Paradise in a Pit Stop for Joshua Tree National Park Visitors

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The Pioneertown Motel’s outdoor makeshift lobby – Photo: Pioneertown Motel

Are you looking to plan a fun trip to take your mind off things this year? If so, Pioneertown, California, is the perfect location. Hop in the car and head on down to the Pioneertown Motel!

The Pioneertown Motel is the epitome of the American West. Located in the Morongo Basin’s High Desert, this motel is a prime location (roughly 125 miles outside Los Angeles and only 12 miles from Joshua Tree National Park) for those looking to explore, take a step off of the beaten path, and enjoy a different kind of vacation.

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The Pioneertown Motel is a single-story inn that has 20 rooms and was first established in 1946 by a group of Hollywood legends. The brothers Matt and Mike French bought and renovated the Pioneertown Motel in 2014 – Photo: Pioneertown Motel

You never know what might happen when you arrive in Pioneertown. The area’s unique spirit attracts people from all over the world, and there’s something for everyone here. Whether you want to take in a show, stargaze, or enjoy some time around a fire, you’ve got plenty of options.

The stunning desert scenery, alone, is reason enough to check out Pioneertown and book a stay at the Pioneertown Motel. The desert is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, from jackrabbits and bighorn sheep to Joshua trees and gorgeous wildflowers. You’ll find lots of healing minerals and rare gems here, too. Let’s not forget, legend also has it that a river of gold runs underground!

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Does the desert speak to you? 🏜

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While you’re here, you must enjoy an outdoor drink or meal (or both) at the newly reopened and restored Red Dog Saloon. Open Thursday through Monday from 4 pm to 10 pm, this is the perfect spot to grab a snack or tasty meal while enjoying the stunning scenery.

Red Dog Saloon
Red Dog Saloon – Photo: Pioneertown Motel

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People​ ​flocked​ ​to​ ​Pioneertown​ ​to​ ​experience​ ​the​ ​mythic​ ​“American​ ​West”​ ​—​ ​an​ ​ad-hoc fantasy​ ​built​ ​by​ ​Hollywood​ ​to​ ​enforce​ ​the​ ​hard-won​ ​values​ ​of​ ​the​ ​American​ ​ethos: simplicity,​ ​ruggedness​ ​and​ ​individualism.​ ​This​ ​was​ ​the​ ​West​ ​of​ ​western​ ​literature,​ ​art, movies​ ​and​ ​of​ ​people's​ ​shared,​ ​but​ ​imagined,​ ​memories.​ ​The​ ​"Code​ ​of​ ​the​ ​West"​ ​was an​ ​unwritten,​ ​socially​ ​agreed​ ​upon​ ​set​ ​of​ ​informal​ ​laws​ ​shaping​ ​the​ ​cowboy​ ​culture​ ​of the​ ​Old​ ​West,​ ​and​ ​involved​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​set​ ​of​ ​ethics​ ​where​ ​good​ ​always​ ​conquered​ ​evil, and​ ​where​ ​ordinary​ ​men​ ​could​ ​stand​ ​as​ ​heroes.​ ​This​ ​concept​ ​trickled​ ​down​ ​into​ ​the “rural​ ​California​ ​mystique”​ ​—​ ​the​ ​holy​ ​grail​ ​that​ ​unites​ ​all​ ​Californian​ ​wanderers,​ ​hippies, cowboys​ ​and​ ​Harley-riders​ ​alike.​ ​They​ ​are​ ​all​ ​searching​ ​for​ ​the​ ​authentic​ ​experience​ ​of land​ ​and​ ​self.​ ​Armed​ ​in​ ​natural​ ​materials​ ​—​ ​leather,​ ​buckskin,​ ​cotton​ ​and​ ​denim​ ​—​ ​it​ ​is a​ ​move​ ​against​ ​industrialism,​ ​technology​ ​and​ ​the​ ​disembodied​ ​future​ ​and​ ​towards notions​ ​of​ ​self-reliant​ ​philosophy,​ ​the​ ​pursuit​ ​of​ ​sensory​ ​inundation​ ​and​ ​affirmation​ ​and communion​ ​with​ ​nature.. with a cocktail 🥃 Join us @reddogpioneertown

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There are plenty of other things to do in the desert while you’re visiting Pioneertown. Go hiking through Joshua Tree National Park or Pioneertown Mountains Preserve, take in some live music at Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, or check out the various local stores for antiques, vintage clothing, and home goods.

Are you ready to experience all that Pioneertown has to offer? If so, you can book a room online today.