Canyon trails that provide a proper break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Suppose you don’t have the time to visit. In that case, the nearby Joshua Tree National Monument … [Read more...]

The Borax Visitor Center is located in the Mojave desert in Boron, California. The visitor center sits on top of a massive pile of material extracted from the borax mine pit. It overlooks the Rio Tinto Borax processing plant and the largest open-pit mine in California. There is a full-size … [Read more...]

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is California's largest state park and second-largest in the United States, spanning 600,000 acres. It is tucked into the southeastern corner of California, bound by the rugged mountain of the Santa Rosas in the north, the Jacumba Mountains in the South, and the … [Read more...]

The Old Mojave Road takes off-road adventurers from the Colorado River through the Mojave National Preserve to Afton Canyon near Barstow, California. This historic route has been used by native Indians, Spanish explorers, and settlers. Today, the Mojave Road is a popular adventure trip for groups of … [Read more...]

There are numerous arches in the Death Valley National Park, some big, most small. The most famous arch is Natural Bridge due to its easy access. Natural Bridge is just one of many remarkable attractions in Death Valley. Natural Bridge is made of sedimentary rock that has been carved out by the … [Read more...]