Too many crowds in Joshua Tree? Try this otherworldly desert trip
By Rachel Schnalzer
Design and illustrations by Jade Cuevas
Good morning, Golden State travelers. More Californians are receiving long-awaited vaccines and venturing out — perhaps for the first time in more than a year — to dine in restaurants, visit shops and explore new destinations.
In this edition of Escapes, you’ll find close-to-home and far-flung trips to take in California — as well as creative standins for beloved European vacation spots. As always, let me know if you have a destination you’d like to share with fellow readers.
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🏰 Euro-kitsch is all over Southern California — if you know where to look
Do you miss plane trips across the pond? Southern California travelers don’t need to go far to find Europe-influenced destinations — as long as they don’t mind the kitsch.
Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds recently outlined 21 nearby destinations where Californians can get their continental fix. Care to cozy up in an English pub? Grab a seat at Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica. Longing for a trip to Venice, Italy? Take a gondola ride in Long Beach. Craving castles? Southern California has those too — if you don’t mind paying to see Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland or Hogwarts’ façade at Universal Studios Hollywood
Read Reynolds’ full story here.
🏜️ Joshua Tree too crowded? Try this otherworldly desert escape
The Trona Pinnacles are bizarre, awe-inspiring rock spires reminiscent of Arrakis, Tatooine and other legendary science fiction settings. But visitors don’t need to travel galactic lengths to visit the Pinnacles. They can be found off California 178, about 20 miles east of Ridgecrest, a prime detour on your way to or from Mammoth.
I came across a photo on Reddit this week of the Trona Pinnacles at sunrise and went searching for the best way to visit the towering formations. The California Wilderness Coalition recommends a half-mile hiking trail that takes visitors to the center of the 500-plus formations. Visitors can also camp at the Bureau of Land Management site.
Be prepared to drive the last five miles to the pinnacles on a dirt road and beware of sky-high summer temperatures.
Can’t get enough of the desert? Here are 14 desert hikes in Southern California from Times assistant travel editor Mary Forgione.
🏠 Need a place to stay? Consider booking a tiny house
Tiny houses are a huge trend in the vacation rental market, Times contributor Rosemary McClure reports. And reserving a tiny house is more than a chic choice: They’re often an affordable alternative . They’re also a great way to avoid getting too close at inns and hotels that cater to groups of travelers.
McClure compiled a list of eight tiny homes in California you might consider for your next weekend escape. They typically range from 300 to 500 square feet and vary in style from a sleek, modern abode in Joshua Tree to a woodsy two-story cabin in Crestline.
Do you have a favorite vacation rental? Send me an email if you’d like me to feature your find in a future edition of Escapes.
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🌕 A lunar escape in L.A. County
Looking for a close-to-home escape? Sign up for a full moon forest bathing session at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
Times feature writer Jeanette Marantos reports that visitors will be able to take a guided moonlight walk when the arboretum is closed to the public. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, “Forest Bathing also offers us the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the natural world,” the organizers write in the program description. “By slowing down and carefully observing with all our senses, we may begin to notice incredible things that may have eluded us for our whole lives.”
If you’re interested, move fast — only one session is still available in May. Tickets cost $25 for Arboretum members and $35 for non-members.
📰 What I’m reading
- The Real ID deadline has been pushed back again, Associated Press reports.
- President Biden asked people to share their favorite national park memories. Andrea Romano compiled some of the best responses in Travel + Leisure.
- An Arizona town made famous by “Nomadland” is getting ready for an influx of tourists, Richard Ruelas reports in the Arizona Republic.
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- Love goat cheese? You’ll want to read this SFGATE story by Shoshi Park about a small farm in Sebastopol that helped popularize goat cheese in the U.S.
- The Sarayaku people of Ecuador are fighting to secure legal protection for Amazonian plants and animals, Emily Laber-Warren reports in Sapiens.
- Traveling to a “blue space” is the stress reliever you need right now, Karen Gardiner writes in the Washington Post.
💻 Can’t adventure IRL? Here’s one way to expand your horizons
What is it like to drive the storied Route 66? Although many of us have spotted the “End of the Trail” sign on the Santa Monica Pier, fewer will get the opportunity to drive the 2,400-mile road from the Pacific to Chicago.
Google Earth offers a virtual look at the journey with “Preserve Route 66,” in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The experience takes viewers to iconic stops along the road, including the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Oklahoma and the Blue Swallow Motel in New Mexico.
Toward the end of the virtual adventure, you’ll spot a familiar destination on the route: Clifton’s Republic in downtown L.A.
📸 Photo of the week
🎸 Road song
“Beep-beep, is that my bestie in a Tessie?”
“Best Friend” by Saweetie featuring Doja Cat is an anthem for road-trip pals everywhere. Safe and happy travels this weekend ✌️
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