Outdoor museum, dedicated to showing the work of Noah Purifoy, a late 20th century LA artist who…read morespent the last years of his life on this property, making sculptures out of recycled everyday materials. His workshop and living trailer are still there, surrounded by his artwork. The grounds are unfenced, and there is a dedicated parking area on both side of the dirt ride, towards the West part of the exhibit (coming from the East, important to keep going until you see a small parking area on the south part of the road...otherwise, you will be parking on private property.) You can get up close and personal, and touch whatever you like (since it's part of how the exhibit's age). But it can also be dangerous, with many pokey and sharp things, so need to watch out while wandering. Art is a subjective thing, and I would not have guessed that I would have enjoyed his exhibit as much as I did (especiallyl the exhibits involving bowling balls and/or toilets as the main materials). But as I continued to look at his pieces, kept wondering 'What was he thinking?....How did he envision this would look 20 years after creation, as the desert enveloped?', both from an overall macro level, but also from a detailed, day-to-day accomplishment perspective. The setting of the desert is as integral as the recycled material itself. And I couldn't help but think...'is this what a end-of-the-world scenario would look like?'. And as certain parts of the exhibit degrades, will the foundation fix it...or is that the natural progression of his art? There is a handout near the entrance that tells the fascinating story of the artist's life. It's well worth reading.

This place is awesome! It's an outdoor art gallery of large sculptures and installations out in…read morethe middle of the desert. You have to drive out a little, but it's located in a neighborhood with a couple houses so close by, there are signs telling you it's private property. You can spend quite some time out here, immersing yourself in the artwork. My favorite is the toilet temple. It's built out of toilets, and you can walk through the archway made out of toilets. There are multiple structures built that you can walk through and feel as though you are walking through a place that is forbidden, including a shack, complete with bed and clothes hanging on a line. The artwork spans decades. He's a prolific artist. The majority of the sculptures have cables holding them down, so you have to be careful not to trip on them accidentally when walking up close, I'd you're not paying attention. I highly recommend visiting this place. Admission is free! Parking: Plenty of free designated parking.

Just next to the crochet museum, good little plaza to look around &/or buy/support small…read moreartist/buisnesses

Love this place. If you like handmade crochet, you'll love this place, too…read more It's right next to the world famous crochet museum, for which the Art Queen is obviously the owner and curator. There are a couple crochet art pieces right outside, along with a table of crochet hats. Yes, I bought one. When you step inside, there's a hanging chair I took a selfie in. Barely made the weight limit. :). The artist's working studio is adjacent to the store. The Art Queen herself. It's quite the eclectic little store. She sells crochet tops, crochet animals, crochet hearts, crochet flowers, and well, you get the picture. Along with that hat, I also purchased a heart, bear face, and a couple flowers. All for $20! What a bargain. I'm surprised I was able to stop myself from buying more. In a trailer across the way, she sells new afghan blankets. Yes, new. Those are also reasonably priced.

What a gem! Sacred sands is a beautiful and relaxing boutique hotel near Joshua Tree National Park…read more My boyfriend and I came here for a weekend trip a couple of weeks ago. We only stayed for one night but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Check-in instructions were sent via email and there's a code to unlock the room. The grounds are very pretty, perfect for a desert wedding or party. There are great views all around and there aren't any neighbors nearby. It looks like they own a lot of acreage nearby. The room we stayed in was the Onyx room. It was beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. There are lots of nice additions in the room to ensure you enjoy staying in from wine glasses, a wine fridge, record player with a record collection, bath salts, star gazing area outside with a mattress, and comfy robes and slippers to use during your stay. If it were warmer, I definitely would've tried out the outdoor tub and shower but it was too cold at night to even think about it. There's also a large community pool in the works. As mentioned earlier, this hotel is about a mile from the NP so it's an excellent choice for anyone going there. It's also not too far from town so you're not too far from stores and cafes. I am definitely planning on staying here again!

We loved it here! Incredibly relaxing, peaceful. Gorgeous decor and a very handy location…read more Well-appointed rooms, with a nice mini-fridge and pod-based coffee maker. Comfortable and beautiful outdoor sitting areas. It was so quiet here in the middle of the week. We could just lie outside on the patio bed and look at the stars. We will definitely be back! The sooner the better!

I visited the World Famous Crochet Museum earlier this year and I'm finally reviewing it. It's a…read morequirky roadside attraction just outside the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park at an art complex called Art Queen. The tiny museum, which reminds me of a hot dog stand, is filled to the brim with adorable crocheted items. It's impossible to take it all in because there is so much to look at, including crocheted animals, dolls, and characters from storybooks and nursery rhymes. There is even a small crocheted World Famous Crochet Museum. Only one or two people can fit in the museum at a time and it takes just a couple minutes to check it out. It's worth stopping at the Art Queen complex to see the World Famous Crochet Museum, especially if you like unconventional art, as well as the other galleries, studios, and shops located there.

When you are in the middle of the desert, you never know what quirky and unique places you might…read moreencounter. I spent my birthday here in Joshua Tree and when I travel I often look up places to visit which are unusual for the area. This little place popped up and I knew I had to visit. This is an old converted drive thru Fotomat kiosk like they used to have that was deserted and sat on the highway for many years before it was moved and transformed into this museum. It houses a large and uncounted collection of colorful crochet items. Shari Elf is the artist and has collected all these whimsical pieces. From animals, dolls, food and other characters there is a lot to take in. It is very eclectic and cute. Shari is known as the "Art Queen" and she also has a gallery of art. She asks you not to touch, just look. Donations are accepted via Venmo. This area also houses other small businesses worth exploring.

Great rotating gallery of Joshua Tree artists with new gorgeous works created by Colleena Hake…read morealways available. The gallery has a monthly opening on the second Saturdays of the month. The Second Saturday Art Party are always a blast with performances and music. Check the website lamatadoragallery.org for upcoming events.

There's nothing special about Copper Mountain College. I gave it three stars to be nice. It's…read morelocated out in the middle of nowhere so they don't get the best instructors. I went there to earn a certificate and I only had one course to go to fulfill the 15 units when they dropped the program. A few years later they brought it back and I was able to take that one course and get the certificate. I asked more than once why they dropped the program in the first place and never got an answer. They had to have a reason and should have just been honest with me. If you can, go to College of the Desert in Palm Desert instead of CMC in Joshua Tree. COD has better instructors and offers more degrees, certificates and individual courses.

Nicole in Admissions and Records is absolutely no help. Very rude, couldn't give simple help…read moreinstructions 12/22. Update: Nicole called back, apologized and helped me with my issue. Very mature and professional. I accept the apology. It is almost the holidays so I understand the stress and hold no grudge. God bless

I contacted Carissa with a very generic idea of what I wanted and she was so receptive and kind. I…read moregave her an idea of the floral design I wanted on the side of my Little Free Library and she provided a proof. She met me within my budget, did what she said she would do, and produced absolutely stunning artwork. She knew the correct products to use for this outdoor project and really cared about making sure it would last. I would recommend her over and over again! Carissa is the kind of person you WANT to work with: communicative, friendly, and incredibly talented.

We couldn't be happier with the mural painted in our hallway! From the very beginning, [Artist's…read moreName] took the time to truly understand our vision -- and then went above and beyond to bring it to life. Her creativity, attention to detail, and professionalism were exceptional every step of the way. If you're looking for someone who will not only meet your expectations but exceed them, Carrisa is the one. Her talent speaks for itself, and her passion for her craft truly shines through.

Nice place,clean and neat. We had a issue with the…read morestove,but the owner came out right away and fixed the problem We will hopefully be back Thank you for a great first time experience

Surprisingly bad. Bad service bad food bad drinks. Overpriced. Mediocre food. 15$ for Cadillac…read moremargarita that was in a tiny glass. Drink menu has no prices. How much is the Margarita I think it's $15. Seriously?? Honestly, wondering if the service here is dependent on being Hispanic They seat us away from everyone else. Waited for multiple minutes for us to be served. Server gave terrible recommendations.

I came in and got all of the secret rocks that I needed…read more The woman working there was very helpful and showed us a lot of things that we ended up purchasing. But she wasn't trying to up-sell us - She was just enthusiastic about the rocks and crystals and we agreed that what she showed us was amazing. For example, we got the kryptonite. It glows so well. We held off on the muldavite, but one day that will become a reality. I won't elaborate on the reasons for the secret rocks or the secret meetings that I hold. But I will tell you that you might end up seeing me here a lot. Thank you

Joshua Tree Rock Shop is a stop we made just to check out some cool rocks. My friend said it has…read morebeen around this part of town for quite some time. The staff member was super friendly and chatty. He was nice and we did get some rocks. The inside of this store is really pretty and inviting. So many things to see and wander around so stop by!