Mineral Springs Spa, Mountaintop Panorama, and Dinner at Cary Grant's House

For breakfast, the diner of choice is Crossroads Cafe, located on the main drag in the town of Joshua Tree. This laid-back joint, as atmospheric as a mining shack and with strong coffee to match, starts serving food at 7am. Take-away isn't an option, though, so if you want to grab something for your day’s explorations, go next door to The Dez, where you can order picnic lunches, grab prepared sandwiches and salads, or get hot food to go. Along the same stretch of businesses (no need to re-park), you’ll find some of Joshua Tree’s better shopping at Ricochet Vintage Wears (for boots and other Western duds) and Hey There Projects, an upscale mix of art, books, desert guides, and crafted clothing.

Steady winds funnel through the San Gorgonio Pass, where a field of windmills was strategically planted to convert the breezes into clean energy. The windmills signal your entry into the Low Desert and the town of Desert Hot Springs. Notorious gangster Al Capone is said to have built his West Coast hideout here in the 1920s at Two Bunch Palms, one of many spots in town where natural hot and cold mineral springs have attracted visitors. If you’d like to partake of the thermal waters, maintained at temps between 99 and 104 degrees, day passes and spa treatments are available at Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort. No need to hurry to find lunch—there's an onsite cafe serving healthy options.