G O F E AT U R E
DAY TRIPPER
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
321 miles 15
Discover the Best Places to Travel to for A Day Vacation
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When you get tired of tanning by the pool and sipping margs, there are plenty of day trip destinations in the Coachella Valley waiting for you. Whether it’s Instagramming the colorful boulders of Salvation Mountain or expanding your mind inside the Integratron, the Coachella Valley offers no shortage of spots to visit, all within driving distance of your stay in La Quinta. Don’t be deceived, there’s much more to the Southern California desert than sandy tumbleweeds. So hop in your car, turn on the AC and get ready to explore.
Salvation Mountain E Beal Rd Niland, CA 92257 salvationmountain.us Driving Distance: 65 miles
Ò For a dose of the spiritual, Salvation Mountain is the place to go. Lovingly constructed and cared for by Leonard Knight until he passed away in 2014, Salvation Mountain is 50 feet of adobe, straw and donated paint along with some found objects. The painted mounds and grottoes of Salvation Mountain are Leonard’s reminder to visitors that “God is Love” and beauty is best found through simple devotion. Now, Salvation Mountain Inc. preserves and displays Leonard’s masterpiece, so visitors can continue their pilgrimage to the beloved murals. Be sure to bring some paint in Leonard’s honor. Love Is All You Need: Leonard Knight originally envisioned Salvation Mountain as a patchwork hot air balloon to spread his message of love.
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LOCALE MAGAZINE La Quinta 2015 - Go/Do
Godsmack with Red Sun Rising at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
INTEGRATRON
64 miles
WRITTEN BY: NICK CIMARUSTI
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
36 miles
LA QUINTA 40 miles
NOV. 13 Dead Rock West, and David Alvin and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones at Pappy & Harriet’s
SALTON SEA
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65 miles
SALVATION MOUNTAIN
*map not to scale
Joshua Tree National Park 74485 National Park Dr Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 760.367.5500 nps.gov/jotr Driving Distance: 36 miles
Integratron 2477 Belfield Blvd Landers, CA 92285 760.364.3126 integratron.com Driving Distance: 64 miles
Ò Declared a national park in 1994, Joshua Tree has 12 nature trails, five day hikes and two riding and hiking trails. Park rangers lead “I Speak for the Trees” walks, where visitors can learn about the park’s iconic (and namesake) trees. You can also explore the backcountry roads by mountain bike or 4-wheel drive vehicle. This time of the year, the sun sets early in the park, around 5 p.m., giving you a better chance to observe the desert’s nocturnal wildlife: bighorn sheep, kangaroo rats, coyotes, snakes and black-tailed jackrabbits. At night, you’ll also have a chance to view the Milky Way without the interference of city lights.
Ò Follow the good vibrations toward the white desert dome and you might think you’ve stumbled upon a second Griffith Observatory, but actually this is the Integratron. Nowadays, the Integratron is primarily used for 60-minute sound bath sessions, in which crystal bowls and music provide sonic healing. Musicians, astronomers, yoga and meditation groups, scientists and sound therapists all flock to the Integratron. George Van Tassel, engineer and UFOlogist, was partly inspired to build the Integratron by telepathic communication with Venusian extraterrestrials.
Winter Is Coming: Tuesday, Dec. 22 is the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Use this chance to view the Orion constellation and nebula, which is best seen in December.
Washed Out: Sound baths from the Integratron are available by appointment only, Wednesdays through Mondays. The Integratron is closed Tuesdays. There are no tours.
Death Valley National Park Death Valley, CA 92328 760.786.3200 nps.gov/deva Driving Distance: 321 miles
Ò Don’t be fooled by the name—you’ll feel more alive than you have in years after a visit to Death Valley. During the winter months, the Panamint Mountains are often snowcapped and spring and summer paint the valley in droves of wildflowers. A trip to Death Valley calls for being extra bad: driving along Badwater Road, checking out the salt flats of Badwater Basin (which is the lowest point in North America) and exploring the badlands. Zabriskie Point is the perfect sunset spot, and at night you can explore the sand dunes under a full moon or go star watching during the new moon. Dead Man Walking: Feeling spooky? Venture out to Goldwell Open Air Museum in Rhyolite, Nev., where late Belgian artist Albert Szukalski constructed “The Last Supper,” a group of ghostly statues that are open to the public 24/7, if you dare.
Salton Sea Visitor Center 100-225 State Park Rd North Shore, CA 760.393.3052 Driving Distance: 40 miles
Ò Sometimes an accident can lead to a good thing, like in 1905 when a leak in the Imperial County irrigation system created the Salton Sea. Nearly two decades later, the Salton Sea has become known as a hotspot for speed boat races and other aquatic sports. Each year, 1 million travelers visit the Salton Sea, which is California’s largest lake and the third largest saline lake in the nation. The Varner Harbor jetty lets fishermen catch unlimited amounts of tilapia and the Salton Sea is also a major destination for migrating birds. A Dash of Salt: Around 600 tons of salt are deposited into the Salton Sea each year by irrigation water from the Colorado River.