Southern California Desert Day Trips

California is rich in history. Reading about history in a book is one thing, but it is far more enriching to see locations and experience the history in person. The Manzanar National Historic Site is a location worthy of your time if you are hungry for mid-century history in California. Manzanar … [Read more...]

Joshua Tree National Park day trip best thing to do and see while visiting this amazing desert park. Joshua Tree National Park sits on Riverside and San Bernardino counties and covers nearly 800,000 acres. Of that land area, over half has been officially designated as a wilderness area, which … [Read more...]

Saline Valley Hot Springs may be a little rough to get to but well worth the effort for those that love to dip in hot mineral water pools. Saline Valley Hot Springs is "managed" by a group of volunteers who have constructed and maintained the hot springs for many years. In 1994 Saline Valley and … [Read more...]

Wildrose Charcoal Kilns would probably be one of the most visited attractions in Death Valley if they were not in such a remote location. The charcoal kilns were built in 1877  to provide a reliable source of charcoal to mining operations at Lookout City in the Argus Mountain Range. Due to the … [Read more...]

Oasis Date Gardens are a 175-acre date ranch dedicated to growing Organically Certified Medjool Dates. Located along the old road to the Imperial Valley, the date ranch was established in 1912. While guests are not allowed to roam around the palm groves, they can visit the company store. … [Read more...]

Antelope Valley Indian Museum displays an amazing collection of Native American artifacts. The museum is located in the Mojave Desert, about 25 miles from the town of Lancaster. This wonderful little gem is only open on weekends from 9 am to 4 pm. There is a small fee for admission; kids 12 and … [Read more...]

Sometimes bigger is better. This is certainly the case at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. The park spreads over 31,000 acres of the Little San Bernardino Mountain Range. The differing elevations mean that an incredibly diverse number of plants and animals have evolved. Once home to several … [Read more...]

Death Valley National Park is the hottest, driest, lowest place in the nation. The best time to visit is winter or spring when the temperature is not too extreme. People from all over the world come to see this desert valley. Some tourists visit in the summer just for bragging rights about … [Read more...]

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 re-named to Shoshone and used as a station stop on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. For many … [Read more...]

Cabot's Pueblo Museum is one of Southern California's most unique buildings. It all started with one man’s dream. He was an extraordinary individual who worked hard and traveled to many places. He wanted the desert to be a wonderful place to live, not only for his family but for everyone. To … [Read more...]

The Palm Springs Tramway takes visitors from the hot desert floor to the cool San Jacinto mountains. Take an exciting trip on the world's largest rotating tramcars that hold up to eighty passengers. The adventure starts as you drive up the steep road to the Palm Springs Tram Base Station. While … [Read more...]

The Borax Visitor Center is located way out in the Mojave desert in Boron, California. The visitor center sits on top of a huge 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...]

Day Trip to Noah Purifoy Joshua Tree Outdoor Museum Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum, way out there in the middle of nowhere along a dusty desert road, is an unusual collection of artwork. Artist Noah Purifoy (1917-2004) moved to the desert to escape because Los Angeles was just too expensive to … [Read more...]

Mojave National Preserve is located in the heart of the Mojave Desert and was established in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act. It is a must for any outdoor enthusiast and a great way for the entire family to spend some time in the great outdoors. Visitors can explore nearly 1.5 … [Read more...]