Joshua Tree had been on my radar for a while thanks to all the unique boutiques and desert charm I kept seeing on social media. When we finally made it out there—during a jam-packed California trip—we only had one day to explore, but we made the most of it! From browsing adorable local shops to checking out some must-see spots around town, we packed a lot into a short visit. In this post, I’m rounding up all the fun things we did during our day in Joshua Tree so you can plan your own quick but memorable trip.

Joshua Tree National Park

First and foremost, the main reason I wanted us to visit Joshua Tree was so that Andrew could see Joshua Tree National Park. I visited Joshua Tree with my parents and sister several years ago, and I thought it was such a beautiful place. I love the desert landscape. Andrew loves nature and the outdoors, so I knew he would love it, and Sage loved it too! We only had enough time to drive through and stop at a few spots, but I love the photos we captured there. For more photos, check out this blog post.

Shop Local Boutiques

One of the reasons I wanted to visit Joshua Tree was because of how many amazing local boutiques they have! A lot of them are nearby each other so we were able to separate the shops I wanted to visit into two groups. The ones we visited were Acme 62, Sun Of The Desert, Time Echo Vintage, Ricochet Vintage, The End, and Industry of All Nations. These are a mix of vintage shops, home decor, and clothing boutiques.

Joshua Tree Coffee Co

As soon as we got to Joshua Tree, we headed straight to Joshua Tree Coffee Co for a much-needed afternoon latte. Their organic coffee beans are roasted right in Joshua Tree. You can actually see the process in the back of their modern coffee shop. I love checking out local craft coffee shops like this one and their coffee was superb. We grabbed one of their coffee bags that I can’t wait to brew at home. If you are a coffee lover, you definitely need to stop by!

Art Queen Complex

As I mentioned above, the World Famous Crochet Museum is located in the Art Queen complex, a community public space and art gallery for music, art, and local vendors. It offers a platform for artists to showcase their work to the community. These funky and unique shops are definitely worth checking out, especially if you are already planning to check out the museum.

World Famous Crochet Museum

A unique spot I wanted to check out in Joshua Tree was the World Famous Crochet Museum. The museum has a huge collection of crochet animals and more. My aunt made two crochet animal toys for Sage, which we love. They are just so sweet! I wore this new crochet set from Sezane that day, and I thought it was the perfect outfit for the location lol. The museum is located in the Art Queen Complex with many other shops to check out!

Find Cool Murals

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new town/city is to look for cool murals that are unique to the place! I really liked this mural on the side of The End shop. The colors and designs are so fun, I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos with Sage here!

For my full Joshua Tree travel guide, check out this blog post!

XOXO