I heard about this preserve while looking up meerkat experiences. I was able to "adopt" (sponsor) a…read moremeerkat which gave us the opportunity to visit the center for a guided tour and meerkat play date. It was one of the most exciting, fun things I have ever done. Four of us got there a little before our appointment time. Our tour was given by one of the owners of the facility. The tour was very informative, but we all wanted to get our play time in! You sit inside the meerkat enclosure the entire time. The little critters love to dig, so the ground in most of the enclosure is very uneven and full of holes. Our guide provided us gloves to protect our hands while we feed the meerkats. We hung out for about an hour while the meerkats got used to us being in there and began to interact with us. As the pictures show, the little ones are funny characters, full of energy, and great to watch. Our time passed too quickly. It is an experience I would DEFINITELY jump at the opportunity to do again.

We went there several years ago, and it was truly magical. I had asked, for my birthday gift, to…read moreadopt a meerkat. We spent time in the meerkat's enclosure with them, having them jump onto the palms of our hands and watching them interact. Need to get back out there.

We had a wonderful time at Coyote Ridge Stables. The horses were calm and well mannered, and the…read moremules were a highlight with their quirky, funny personalities. April and Gomer had so much character, and Tanner the horse gave us a smooth, enjoyable ride on the trail. The ride was relaxed with snack stops where the animals enjoyed the green grass in the high desert. We also had two dog companions, one leading and one bringing up the back, which made us feel well protected the entire time. We learned about local plants along the way, which made the experience even more special. Highly recommend for a fun, thoughtful, and memorable ride.

The horses were very well behaved and Sue was very nice. She made the atmosphere feel very…read morewelcoming, it was honestly like riding with a friend.

We engaged JT Excursions for a stargazing event and dinner in Joshua Tree National Park. First,…read morethe great thing is that they came to us at our campground in the southern part of the park (Cottonwood) even though they are actually located closest to the Northern Entrance out of JT itself. Amy at the "front office" was easy going, easy to work with. We had a minor bump in the road when we were informed that the catering order would need to be reworked because their usual restaurant that prepares the food was not open on Sunday when our event was scheduled. Amy was quick to make two other suggestions, provide menus, and nail down a new dinner plan. And, the dinner itself was pretty good. Zarrin, aka Cosmic Z, our astronomy guide showed up on time. He was low key, and went about his business setting up dinner for us. We offered to help but he seemed like he was on a mission and had it covered. When it came to actually viewing the sky, Z brought out a mirrored telescope and a digital telescope. Both were fantastic and we viewed the Eagle Nebula and could see the Pillars of Creation. How awesome was that. We also saw the rings around Saturn very clearly, the Andromeda galaxy, and various constellations but most notably Pegasus because of its prominence in the sky during this time of the year. We actually came to see the Orionid meteor shower and when we mentioned this to Z he did not seem to know about it, which puzzled me. However, it became apparent that the shower had been hyped by the news and although we did see some meteors it wasn't something so spectacular that everyone would be buzzing about it. Z was totally polite, easy to ask questions, and knowledgeable. On the latter point, we had quizzed JT Excursions on his credentials before booking but didn't really get any satisfying answers. He is self taught, however, that implies he tinkers in the subject. Z was fully immersed and knew so much about the night sky and universe that even if we tried we could not stump him. Z himself was a star,

Just took a Joshua Tree morning tour with Wendy. She was excellent and patient with my family…read more Since we got into the park a little after 8am, we were constantly ahead of the crowds. Overall we really enjoyed our experience and would highly recommend using them. And we paid about $100 per person for a private morning tour. That's pretty good value IMO! The selection of different activities was very low but that was because we booked the busiest time of the season, and only about 3 weeks ahead of time. Booking process was very smooth. The only issue I had was they were unresponsive to any type of communication beforehand. After I booked online, I wrote them and email asking for confirmation, as well as called them and left a voicemail. I received no reply. I almost thought I might have been scammed! Thankfully that wasn't that case.

Exceptional bourbon, wonderful hospitality, and a true hidden gem in the California desert!…read more What an incredible experience! During our family getaway to Joshua Tree, we decided to visit Joshua Tree Distilling Company, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip! I'm a pretty serious bourbon enthusiast and always enjoy discovering smaller craft distilleries, especially ones that take pride in producing something truly special. Well, let me tell you, these folks are doing something right! We had the opportunity to sample both of their bourbon offerings, and I was genuinely impressed. Both were absolutely phenomenal! Their wheated bourbon particularly stood out with its incredibly smooth character and enjoyable finish. I've tasted my fair share of bourbons, and this one definitely deserves some recognition. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't leave without purchasing a bottle to bring home! But what really made this experience special wasn't just the bourbon. It was the hospitality! We were able to enjoy the distillery tour and tasting as a family, with our daughter Kamryn and our French bulldog Stella both welcomed along for the experience. That was such a refreshing surprise! Being able to share the experience with my family rather than having to split up or skip the visit made it that much more enjoyable. There's something really special about discovering a small business that not only produces an exceptional product but also makes its guests feel genuinely welcome. Joshua Tree Distilling Company absolutely deserves a spot on your itinerary if you're visiting the area. Whether you're a bourbon enthusiast looking for something new or simply interested in experiencing a local craft distillery, this place is well worth your time. To the team at Joshua Tree Distilling Company, thank you for the wonderful experience, the warm hospitality, and, of course, the outstanding bourbon! You have a new fan, and I'll certainly be enjoying that bottle of wheated bourbon back home! Five stars all the way! A fantastic experience from start to finish!

Small distillery crafting up limited batches of liquor in Joshua Tree! It's a cozy space that has a…read morehumble charm with it. They do a little tour and explanation of their process in their still room that can hold a small group of about 10 people if it's not busy. They also have some fun swag for sell that makes a great gift. Overall, enjoyed our time with our group here! A good addition to our itinerary.

After a 2 year COVID delay we finally took our tour . We…read morehad a beautiful day weather wise and Dan was an excellent guide ~ knowledgeable but not overbearing. Conversation was easy and his knowledge of Palm Springs & the valley was really informative. Our stops well timed and we were well received by all the restaurants, each stop with a different style cuisine so we didn't get bored and it wasn't a competitive experience. We come to the desert yearly and seldom venture into Palm Springs so it was nice to see the Marilyn statue plus other Instagram post able venues. A great way to learn about PS and spend some time in the locally owned restaurants!

What a wonderful way to learn about the history of Palm Springs while tasting your way through…read moretown. The food and drink were excellent and plentiful! Dan was our guide and he made the experience comfortable and enjoyable.

Great product, service and mission. Through their hard work at their special date farm, Sam Cobb…read moreand his family are helping to keep California a special place.

Beautiful tour with the charming one and only real deal Sam Cobb, visionary farmer. Enjoyed…read morelearning about the dates, the trees, and how it all began! Tasting dates at the end was very good, such diverse textures and flavors, but just being there was a great experience as the trees are lovely with real presence. Shaded nicely on a hot day. They recommend close-toed shoes to be safe but if you're sure-footed sandals seem fine to me. Getting photos was also great fun! His wife is sweet also, happy to meet them both.

Cannot recommend any higher!! This was such an amazing tour. My face hurt for an hour after, I was…read moresmiling so hard the whole time! And my tour guide, Nic, was great. He was super knowledgeable about the area and really passionate about offroading and hiking, which made the whole experience even that much better. I was honestly hesitant because I had never gone offroading, but I am SO glad I went! Definitely recommended, if you're even remotely considering it, GO!

Joshua Tree Offroad was such a unique experience for me! Typically I'm nervous about this type of…read moreadventure but Nick's reassurance and knowledge really made a difference and I had the most amazing time! Getting behind the wheel under Nicks guidance was all the confidence I needed to enjoy the Offroad trails, not to mention stopping along the way to photograph moments and listen to Nick share what he knew about Joshua tree.

I had a smile the entire time and was sad when it ended. Jeff, our guide was fun, knowledgeable, &…read morepatient. Easy ride, beautiful homes, & such great history. Highly recommend. Thank you, Sheila & George

We really enjoyed the tour of Joshua Tree National Park with our guide, Jeff. He was knowledgeable,…read morefriendly, and clearly passionate about the park & the surrounding nature, i.e. rock formations, desert ecosystem, history of the area, etc. But Jeff made it really fun while learning about massive boulders, Joshua trees, and endless desert views that made us feel like we were on Mars! We had plenty of time to explore, take photos, and just soak it all in without feeling rushed.

Joe Is an excellent guide, well equipped, knowledgeable and friendly…read more It was great fun, and I hit pay-dirt my first time out. Be forewarned side effects include Gold Fever!!!

Hi there adventurers! Well, Joe the tour guide knows the terrain well, telling all kinds of…read morestories and facts. Did you know there was so much gold in Southern California? He showed me how to use a metal detector (and found a gold nugget he buried in the dirt), and also a macheen called a dry wash that sifts the gold (heavier) to the bottom. Really cool! Yep, I did find two little pieces of gold, and it was a fun day. He used to be a chef so he cooks up a really nice lunch, like steak or chicken your choice. Oh, and a rattlesnake was three feet away from me and he shot it on first try. You're safe with him. He used to be a LA Police Officer, and likes to hunt and fish. He said he takes people to the low desert, hi desert and up around Big Bear because he has his favorite gold digging spots. I'd go agin.

Wow! Joshua Tree has some great hidden gems. We had so much fun solving the all the clues and…read moreriddles. We get like we were in a treasure hunting movie Plus, we got so many great photos. 10/10 would recommend. P.S. We decided to take 'The Secret Tour' because it was their most popular. We went to a ton of really cool locations. There's a lot of weird culty/ufo culture. We loved the tour.

To start I want to say we had a fantastic time, and the only reason for three stars is because of…read moretechnical issues that I think can totally be fixed. We did the Joshua Tree UFO tour outside the park. We even dressed up with tin foil hats and our dog in a ufo costume to really get into the mood. The first half of the tour was very very cool and we had a lot of fun. There were many interesting stops and we saw a lot of cool stuff. Here's where I think can be improved. The second half of the tour puts you way farther on a dirt road than feels comfortable. If you have an off road vehicle it probably would be way better. Unfortunately my car didn't fare so well. What really sucked is you cannot skip a clue unless you are basically on top of it. I would have loved the option to skip a clue entirely without having to be so close or travel to that spot at all. We weren't comfortable traveling further into the desert, and with no option to skip we ended up giving up. If that feature is ever fixed or allows you to skip entirely without having to travel to that spot, I would purchase another tour. Overall we loved it and had a great time