Laura Croft

Jun 2, 2019

A Week in Palm Springs & Joshua Tree

I took a spontaneous trip to Palm Springs over Memorial Day weekend and stayed for a whole week! My boyfriend and I were actually supposed to go to Tulum but after months and months of checking flights, it was just too expensive to fly from Portland to Cancún. So instead, we kept it on the west coast and went to Palm Springs! Being from California, I have been to Palm Springs many times but it was always just a short weekend trip, since my boyfriend had never been before, we decided to stay for a whole week. I also wanted to make sure we had enough time to rent a car and visit Joshua Tree, one of my favorite places on Earth.

Some of my followers on Instagram were following along my stories during my trip and DM'd me asking for my itinerary. So although we totally winged it, I would love to share my itinerary with you! We arrived Saturday night and left the following Friday, a total of seven days.

Saturday: Arrive at Palm Springs Airport, Check into The Riviera Hotel.

First things first, stock the fridge. You can walk across the street to Las Palmas Liquor Mini Mart. They have an amazing selection of alcohol and basically has everything you need to make cocktails or if you simply forgot something at home. We arrived to the hotel pretty late so we spent the night ordering some amazing room service from the Riviera Hotel and watching some good old Die Hard on the tv.

Sunday: Pool Day at the Riviera Hotel.

We had breakfast at Café Palmetto, the restaurant is poolside and has the cutest decor. I had some friends come and visit me after breakfast. There is so much stuff to do at this hotel, we hung out by the pool, chilled in the hot tub, and played pool in the lobby. The hotel has different lounging sections that are all decorated differently. I loved all of the thought that went into the little details of this hotel.

Monday: Pool Day continues...

I mean it's Palm Springs, the pool is what it's all about! We spent all day at the pool and they had a DJ playing some chill house jams. We got frozen drinks and laid out all day.

Tuesday: Brunch at Cheeky's. I ordered the Chilaquiles and a bloody mary. It was amazing! Also, the vegetables in the bloody mary are pickled in vodka! This place was so delicious and you can choose to sit indoor or in the cute outdoor patio!

We got a rental car from the Turo app (basically Airbnb for cars, use my link to sign up and get $25 off your first trip! https://turo.com/c/laurac67) and drove 40 minutes to towards Joshua Tree. Our first stop was Pioneertown! Pioneertown was an old 1940's movie set now made into a bunch of cute little shops (pottery, crystals, and souvenirs). Pioneertown was closed on this day but we at least got some cool photos without anyone in them!

*A recommendation if you decide to visit Pioneertown is to eat at Pappy & Harriet's. But they are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so plan accordingly.

After Pioneertown, we made our way to Joshua Tree! Of course, I had to take a picture next to a Joshua Tree, they are all over the place. We didn't have enough time to explore the national park but we just explored the town instead. I highly recommend going to the Joshua Tree National Park if you visit! Especially at sunset.

Then we checked into our amazing Airbnb. You can follow them on Instagram @thecastlehouseestate. The whole lot is available to rent out, people have even rented it out for weddings. You can stay in one of the castle towers, or there's also two yurts and some campsites as well. The couple that own the property live there and they said when they bought the lot, there was nothing there. They built everything you see including installing electricity and plumbing. They are also in the middle of building an outdoor swimming pool and roller blading rink! They said this place will be available for rent on Airbnb for another 2 years then they will start having kids and the place will no longer be for rent. So if you are thinking of going, I would rent it out soon!

We decided to stay at Castle Tower 1, the interior decorating was so modern and chic, there were really thoughtful touches and the place was sparkling clean. *Please note: if you decide to stay here, it is glamping! So there is no bathroom, you have to use the Porto-potty outside, there is a shower with running water outside as well. But overall it was glamping at it's finest, there was air conditioning, tv with Roku and cable, a mini fridge, and a huge queen size bed.

The best part of the castle tower was the fact that you can go to the roof and watch the sunset. We took some wine up there and just enjoyed the sunset. Some of my favorite sunsets have been at Joshua Tree. Love the vibes! At night you can bring blankets (they provide heated blankets too) up to the roof and stargaze.

Wednesday: Checked out of the Airbnb (sadly!) and went to get breakfast at Crossroads Cafe. This place is a must when eating at Joshua Tree, everything here is delicious! There's some cute clothing shops nearby and a vintage shop.

After breakfast we drove the 40 minutes back to Palm Springs, returned the car, and checked into the Ace Hotel. I've always wanted to stay at the Ace Hotel for all of the cool retro vibes and the swim club! They have an amazing swimming pool with chill vibes.

I absolutely loved the rooms and the decor, I would suggest getting the King Plus room because it comes with a Living Room. As you walk in, the radio is already playing oldies and the desert aesthetic is in full effect.

All of the walls in the hotel are lined with canvas and it feels like you are in luxury tent or cabana. I loved the furniture of the rooms and they all come with adorable robes to wear around the hotel.

At the Ace Hotel, the guests can even rent bicycles for free! It's a great way to get around in Palm Springs. The bicycles are beach cruisers too!

After exploring the hotel and taking a few dips in the pool, we worked up an appetite and had dinner at The Rooster and the Pig which is a Vietnamese fusion restaurant. It was highly recommended by the hotel concierge, oh my goodness, this place was delicious! I highly recommend getting the coconut curry chicken rice ball!

Thursday: Pool day all day at the Ace Hotel Swim Club. Of course, hotel guests can come into the Swim Club for free, but if you aren't staying at the Ace Hotel, you can visit the Swim Club and buy a day pass ($20/weekdays, $30/weekends) depending on availability and capacity.

There's plenty of pool chairs with sun shades on each chair. There's a full bar with food service and there's a big pool and hot tub. The pool is open until 2am.