Local Knowledge

The Desert Guide

We live and work in the desert we manage, from Palm Springs to the far side of Joshua Tree. Our housekeepers, inspectors, and guest teams drive these roads every day, and this guide is the working knowledge they pass along: where to eat, what to do, what each season actually feels like, and what is worth planning a trip around. We keep it current and honest. Nothing here is sponsored, and when something changes on the ground, we update the page. Start with a category below, or go straight to the area you are staying in.

Browse by category

Food and DrinkDate shakes, VillageFest Thursdays, and how each part of the valley eats.Things to DoThe Tramway, the canyons, Joshua Tree National Park, and beating the heat.ShoppingMidcentury dealers in Uptown, El Paseo down valley, and high desert finds.Arts and CultureMuseums, modernist architecture, and the high desert's homemade art scene.NightlifeAn early town, honestly told: street nights, casino shows, and dark skies.Festivals and EventsModernism Week, Coachella, Stagecoach, and the weekends that fill the valley.What's OnThe desert year by season, so you can pick the trip you actually want.

Go straight to your area

Palm SpringsMidcentury neighborhoods, Palm Canyon Drive, and the mountain behind town.Palm Desert and La QuintaEl Paseo, golf country, and the quieter end of the valley.Joshua Tree and the High DesertThe national park, Pioneertown, and seriously dark skies.