City Gal On The Go
If you drive a few hours north of San Francisco, you’ll find Mendocino County. I was amazed at how many quaint towns there are just north of the Bay Area. If you visit Mendocino, try to go during the Great Day in Elk festival in Elk, California (AFAR magazine just named Elk the new Big
Death Valley is a national park in the Mojave Desert, in eastern California on the Nevada border (about an equal drive from Los Angeles and San Francisco). It’s home to Badwater Basin salt flats, the lowest elevation in America (86 meters / 282 feet below sea level), as well as sand dunes and rainbow mountains.
Noah Purifoy is a desert art museum in Joshua Tree, housing large-scale sculptures constructed entirely of junked materials. It’s open daily and free to visit (directions here).
Joshua Tree National Park, named after the iconic tree of the same name, is a national park located in the desert two hours east of Los Angeles. I recommend renting a desert house on the outskirts of the park (we stayed in this adorable AirBnB, photos below). I also recommend visiting Noah Purifoy desert art
Slab City, built on an abandoned military base, is a decommissioned area in the State of California, with no electricity, running water, sewers, toilets, or trash pickup. Known as “The Last Free Place in America,” squatters live there off the grid, free of things like property taxes and utility bills. I recommend combining this with
Salvation Mountain, a colorfully painted mountain located in the California desert, is Leonard Knight’s tribute to God. I’d also recommend visiting adjacent Slab City and East Jesus. I combined these with a trip to Joshua Tree, about two hours away. If you’re interested in desert art, you can see more at Noah Purifoy, an outdoor