Nestled in the Mojave hills near Joshua Tree, the High Desert Observatory blends midcentury charm with hands-on workshops and unique celestial experiences.
3020 Hilton Ave, Yucca Valley, CA 92284 Get directions
"About a 20-minute drive from Joshua Tree National Park, Observatory Retreat bills itself as the world’s only vacation rental that offers guests exclusive access to an automated dome observatory. In other words, walk in, click on a celestial body on a screen, and the dome and telescope will automatically rotate and focus to give you the best view. You’ll be spending the night in a three-bedroom house with plenty of high desert charm (like cactus wall art) and a slew of fun-loving amenities for the non-astronomically inclined, including foosball, air hockey, billiards, skeeball, and more." - Nicholas DeRenzo
"A 1961 midcentury-modern cabin with a private $25,000 telescope observatory, located near Joshua Tree National Park, and featuring amenities like bean bag loungers, hammocks, a ping-pong table, and a hot tub." - Nicholas DeRenzo
