Eastbound To The Palm Desert

Rise and shine. This is L.A., so you'll want to be on the way out of town by 7:30, lest you spend the first part of your road trip in traffic.

Now that you're outside the city's bustle of traffic, take a break to stretch the legs and walk off the burrito at Box Springs Mountain Reserve Park. Located on 3,400 beautiful acres of land that overlook the cities of Riverside, this nature reserve has a number of multi-use trails that make you feel away from it all. Enjoy a short walk and take in the stunning scenery before continuing east.

Just off the highway is one of Southern California's quirkiest attractions, the Cabazon Dinosaurs, as seen in Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure. You can pay a nominal fee to actually go inside T-Rex, although for many people it's enough to just snap a selfie before continuing on down the highway.

Transport yourself to South France at this Provencal-style restaurant in downtown Palm Springs. Enjoy a number of different sweet or savory crepes, or get a decadent order of brioche French toast. Pair your meal with a glass of French wine, or treat yourself to one of their signature cocktails. Farm takes reservations for dinner, while breakfast and lunch are walk-in only. Farm is located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, so afterward you can take a little walk of downtown or drive straight to the next stop.
Make a reservation in advance on the official website.

Give your car a charge at the CCS charging station, which is located in the parking structure at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Type: CCS 4 stations, 4 plugs Power: 62,5 kW

On those warm Palm Spring days, the Palm Springs Art Museum is a great opportunity to cool down and discover one of the top cultural attractions in the area. Take in the more than 12,000 modern and contemporary art objects set in a beautifully-designed museum that is the largest cultural institution in the Coachella Valley.
Note that the museum is closed Mondays through Wednesdays.

Take in the sights, sounds, and accommodations of Pioneertown, originally developed in the 1940s by a number of movie starts to exist as a Hollywood movie set. Check into your accommodations for the night, and revel at the history and stories that these walls could tell.

Walk the same dusty streets that the likes of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and many other actors have walked in Pioneertown, where scores of movies have been filmed. Check out any number of the shops and studios behind western facades, such as the General Mercantile Shop and Pioneertown General Store. Many of the businesses are open until sundown, as they advertise.
If you're lucky enough, try to grab a bar seat or table at Pappy and Harriet's, a renowned restaurant, bar and music venue that has hosted musicians that have included Paul McCartney, Lorde, and the Arctic Monkeys.

Belly up to the bar of The Red Dog Saloon, which originally was a mainstay in western films and shows like The Gene Autry Show and The Cisco Kid. It gets new life today as a bar and tex-mex restaurant. Don't miss their tacos, such as the pork carnitas braised in cider, and pair it with one of their specialty cocktails, like Tommy's Margarita or a Paloma.
Note: The Red Dog Saloon is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

After a day of driving and exploring Southern California's desert and old west, it's time to hit the hay.