We took a kid-free trip to the desert we dubbed “The Infinity Retreat.” This was due a Netflix documentary we watched called “A Trip to Infinity.” We needed to meet with potential property managers (our 18 month lease at our Indio home was coming to an end, and we were planning to start short term vacation rentals again), and also wanted to take some time to strategize updates for the home and life in general without little interruptions from kids.
We stayed 3 nights, 4 days in October.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at this amazing home in Twentynine Palms! We could easily go back there with the kids. The attention to detail was perfect, and there were little touches that made the stay very enjoyable. We spent a lot of time in the hot tub, but also hung out by the cowboy tub. We got to meet the owner, and she was lovely. We just loved everything about the property.
Twentynine Palms is located at the northern, less crowded entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. We flew into the Palm Springs International Airport and drove to the east entrance of the park (head east on I-10) so we could hit the cholla gardens and meander out way through the park on the way to our rental home. On the way home, we drove back through Yucca Valley.
What We Did
Given the proximity to Joshua Tree National Park, we used our America the Beautiful pass to check out more of the area. Working our way through the park via the west entrance (near the Cottonwood Visitors Center), we stopped at the Cholla Cactus Garden. We got to see (brief) rain in the desert, framed by a full rainbow.
On our second day, we hiked in the Arch Rock area. We saw some awesome formations and did more scrambling than expected (mostly because we lost the trail). We hiked early in the day, so we had time to stop by Skull Rock, too. See other Joshua Tree areas we’ve explored on the Coachella Valley Oasis page.
We were planning to head back to Joshua Tree again on our third day, but decided instead to spend the day at the home. We read, planned, and just got to spend time together.
While we had a rental car, we love walking to dinner whenever we can. Be warned if you do this: it gets very. VERY. dark here! This allows for great stargazing, but makes for a potentially scary walk home. The first night, we walked to downtown Twentynine Pams before sunset after doing a little research and feeling pretty confident we could get a ride share home.
Unfortunately, this proved a little difficult. We started walking home (one of the dumber decisions we’ve made) and luckily were picked up by an Uber right before we had to start walking in the more open area of town. We heard (and saw) coyotes earlier on the trip, so were thankful to climb into the backseat of our Uber. To avoid this in the future, we pre-ordered rides home, then waited at the restaurant and that worked just fine. (There was only one Uber driver in town – she told us she had just signed up to drive, and we were her first ride! She was so sweet).
Where We Ate
grnd sql: One of our goals on every trip is to find a good brewery to try and add a glass to our collection. We went to grnd sql gastro pub in downtown Twentynine Palms and it did not disappoint! While not a true brewery, they had a great selection of craft beer to choose from. We ordered the herbivore burger and fries to eat while we played an intense game of Yahtzee. We ended up grabbing a beer and fries there again the next night before dinner and they had live music, which is always a plus!
Thai Cafe: We enjoyed the pad Thai and spicy noodles.
Kitchen in the Desert: Blaine goes as far as to say was his most memorable place to eat while on vacation. The vibe was on point, and we ate under the stars while enjoying more live music. They also had live music! We split the veggie burger (a black bean burger, so it was different than the other burger we had) and arugula salad. Blaine tried the Mezcal Paloma (very smoky) and I had the spicy margarita. We even ventured out of our norm and order dessert – fried Oreos!
Old Town La Quinta: On our last day, after meeting with a potential property manager, we had some time to kill before our flight. We stopped at La Quinta Brewing Co. for a beer (it was windy and a little rainy, but we still stayed outside to enjoy the last bit of desert air!) and then grabbed appetizers (and a Margarita for me) at TQLAS Agave Bar & Grill. We had the street corn (phenomenal) and nachos, and recommend both. You definitely want to make your margarita spicy here!
How We Traveled
We flew into the Palm Springs International Airport, then rented a car using Turo. We’ve had great experiences with this platform before, and the cost was slightly lower than traditional rental places. However, when we got there we realized that there was a disclaimer that we also had to pay for airport parking. It was also a bit of a pain to access the key to the car, and overall, we decided this time around it would’ve cost the same and would have been less hassle to just use a site like Costco.
How Much We Spent
- Transportation:
- Flights: $615
- Rental Car/Gas: $400
- Lodging: $700
- Food: $380
- Total: $2,095
Overall, one of our more expensive getaways, but we had the best time. We came back home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated (and ready to get back out to the desert already!)
letswinatlife.com 
Leave a comment