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Joshua Tree has always beckoned artists and creatives due to its unique landscape and magical energy. If you’ve ever been to Joshua Tree, you might have noticed its soul-soothing effects due to the multiple energy vortices in the area, which are conducive to healing and self-exploration.
Over the last few years, Joshua Tree has gone from being a sleepy desert town with retirees and artists to becoming one of the most popular destinations in Southern California.
Natasha, my lovely Airbnb host, shared with me her first hosting experience in 2012. Keep in mind that during this time, Joshua Tree was still a very sleepy desert town. When she asked her guests, a couple from NYC how they came to find Joshua Tree, the woman replied: “Instagram”.
“That’s when I knew things would change around here,” said Natasha. A lot of people say that Joshua Tree completely changed during the pandemic, but according to Natasha, the change was happening way before that.
In 2013, Joshua Tree National Park received 1.3 million visitors. A decade later, in 2023, the park broke visitation records with a whopping 3.2 million visits.
As a byproduct of these record-breaking numbers, the local economy has flourished. Besides the national park and restaurants, there’s been a surge of wellness-focused experiences for tourists and locals alike – from sound baths to animal activities. When people say that the only thing worth doing in Joshua Tree is visiting the national park, I respectfully disagree.
No trip to Joshua Tree is ever the same for me. Like Robert Edison Fulton Jr. quotes, “The desert tells a different story every time one ventures on it.”
When I’m in Joshua Tree, I love enjoying the stillness, basking in the stark beauty of the landscape and watching wildlife. Every time I go there I always see a roadrunner, which is associated with positive spiritual energy. Not everyone sees them when they visit Joshua Tree. You really have to pay close attention!
I decided to compile a list of all the wellness activities you can do in the area. Sometimes I like treating myself to a facial whereas other times I like to immerse myself in a sound bath. Of course, a visit to Joshua Tree is not complete without stopping at Save the Meows to play with cats and kittens!
Whether it’s your first time visiting Joshua Tree or you’re a local wanting to know about businesses in the area, these are the best places to indulge in a blissful self-care day.
Yoga + Sound baths
Studio 29 Yoga
📍Twentynine Palms
In late 2024, Studio 29 Yoga opened in downtown Twentynine Palms, offering a variety of yoga classes, sound baths and wellness workshops.
I talked to Kim Wexman, the owner, who was nice enough to invite me to a Restorative Yoga class. I loved it so much! Jeff was our instructor that day. This class consisted of deep body stretches to release tension while Kim orchestrated different sounds through singing bowls. The fact that this was also a candlelit added to the relaxing experience.
Hello Kim! What can people expect from Studio 29 Yoga?
Studio 29 Yoga opened about 6 months ago in a smaller location. Now we have a bigger and nicer location filled with light that has been open since mid-September.
We offer yoga classes every day including vinyasa yoga, yin yoga, power yoga, gentle yoga, meditation, and more! Our variety of offerings include deep restorative practices, deep stretching, as well as a few strength-building classes. Breathing techniques are interwoven into all of our offerings, allowing for exploration of subtle energy and inviting a deeper connection to ourselves, while also increasing our capacity for healing.
We are located on the 62 (the Twentynine Palms Highway). Our location is only a few blocks from the North entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. We are just past the turn-off to Kitchen in the Desert, and right across the street from Ramsey 29 Motel
Any business owners in the area you want to give a shoutout to?
Shoutout to Kitchen in the Desert, Ramsey 29 Motel, Ghost Town Ranch (store in Kitchen in the Desert)
What does an ideal, relaxing day in Joshua Tree look like?
Yoga at Studio 29 Yoga, a hike in the Joshua Tree National Park, a drink at Mas o Menos and a meal at Kitchen in the Desert! Shopping at Ghost Town Ranch and then a sound bath at Studio 29 Yoga.
Earth Yoga & Spa
📍Yucca Valley
Also opened in 2024, Earth Yoga is the first spa in the High Desert with infrared saunas and cold plunges!
Their wide array of classes are taught by certified yoga instructors: hatha, vinyasa, yin and restorative yoga. You will also find guided meditation classes including breathwork, traditional sitting meditations and sound baths. In addition, Earth Yoga & Spa offers Emsculpting, an advanced non-invasive body contouring treatment to help burn fat and build muscle mass.
Cedar & Sage Wellness Studio
📍Yucca Valley
If you want to have an energizing heated workout, Cedar & Sage Wellness provides a plethora of classes: heated yoga / sculpt and cardio barre classes. Unheated gentle yoga for beginners is also available, and like most wellness studios in the area, Cedar & Sage also offers sound baths and breathwork sessions.
Cedar & Sage was founded by sisters-in-law, Sabrina Bennett and Tobi Guillian in the summer of 2016. Their mission was to share with the community the healing powers of wellness and yoga. To learn more about Sabrina and Tobi’s background, as well as their favorite places in Joshua Tree, read my full interview with them in the article “Life in Joshua Tree – As Told by Its Residents”.
Integratron
📍Landers
Sitting on a powerful geomagnetic vortex, the Integratron is probably the most recognizable building in the High Desert.
In 1953, aerospace engineer George Van Tassel claimed to have been visited by an alien, who gave him plans for building a human rejuvenator. In 1959, he completed the construction of the Integratron: a white, two-story wooden dome held together by glue and fiberglass. No nails or screws were used during the construction.
Although it was never proven, George Van Tassel claimed that the Integratron had rejuvenation powers and the ability to time travel. Three miles north of the Integratron lies the Giant Rock, which also has an interesting story and at one point, was a hub for UFO conventions in the 20th century.
After the passing of George in the 1970s, the Integratron had many owners, but the building was dilapidated and not properly taken care of. In the year 2000, the Karl sisters bought the building and restored the structure to share its sonic healing properties with the public.
Joanne Karl said to the LA Times in 2014: “It is an immaculately preserved artifact of midcentury modernist design, and a totem of 1950s U.F.O.-ology culture — the mixture of Cold War paranoia and occult spirituality that drew true believers to remote reaches of the Desert Southwest in search of flying saucers and free-floating enlightenment.”
I’ve been to many sound baths, but this one was unparalleled. Talk about an immersive sonic experience! After all, it says on their website that the Integratron is the most acoustically perfect sound chamber in the US.
Once you’re inside, they caution you not to whisper anything to the person you’re with because everyone will hear it. At first, the sound of the bowls will be deafening to your eardrums, but they’ll get used to it very quickly.
Natasha told me that back in 2011, she walked with a friend and had a sound bath for the astounding price of $12. If this wasn’t enough, it was just the two of them. Fourteen years later, the sound bath is $60 per person and you need to book your slot at least a month in advance due to their limited hours.
Here’s an excerpt from an article SFGate did in 2008. Oh, how times have changed!
“More than 1,000 devotees visit each year. About one-third are musicians who record here, taking advantage of the wooden dome’s unusual acoustics.”
Joshua Tree Retreat Center
📍Joshua Tree
Also known as the Institute of Mentalphysics, the Joshua Tree Retreat Center is a place where architecture and spirituality connect. After spending years doing spiritual studies in China and Tibet, British journalist Edwin Dingle brought his spiritual teachings of mentalphysics to Los Angeles. Mentalphysics is a practice rooted in meditation and breathing exercises, diet control, and universal laws.
In 1941, Edwin relocated the Institute of Mentalphysics from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree, a place that he believed was sacred desert land.
The 420-acre property was built with the help of Lloyd Wright: twenty-two cottages, a pool, a sanctuary, a dining hall, and a structure known as the Caravansary, which features twenty-five rooms and two meeting spaces. The Mentalphysics Institute houses the largest collection of Loyd Wright buildings in the world.
When you wander the extensive grounds, you’ll notice a myriad of triangles, which represent mind, body, and science. The property has 22 energy vortices, ideal for those exploring the self.
Something that not many people know is that you can actually have lunch inside the property at Food for Thought Cafe! Afterward, take a peaceful walk along the paved pathways, enjoy the sounds of chirping birds, the running water from the fountains, and feast your eyes on this architectural delight.
Today, the Mentaphysical Institute continues to carry on Edwin Dingle’s legacy by hosting workshops, retreats, yoga classes and accommodating those seeking spiritual wisdom and self-realization.
The Bungalows is an adjacent hotel inside the property. Although it was recently developed, I love how they adhered to the cohesive mid-century, post-and-beam style of the Joshua Tree Center. It’s gorgeous!
Joshua Tree Retreat Center: Website and Instagram
Facials
Getting a facial in the High Desert is a stark contrast to getting a facial in a city. It just hits differently! If you want to have your facial in the comfort of your home / Airbnb, these places also offer mobile services.
The Pointed Pearl Skincare
📍Yucca Valley
📍 Joshua Tree
After living a nomadic lifestyle in different US cities, musician and artist Megan Hutch settled in Joshua Tree in 2013. Three years later, she opened The Pointed Pearl, a skincare haven and wellness oasis. Megan’s holistic approach to facials – she only uses sustainably sourced botanical and food-grade skincare products – warmth and hospitality has made The Pointed Pearl a sanctuary; a place where she can flex her background as an artist and passion for skincare while connecting with people from all walks of life.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Megan in the article “Life in Joshua Tree — As Told By Its Residents“. She said:
“I adore my clientele, and feel like through them, I have gleaned so much insight to how much community means to me. We really feel like we’re all friends there. It’s the best feeling when someone tells you they just don’t want to leave yet and go back to reality!”
The Pointed Pearl has been voted the number one spa in the High Desert a few times, and rightfully so! Last year, I went to The Pointed Pearl Skincare not once, but twice! My facial with Megan was probably the BEST facial I’ve ever had. I swear, I waltzed out the door feeling as if I’d just come out of a deep trance: the beautiful space, Megan’s warmth, the cutting-edge machines she uses, the lovely massage in my back and arms… I’ve had many facials in LA, but this one was the most special thus far.
My skin glowed for almost two weeks!! If you want to have your facial with Megan, book it as soon as you can because her slots tend to fill up very quickly!
Given the success of The Pointed Pearl in Yucca Valley, Megan has expanded to a second location in Joshua Tree! I had the chance to visit the new space at the end of January. You can tell how hard she’s worked in the space, where you’ll find a wonderful curated selection of items: skincare, makeup, journals, body brushes and even artisan chocolate bars from the brand FINE & RAW.
Hello again Megan! What are your daily self-care rituals?
Spending 10-20 minutes in the morning and evening, just playing with my cats. They help calm my nervous system so very much and bring me into the present moment. Also, washing and massaging my feet before bed has helped my sleep so much. It relaxes me and releases the last bits of tension from the day.
What does a relaxing day in Joshua Tree look like for you?
If I could go on my own adventure as if I were visiting my town for a long weekend, I would spend the morning getting acupuncture at Two Sages, feeling blissed out before walking right over to the Farmer’s Market for flowers, persimmons and jujubees. Stop in the Grateful Desert Apothecary and sit at the bar smelling all the essential oils and making an aromatherapy spray that you can put in your purse and indulge in throughout the day. Find that perfect piece of denim at Ricochet Vintage Wears, and then make a big lunch and eat it outside in the sun looking at the landscape. Feeling like a drive, I’d go down to Cactus Mart in Morongo Valley and visit with all the succulents and cacti, along with the chickens and cats that roam the nursery.
A nap at the Community Center Park, where you can lay in the grass and watch the kids play on the swings. Feeling refreshed and ready for the evening, time for pizza and cocktails up at Giant Rock Meeting Room with friends before driving out to The Palms in Wonder Valley. The pickup truck packed with blankets and pillows, ready to camp right outside, falling asleep under the stars after a night of entertainment from desert locals like Sister John Angela.
Any business owners you want to give a shoutout to?
Tawnja, owner of Ricochet Vintage Wears. She just celebrated her 15th anniversary of being open in Downtown Joshua Tree, and she is a delight to know- she has soooo many fun stories.
The Pointed Pearl has received so much praise since you opened it! What made you decide to open a second location in Joshua Tree?
When I saw the “for lease” sign, right next to Grateful Desert Apothecary, everything in me said to just go for it! The Yucca Valley location is running out of room for all of the skincare and wellness goodies we carry, and our team of practitioners has grown, as well as our clientele. It is also a great opportunity for our clients traveling from 29 Palms to be a bit closer to them.
Methods + Rituals Spa
Dana Waldie is the founder of Methods + Rituals Spa.
📍 Joshua Tree
Hello Dana! Could you tell me a little bit about yourself? How long have you been living in the area? What can people expect at Methods + Rituals? (treatments, services)
Hello! I’m Dana Waldie a holistic esthetician and healer. I’ve been living in Joshua Tree for 5 years. Unlike most aesthetic practices that focus solely on beauty, I take a 360-degree approach to treating the skin. I treat the whole person—skin, body, and spirit.
While many in the aesthetic industry concentrate only on the skin’s appearance, I believe it’s essential to consider the interconnectedness of the body. Factors like stress, diet, and lifestyle can greatly impact the skin, leading to conditions like acne, wrinkles, and other skin issues. For example, I’ve been trained to recognize when a client is stressed or when cortisol levels may be elevated, as these physiological factors can manifest visibly on the skin. The cornerstone of my work is merging mindfulness with licensed skincare procedures. My facials are a unique fusion of reiki and sound healing, designed to guide clients into a deeper state of relaxation and healing. This holistic approach not only supports the skin’s health but nurtures the client’s overall well-being, which, in turn, promotes healthier and more radiant skin.
I have a skincare care studio where I see clients for facials but also offer an array of mobile services. I work with an incredible team of practitioners and healers. Some of the mobile services we offer are sound baths, group workshops, yoga, cacao ceremonies, and massages.
Any small business owners in the area you’d like to give a shoutout to?
Abe at Wind Walker Medicine Wheel. It’s a beautiful spiritual space. He offers guided meditations and various ceremonies. I actually got married there. So special!
What does your ideal and relaxing day in Joshua Tree look like?
Oh gosh, that’s a great question. There are so many self-care things I love to do that it would be hard to fit into one day. But, it would look like either a hike in the park or a yoga class, followed up with lunch at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, then a nice relaxing soak and massage.
Methods + Rituals Spa: Website and Instagram
Naturalives Day Spa
📍 Joshua Tree
Voted the best spa in the Morongo Basin in 2023, Naturalives is the perfect way to wind down after a jam-packed day in the desert. Their treatment offerings include five types of massages – such as deep-tissue and Reiki – body scrubs, waxing services and custom facials that start at $70.
It states on their website that Naturalives is a small business. Therefore, although you won’t find the amenities you would at a resort spa (showers, lockers), you’ll feel right at home with their lovely team of massage therapists, holistic practitioners and estheticians.
Naturalives Day Spa operates by appointment only. No walk-ins! Make sure you book your desired treatment on their website or by giving them a call.
Sundari Studio
📍 Yucca Valley
In January 2025, artist Phaedra Goodgame unveiled Sundari Studio, a space where guests can enjoy different Aryuvedic facials, waxing services and lash treatments. The studio also doubles as a retail store – offering curated items such as clothing, artwork, handcrafted jewelry and bath care goods.
Phaedra’s signature facial, the Chandra Facial, includes extractions, a mask tailored to your skin’s needs, a lymphatic massage and other ancient healing practices to calm down your nervous system and cleanse your aura.
Mojave Desert Shield
📍Joshua Tree
Imagine having a facial or a massage in a cabin with expansive views of the Mojave Desert. If you’re looking for a luxurious wellness experience, look no further than Mojave Desert Skin Shield. Polish artist Patricia Vernhes permanently moved to the High Desert from London in the early 2010s. When Patricia visited Joshua Tree for the first time, she was struck by its profound and utter silence.
In an interview with Lemille Magazine, Patricia said: “I consider silence one of the rarest luxuries of the modern world. Once I stepped out of the car for the first time, I knew I needed to live here. There is ether around, waiting to be filled with ideas, creations, manifested thoughts and wants. It’s like living on a blank canvas.”
Patricia’s work encompasses many fields: arts, music and holistic medicine. She created her skincare line, Mojave Desert Skin Shield, as a way to counteract the harsh effects of the extreme desert climate on the skin. In 2021, Patricia opened her wellness space, or dare I say, a desert wellness sanctuary.
Mojave Desert Skin Shield provides guests with immersive sound baths, holistic facials, and healing massages for the mind, body and soul. Other treatments include Tao Tea meditations and sound therapies. Patricia’s signature fascial starts at $400 and includes a massage, breathwork, and meditation.
Grateful Desert Apothecary
📍 Joshua Tree
Tucked away in a strip mall, Grateful Desert Apothecary has been a mainstay in Joshua Tree since 2011. When founder Jenny Qaqundah moved to Scotland she passed the baton to Amanda B’Hymer, who joined the team in 2012.
Whether you’re feeling under the weather or you want to dive into the world of aromatherapy, Grateful Desert Apothecary is exactly what the doctor ordered. Their Aromatherapy Bar features a gorgeous mahogany display, flanked by a slew of tinctures. Here, you can create your own herbal spray or essential oil.
Grateful Desert Apothecary is the best place in the High Desert to learn about the wonderful benefits of herbal medicine. You’ll also find yoga props, teas, hair oils, hand-crafted jewelry, teas, dark chocolate bars, beauty products and books.
Animal Activities
I can’t think of a better way to decompress than animals and nature! When we pet an animal, our brains release oxytocin, which is our love hormone, and serotonin, our stress-reducer hormone. Being in the presence of animals is also a great way to practice mindfulness. It’s impossible (at least for me) to pet a kitten and think about my everyday problems. Besides going on a hike or getting a facial, these are the best animal-focused activities you can do in the High Desert.
Mojave Mini Donkeys
📍 Morongo Valley
In August 2024, Ashley and Matt started offering private guided hikes with their three adorable miniature donkeys: Red Wing, Geronimo and Wolfie.
During the 2-hour hike, you will get to pet them, feed them and walk with them on a trail during sunset!
To learn more about the hike and why Ashley and Matt decided to start Mojave Mini Donkeys, read the article I did about them last year (here).
Let’s Goat Hike
If you’ve been around goats, you’ll know that they’re extremely intelligent and very social. With Let’s Goat Hike, founder Emmanuel gives people the chance to hike with his 15 Nubian goats and interact with other animals on his farm. Overall, this is a great way to see one of the oldest domesticated livestock in their natural environment.
Horses
Horses are such majestic creatures, known for being incredibly intuitive to people’s energies. When I was in Pioneertown last year, I met Cowboy Lou, an elderly man who sometimes cosplays as a cowboy and hangs out with his beautiful horse on Main St. He even swings a lasso and throws it to you!
I spent about an hour petting the horse and when he stared into my eyes, it felt like he was staring into my soul. People took pictures and left, but I stayed there for what must have been two hours, just amazed by his presence.
Cascade Trails Mustang Sanctuary was created in October 2020 by Chris Waldhaus, a passionate proponent of saving and protecting America’s wild mustangs.
Located on a sprawling ranch, Cascade Trails merges equine therapy with enchanting sunset hikes and stargazing experiences. Before starting the hike, guests will also have the opportunity to interact with the animals on the farm. You can even book an overnight stay at the glamping dome inside the property!
Knobb Hill Ranch is another company that does guided horseback rides on a trail inside the national park!
Save the Meows Meows Cat Lounge
📍Yucca Valley
Kristen Fahy founded Save the Meows Meows in 2020 after she fostered cats through ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). During this time, she learned more about the hard albeit rewarding job of rescuing animals.
Unfortunately, since I’m not able to take care of a cat at this point in my life, cat lounges are the best way to get a preview of what it would be like to have one.
I’ve been to cat cafes in LA and Santa Barbara, but Save the Meows Meows is the winner for me. Entry is only $15 and unlike most cat cafes, you’re free to hang out for as long as you want!! Given that LA is a large metro area, it’s understandable that cat cafes there implement a reservation policy with time slots. When I went to a cat lounge in LA a few weeks ago, the employee told me that all the slots were booked for the day but that they had a 6pm slot open the following day. Crazy! No prior reservation is required before you go to Save the Meows Meows.
Before you enter the lounge, cat cafes in LA give you a long recital on what not to do. At Save the Meows Meows, they keep it short and simple.
Their lounge is decked in glitter disco balls and cloud props hanging from the ceiling. Gorgeous murals with cats and plants paintings grace the walls of the lounge, promoting calmness and relaxation. Any cat who goes there is truly in cat heaven, a great example is the giant television screen playing Cat TV. If they’re not in the mood to socialize, they can retreat in one of the many cat houses or perch atop the wall-mounted shelves. During the Christmas season, Save the Meows Meows went all out with the holiday decorations! Their music selection is also superb.
The space looked extra cozy and inviting! I love how intentional they are with every detail, like these leg protectors that mimic cats’ paws.
Lounge Manager Jewel said that being at the lounge was the fun part of the job but that the behind the scenes was very emotional. Many cats are brought to the shelters in frail conditions and sadly, they don’t make it. Cat overpopulation is a real problem and there are only so many cats they can rescue.
Besides giving cats a second chance, Save the Meows Meows does a tremendous job socializing the cats. Jewel once told me an anecdote of a woman who fostered a few cats. When the woman’s friend came over to her house, the cats from Save the Meows were very social whereas the others she got from a different place were very skittish.
Running a rescue is no easy feat: hefty vet bills, travel expenses, food… Any type of donation is always appreciated. Besides visiting the lounge, you may donate through their website or by bringing cat supplies.
Below are a few pictures of the furry friends I made during my trips. They’ve all been adopted! The orange tabby with white paws is Mr. Freckles, a 15-year-old senior. I’ve never met a cat as affectionate and loving as him.You’ll be missed Mr. Freckles! 😭
Every time I go to Joshua Tree I make sure to pay a few visits to Save the Meows Meows. When I leave, my parasympathetic nervous system is calm and grounded, almost as if I’d just had a massage. I could pet cats for hours and hours on end.
If I ever move to Joshua Tree, it would be a big problem because I’d be there ALL the time. The employees are also worthy of a mention – they’re so nice and their passion for what they do really shines through.
Stargazing Joshua Tree
📍 Joshua Tree
Stargazing is one of the main activities people travel to Joshua Tree, and what better way to watch the stars and explore the cosmos than with a professional astronomer? Sure, you can calmly watch the stars from your porch in your Airbnb/hotel. I love to do it! However, nothing beats the stargazing experience I had last summer with Stargazing Joshua Tree.
You’ll lie in a plush bean bag and be provided with blankets, binoculars, snacks and beverages! That summer night in June was nothing short of magic. We got to see the Milky Way through different telescopes and hear the origins of the galaxies and planets, as our tour guide Caleb pointed them out with his laser pointer. Every time I look up at the night sky I’m taken back to that night. In 2017, I went to a stargazing tour in Julian, San Diego. The middle-aged man did the best he could, but the overall experience felt like a school lesson.
Stargazing JT takes a different approach to astronomy — making it fun, interactive, and accessible to everyone. I cannot recommend it enough! Read the full article I wrote about them last year HERE, where I interviewed Devon Salasin, Head Astronomer at Stargazing JT.
I loved learning so many fascinating facts about our planet and the universe. The planet Earth and the human species are only a minuscule fraction of something bigger that goes beyond our comprehension!
Thank you for reading! I hope you feel restored and energized with the experience of your choosing.
What do you think?