Art and nature thrive at 29 Palms Inn, a collection of thick-walled adobe bungalows and wood-frame cabins on 70 acres within the Oasis of Mara. There’s no lodging closer to the Twentynine Palms Visitor Center of Joshua Tree National Park, and no place that better captures the artistic essence of J-Tree.
What to Expect at 29 Palms Inn
Walk the grounds at 29 Palms Inn and you’ll uncover a series of small, memorable moments—hand-carved wooden signs offering both practical guidance and gently quixotic observations, tucked along pathways and near gathering spots. One visual focal point is artist Makoto Hashigami’s Spirit of Mara mural, which portrays a Native American woman carrying water from the oasis and speaks to the site’s cultural and environmental roots.
Owned by the same family for five generations, the inn offers a relaxed collection of cabins and rooms, including two historic structures dating back to the 1920s that preserve the property’s early desert-ranch character. Guests can wander the 2-acre organic farm that supplies produce for the inn’s well-regarded restaurant, sway in hammocks strung beneath cottonwoods, or linger by the palm-shaded pond. The oasis attracts a surprising diversity of birdlife, enough that a local naturalist leads guided bird walks on weekend mornings.
Dining at 29 Palms Inn
The inn’s boho Restaurant at the 29 Palms Inn, right next to the pool, serves baked-on-the-premises sourdough bread, as tasty as San Francisco’s signature loaves, and organic produce from Faultline Farm is harvested by the chef and featured on the menu daily. At the restaurant’s bar, order up an artisanal cocktail or local beer to go with nightly low-key live music performed in the corner.
Is 29 Palms Inn Dog-Friendly?
29 Palms Inn is dog-friendly, welcoming well-behaved dogs in select rooms for an additional fee. Guests are asked to keep dogs leashed on the grounds and be mindful of the inn’s wildlife-rich oasis setting.
Things to Do Near 29 Palms Inn
Just steps from the inn are a number of places visitors should check out. The 29 Palms Creative Center serves as a hub for arts, learning, and community engagement in the Mojave Desert. The center hosts rotating exhibitions, artist residencies, and an eclectic calendar of workshops that range from writing and coppersmithing to working with stained glass and kids' crafts. Visitors are welcome to attend lectures, readings, and special events, many of which draw inspiration from the surrounding desert landscape.
Also nearby is the 1920s-era Old Schoolhouse Museum and the 29 Palms Art Gallery, which has roots that go back to the early 1950s and has monthly art exhibitions.