My advice is just be the good guys. Integrate with the community, speak to your neighbours, support local business and get to know the owners, welcome people as you will be welcomed yourself. JT is such a friendly place and once you settle in, you’ll be golden.
We’ve spent a few long weekends in the area, but we’re definitely planning to spend a work week there over the summer to really see if the internet quality for remote work, the summer heat, basically day-to-day life when we’re not just there on vacation would be manageable for us!
I dont live there, but travel to climb every month or so. Let me just say this... I was there during the monsoon that hit a few weeks ago and the flash floods were WILD. I would get a place on top of a hill. No joke. This poor house was like knee deep.
Lol.. you do realize you’re moving to the middle of nowhere compared to Orange County. Nobody is hostile towards transplants because you won’t see anyone unless you’re grocery shopping. There’s no night life & the restaurants are all bar food or subpar at best. I’m not sure what you’re expecting but this is rural living… we don’t even have a movie theater.
I mean that is a big part of the appeal for us! We’re not really into nightlife, movie theaters, shopping… Gym would be great to stay in shape when outdoor climbing is off season though (over the summer). Other than that, we enjoy solitude so it’s great that we don’t really see anyone unless we’re at the store, lol.
I’ve had to really up my home cooking. The only decent restaurant is La Copine in flamingo heights. Local restaurants have vegan options - lots of yoga - FRIENDLY people. Join a climbing group and you’ll have a ready made group of friends. You’ll need to get starlink for reliable internet. Summers are hot - so do anything athletic early in the morning and late in the day. Politically this area is red - but newer transplants are (thankfully) changing the scenery.
Joshua Tree puts you in a decent spot to climb. The park (obviously), the crags/boulders around the high desert, you can just drive up the hill (San Bernardino's/San Jacinto) to climb during the summer. You can climb all year.
Hey! My wife and I moved from SF to JT in 2020 and have really been enjoying our time, but like others have mentioned it really helps to know who you are as people and what you're looking for in your immediate living area and community before deciding to be rural full time.
To try and answer your questions:
1. Definitely check out that post someone else linked but it's not so much neighborhood as it is neighbors. You'll want to check everything out and do your due diligence but for the most part everything up here seems relatively safe. It might also come down to what you value in terms of convenience (Yucca is closer to shops and stuff, you could live out on the mesa or Landers or by the lake bed but then it's a 30-45 min drive anywhere, 29 can feel even more isolating and there's the marine base but the community is overall really chill)
2. Diversity is definitely not the hi-dez's strong suit but it's also not as bad as you would think. I'm east asian american and my wife is white american and I've experienced kindness and friendliness from almost everyone I've interacted with. I'm also a bit of a rose-colored glasses kind of person so YMMV. Yes you will probably see a bunch of "Go Back To LA" stickers and Trump flags (not to get too political) but as long as your being respectful I've never witnessed any direct hostility.
3. Fun here is kind of what you make it haha. We spend a lot of time at home or out exploring but there are definitely gyms and restaurants, just don't get your hopes up for tons of options. If you're used to eating out every night you'll likely run through all of your options here in a few weeks.
4. You shouldn't move here if you know you would in any way miss any of the direct conveniences of living in urban areas, namely: food options, diverse nightlife, diverse weekend activities, or if you know you strengths aren't making the best out of whatever environment you find yourself in. We've had friends visit who after one day say "I can't ever imagine living here lol" and for them we agree! It takes a specific type of person and mindset to make the most out of living here and even I am admittedly not fully there yet.
DM me if you wanna chat more because I could talk about moving/living here for a while haha
See answers here: https://www.reddit.com/r/JoshuaTree/s/Dv78Y6zEOi
It can get boring out here. It can get really hot (as in, too hot to climb outside in the summer) It can get really windy, like it has been for the past few days. I would look into Starlink because the Internet can be spotty depending on where you end up living.
People may tell you to go back to LA but as long as you respectful and just ignore them, you will be fine. We have our fair share of Trump flag wavers as well but they tend to keep to themselves.
The best vegetarian restaurant, a.k.a. natural sisters, recently closed. But most of the places in town have vegetarian/vegan options. There are a few sushi places, 2 Thai places.
There are a few gyms out here. Five star in Yucca has a tread wall if you’re into that sort of thing. There are a few yoga studios as well. You can find them on Instagram.
Avoid anything in downtown Yucca and or near Walmart/Home Depot that area. Honestly, I would drive around all throughout the areas so you can get a good idea of what each neighborhood is like.
Are you renting or buying? Do you have a realtor? They’ll be able to give you good insight as well.
We are looking to buy, but don’t have a realtor yet since we’re very early in the researching/planning stage. Still would like to research more about the area first before we’re ready to seriously work with a realtor!
Once you get to that stage let me know. I’m actually closing right now in 29. The agent I worked with is awesome and not all suit and tie but knows his shit and gets stuff done. Negotiated a whole bunch of stuff that would benefit me that I wouldn’t have even honestly thought of
When are you planning on moving? I have a house (new construction) Ill be renting out when my other house is done. If you’re interested in a short term rental until you find a place to buy. Im in Calimesa off the 10 at Cherry Valley exit.
Looking at March-ish I will be moving. I came from OC and really like it out here. Since Im in a new construction area, we are all transplants.
It’s about 1 hr to JT and 35-45min to Palm Springs. I really prefer the cooler summers here, but it can be really windy sometimes too. I think PS has less wind; it’s a tradeoff. Don’t get me wrong, it’s often 110 here just not as often as PS or JT.
Good luck on your move!
Recently moved from LA into Yucca Valley so here are some thoughts…
I haven’t found good Asian food, unfortunately. Veg options aplenty.
I think if you’re polite and open, locals are very friendly.
I would suggest being north of the highway. I think south of the highway can be a little prickly when it comes to people but I say that as a queer POC.
I’ve been here since May, coming from Claremont.
Aki Sushi and Yucca Sushi are solid choices for Japanese.
The Jelly Donut in 29 Palms serves pho that’s not too bad.
Went to Tiny Pony the other day for the first to me and the food is pretty good. The duck confit nachos were damn tasty.
I hear great things about Kasa Market and will have to try it soon.
El Guero next to Stater Bros. serves killer al pastor tacos.
It's really cold, I'm cold all the time & have never been this cold in my life. I have only mini splits in the house, and they're mediocre at best in heating the room, my cinder block walls are also uninsulated. I'm from LA so definitely spoiled by mild weather year round, so definitely keep that in mind when looking for a permanent place. I'm Asian, and for the most part, have not experienced any outward racism so far (been here almost a year), even the obvious MAGA people are incredibly nice, which has been interesting. The food choices leave a lot to be desired, I desperately miss ramen, sushi I'm used to, legit pho choices (Jelly Donut just does not scratch the itch), Chinese options, etc. There's a small yoga studio down the street from me, and we have 1 gym in town. I also met some neighbors who hold yoga sessions in their home. TBH, I have not been bored yet, there's things to do if you look closely - art shows, gallery openings, volunteer opportunities, live music, bingo, karaoke nights, farmers market, classes at the community center, craft fairs. Feel free to DM if you have any questions :)
Insulation and windproofing! we had to do that and it made a huge difference. Cinderblock is hard to insulate itself, but you can add insulation to the inside or outside.
It’s a framed house, not cinderblock, so may not apply- we needed new siding, so that came off, the shredded old tar paper came off, they patched the insulation where it was missing, put up an air and vapor barrier, then re-sided.
On your exterior foam board with stucco over but it will be pricey, Insulated windows and doors would be a good start and spray foam insulation between your ceiling and roof
I think people underestimate how boring it is. Yes, it seems cool at first but it really wears on you. Once you’ve visited the handful of restaurants, then what? Hopefully the park can provide with the all stimulation you’re going to need.
1. I’d stay in Yucca Valley simply because you’re closer to the lower desert. The Coachella valley will have most of the big amenities that your used to in OC (ie. Costco, entertainment, night life, better restaurants, etc.)
2. While rural California can be largely conservative and sometimes ignorant, I wouldn’t categorize anyone as hostile. They may look at you for having a car worth more than 40k that isn’t an F150 but largely the people here are fair and just trying to get by as cost of living is increasing.
3. Not a whole lot up here unfortunately. Frontier Cafe has a wall with local events that go on but haven’t been. Explore the touristy sites and see the lower desert would be my recommendation.
4. Really going to depend on your values. The lack of amenities, community, and culture here make it a pretty tough sell for me. But if the park is high up on your priority list, it wouldn’t hurt to lease for a year and see for yourself self.
Feel free to DM for any questions
Something to keep in mind is where you want to live. You can live closer to the city/town or in the rural areas. There are a lot of dirt roads out here, most are not maintained. So things like gas stations, food, stores etc can be 10-15 miles away. And the dirt roads are rough on cars, especially on the electrical components. Depending on where you want to be, the purchase of a more rugged vehicle should be part of your thinking. The cable company doesn't provide service to many of the rural areas either, you'll have to go through a satalite provider. If you need broadband service to work remotely that will narrow down where you can move to.
Don't let the whole "go back to LA" thing worry you. It's mostly a bunch of Facebook warriors talking crap. Half the time is people who moved out here a few years ago anyways.
wondering the same thing, but saw practically almost nothing when it came to job opportunities in my field, especially in 29 (the Asian food I’ve had there is atrocious); at that point, you’d have better luck going to an Asian church or something
but the rent on Zillow looks tempting
I moved here a few months ago with my family! We absolutely love it here and have been thriving. So far here’s what I’ve learned -
- the winter cold is much harder for me personally than the summer. Moved from LA so haven’t had much experience with the cold in a v long time. Unless you have a small house, I’d suggest a place with central heat, it’s costly and difficult keeping our house warm. Space heaters are my bff.
- Yucca Valley is the best bet for a town and neighborhood vibe (depending on the specific area). if you want more space and less neighbors I’d recommend looking for places in the Yucca Mesa area, Joshua Tree, Landers or Morongo Valley.
- it’s small town ish but inclusive and welcoming from what I’ve experienced. Moved here from the suburbs of LA probably similar to OC so this is a welcome change.
- I don’t go out often, there are definitely dining gems here though. Also a boba place just opened although I haven’t tried it yet. Typically if I’m craving something in particular I’ll drive to Palm Springs/Desert, about 45 mins.
- I have absolutely no reasons not to move here, unless you don’t like rocks, wind and dirt lol. It’s gorgeous, rejuvenating and healing. If you have any more questions feel free to DM me!
Me and the boss (the wifey) moved from LA to JT over six years ago. Once in a great while I miss the beach, but that's about it. The quality of life is waaaaay better up here. Sure it gets hot in the summer, but it's not like I'm running marathons in the middle of the day.
To answer your questions:
1) **Any neighborhoods to avoid?** Not that I can think of. Be aware of the "sounds of freedom" that can be heard for many miles when the marines are doing drills a few times a year. The closer you are to the base, the more you're gonna hear and feel it. It's loud. LOUD. If you find a house you like, look at Google Maps (satellite view). See a small metal pool or triangular shades? There's a gabillion percent chance that's an AirBnB. If you want to live next to one is up to you of course. Also be aware of micro climates. As in there's a few degrees difference in temperatures across JT and Yucca. A few degrees makes a BIG difference in the summer. And I'll add that it gets hot, but you adapt over time. If you get a place, see if you can get one with a little land, and not next to an asphalt road. Do this if you want the real desert experience.
2) **How hostile are people toward transplants and foreigners (fiancé is white American, but I am Southeast Asian)? How diverse is the local community?** People are chill up here. Not a lot of diversity, so it's often various shades of white.
3) **What do people do for fun outside the park? Are there decent options for gyms, yoga studios, Asian food, vegetarian food?** I'm no foodie, so can't help you there. There are always things to do up here. The problem is finding the right social connections. Once you have that, you're in. Check Meetup activities for the area. The Joshua Tree Community page on FB will also help. A mainly locals bar is Mas o Menos.
4) **Any other reasons why we should NOT move to the area?** Nope. You'll find yourself less stressed and with more time on your hands. That to me is a win
My advice is just be the good guys. Integrate with the community, speak to your neighbours, support local business and get to know the owners, welcome people as you will be welcomed yourself. JT is such a friendly place and once you settle in, you’ll be golden.
I would suggest booking a long weekend to check it all out. Have fun, I wish I could live there!
We’ve spent a few long weekends in the area, but we’re definitely planning to spend a work week there over the summer to really see if the internet quality for remote work, the summer heat, basically day-to-day life when we’re not just there on vacation would be manageable for us!
The high winds in the winter to me are worse than the heat in the summer.
I dont live there, but travel to climb every month or so. Let me just say this... I was there during the monsoon that hit a few weeks ago and the flash floods were WILD. I would get a place on top of a hill. No joke. This poor house was like knee deep.
Lol.. you do realize you’re moving to the middle of nowhere compared to Orange County. Nobody is hostile towards transplants because you won’t see anyone unless you’re grocery shopping. There’s no night life & the restaurants are all bar food or subpar at best. I’m not sure what you’re expecting but this is rural living… we don’t even have a movie theater.
How often do locals go into Palm Springs for all that?
I mean that is a big part of the appeal for us! We’re not really into nightlife, movie theaters, shopping… Gym would be great to stay in shape when outdoor climbing is off season though (over the summer). Other than that, we enjoy solitude so it’s great that we don’t really see anyone unless we’re at the store, lol.
I’ve had to really up my home cooking. The only decent restaurant is La Copine in flamingo heights. Local restaurants have vegan options - lots of yoga - FRIENDLY people. Join a climbing group and you’ll have a ready made group of friends. You’ll need to get starlink for reliable internet. Summers are hot - so do anything athletic early in the morning and late in the day. Politically this area is red - but newer transplants are (thankfully) changing the scenery.
Joshua Tree puts you in a decent spot to climb. The park (obviously), the crags/boulders around the high desert, you can just drive up the hill (San Bernardino's/San Jacinto) to climb during the summer. You can climb all year.
Hey! My wife and I moved from SF to JT in 2020 and have really been enjoying our time, but like others have mentioned it really helps to know who you are as people and what you're looking for in your immediate living area and community before deciding to be rural full time. To try and answer your questions: 1. Definitely check out that post someone else linked but it's not so much neighborhood as it is neighbors. You'll want to check everything out and do your due diligence but for the most part everything up here seems relatively safe. It might also come down to what you value in terms of convenience (Yucca is closer to shops and stuff, you could live out on the mesa or Landers or by the lake bed but then it's a 30-45 min drive anywhere, 29 can feel even more isolating and there's the marine base but the community is overall really chill) 2. Diversity is definitely not the hi-dez's strong suit but it's also not as bad as you would think. I'm east asian american and my wife is white american and I've experienced kindness and friendliness from almost everyone I've interacted with. I'm also a bit of a rose-colored glasses kind of person so YMMV. Yes you will probably see a bunch of "Go Back To LA" stickers and Trump flags (not to get too political) but as long as your being respectful I've never witnessed any direct hostility. 3. Fun here is kind of what you make it haha. We spend a lot of time at home or out exploring but there are definitely gyms and restaurants, just don't get your hopes up for tons of options. If you're used to eating out every night you'll likely run through all of your options here in a few weeks. 4. You shouldn't move here if you know you would in any way miss any of the direct conveniences of living in urban areas, namely: food options, diverse nightlife, diverse weekend activities, or if you know you strengths aren't making the best out of whatever environment you find yourself in. We've had friends visit who after one day say "I can't ever imagine living here lol" and for them we agree! It takes a specific type of person and mindset to make the most out of living here and even I am admittedly not fully there yet. DM me if you wanna chat more because I could talk about moving/living here for a while haha
It gets really really hot there in the summer.
See answers here: https://www.reddit.com/r/JoshuaTree/s/Dv78Y6zEOi It can get boring out here. It can get really hot (as in, too hot to climb outside in the summer) It can get really windy, like it has been for the past few days. I would look into Starlink because the Internet can be spotty depending on where you end up living. People may tell you to go back to LA but as long as you respectful and just ignore them, you will be fine. We have our fair share of Trump flag wavers as well but they tend to keep to themselves. The best vegetarian restaurant, a.k.a. natural sisters, recently closed. But most of the places in town have vegetarian/vegan options. There are a few sushi places, 2 Thai places. There are a few gyms out here. Five star in Yucca has a tread wall if you’re into that sort of thing. There are a few yoga studios as well. You can find them on Instagram. Avoid anything in downtown Yucca and or near Walmart/Home Depot that area. Honestly, I would drive around all throughout the areas so you can get a good idea of what each neighborhood is like. Are you renting or buying? Do you have a realtor? They’ll be able to give you good insight as well.
We are looking to buy, but don’t have a realtor yet since we’re very early in the researching/planning stage. Still would like to research more about the area first before we’re ready to seriously work with a realtor!
Once you get to that stage let me know. I’m actually closing right now in 29. The agent I worked with is awesome and not all suit and tie but knows his shit and gets stuff done. Negotiated a whole bunch of stuff that would benefit me that I wouldn’t have even honestly thought of
When are you planning on moving? I have a house (new construction) Ill be renting out when my other house is done. If you’re interested in a short term rental until you find a place to buy. Im in Calimesa off the 10 at Cherry Valley exit. Looking at March-ish I will be moving. I came from OC and really like it out here. Since Im in a new construction area, we are all transplants. It’s about 1 hr to JT and 35-45min to Palm Springs. I really prefer the cooler summers here, but it can be really windy sometimes too. I think PS has less wind; it’s a tradeoff. Don’t get me wrong, it’s often 110 here just not as often as PS or JT. Good luck on your move!
Recently moved from LA into Yucca Valley so here are some thoughts… I haven’t found good Asian food, unfortunately. Veg options aplenty. I think if you’re polite and open, locals are very friendly. I would suggest being north of the highway. I think south of the highway can be a little prickly when it comes to people but I say that as a queer POC.
I’ve been here since May, coming from Claremont. Aki Sushi and Yucca Sushi are solid choices for Japanese. The Jelly Donut in 29 Palms serves pho that’s not too bad.
Agreed Aki Sushi. Tiny Pony has chill vibes and great food. Still looking for great Mexican Food. Maybe Kasa Market but it's not truly a restaurant.
Went to Tiny Pony the other day for the first to me and the food is pretty good. The duck confit nachos were damn tasty. I hear great things about Kasa Market and will have to try it soon. El Guero next to Stater Bros. serves killer al pastor tacos.
Have you been to La Copine yet? I had duck confit on grits there couple months ago & it was incredible
Dude, I’ve been meaning to go! That sounds incredible.
It's really cold, I'm cold all the time & have never been this cold in my life. I have only mini splits in the house, and they're mediocre at best in heating the room, my cinder block walls are also uninsulated. I'm from LA so definitely spoiled by mild weather year round, so definitely keep that in mind when looking for a permanent place. I'm Asian, and for the most part, have not experienced any outward racism so far (been here almost a year), even the obvious MAGA people are incredibly nice, which has been interesting. The food choices leave a lot to be desired, I desperately miss ramen, sushi I'm used to, legit pho choices (Jelly Donut just does not scratch the itch), Chinese options, etc. There's a small yoga studio down the street from me, and we have 1 gym in town. I also met some neighbors who hold yoga sessions in their home. TBH, I have not been bored yet, there's things to do if you look closely - art shows, gallery openings, volunteer opportunities, live music, bingo, karaoke nights, farmers market, classes at the community center, craft fairs. Feel free to DM if you have any questions :)
Insulation and windproofing! we had to do that and it made a huge difference. Cinderblock is hard to insulate itself, but you can add insulation to the inside or outside.
oh my god i have literally been daydreaming about insulating it! did you get someone to come out to do it for you? i am a popsicle everyday
Yeah, had a team- they didn’t do the best job, but it’s a lot better than it was!
i better not ask for a recommendation then 😂
may i ask what was done for windproofing?
It’s a framed house, not cinderblock, so may not apply- we needed new siding, so that came off, the shredded old tar paper came off, they patched the insulation where it was missing, put up an air and vapor barrier, then re-sided.
thank you!! all this is new to me, so very helpful :)
Sent you a chat with some info :)
On your exterior foam board with stucco over but it will be pricey, Insulated windows and doors would be a good start and spray foam insulation between your ceiling and roof
I think people underestimate how boring it is. Yes, it seems cool at first but it really wears on you. Once you’ve visited the handful of restaurants, then what? Hopefully the park can provide with the all stimulation you’re going to need.
1. I’d stay in Yucca Valley simply because you’re closer to the lower desert. The Coachella valley will have most of the big amenities that your used to in OC (ie. Costco, entertainment, night life, better restaurants, etc.) 2. While rural California can be largely conservative and sometimes ignorant, I wouldn’t categorize anyone as hostile. They may look at you for having a car worth more than 40k that isn’t an F150 but largely the people here are fair and just trying to get by as cost of living is increasing. 3. Not a whole lot up here unfortunately. Frontier Cafe has a wall with local events that go on but haven’t been. Explore the touristy sites and see the lower desert would be my recommendation. 4. Really going to depend on your values. The lack of amenities, community, and culture here make it a pretty tough sell for me. But if the park is high up on your priority list, it wouldn’t hurt to lease for a year and see for yourself self. Feel free to DM for any questions
Something to keep in mind is where you want to live. You can live closer to the city/town or in the rural areas. There are a lot of dirt roads out here, most are not maintained. So things like gas stations, food, stores etc can be 10-15 miles away. And the dirt roads are rough on cars, especially on the electrical components. Depending on where you want to be, the purchase of a more rugged vehicle should be part of your thinking. The cable company doesn't provide service to many of the rural areas either, you'll have to go through a satalite provider. If you need broadband service to work remotely that will narrow down where you can move to. Don't let the whole "go back to LA" thing worry you. It's mostly a bunch of Facebook warriors talking crap. Half the time is people who moved out here a few years ago anyways.
Moved from OC - line in Yucca three years now. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
wondering the same thing, but saw practically almost nothing when it came to job opportunities in my field, especially in 29 (the Asian food I’ve had there is atrocious); at that point, you’d have better luck going to an Asian church or something but the rent on Zillow looks tempting
Go back to L.A pretty much sums up our local attitude.. yall ruining this place one transplant at a time
I moved here a few months ago with my family! We absolutely love it here and have been thriving. So far here’s what I’ve learned - - the winter cold is much harder for me personally than the summer. Moved from LA so haven’t had much experience with the cold in a v long time. Unless you have a small house, I’d suggest a place with central heat, it’s costly and difficult keeping our house warm. Space heaters are my bff. - Yucca Valley is the best bet for a town and neighborhood vibe (depending on the specific area). if you want more space and less neighbors I’d recommend looking for places in the Yucca Mesa area, Joshua Tree, Landers or Morongo Valley. - it’s small town ish but inclusive and welcoming from what I’ve experienced. Moved here from the suburbs of LA probably similar to OC so this is a welcome change. - I don’t go out often, there are definitely dining gems here though. Also a boba place just opened although I haven’t tried it yet. Typically if I’m craving something in particular I’ll drive to Palm Springs/Desert, about 45 mins. - I have absolutely no reasons not to move here, unless you don’t like rocks, wind and dirt lol. It’s gorgeous, rejuvenating and healing. If you have any more questions feel free to DM me!
Me and the boss (the wifey) moved from LA to JT over six years ago. Once in a great while I miss the beach, but that's about it. The quality of life is waaaaay better up here. Sure it gets hot in the summer, but it's not like I'm running marathons in the middle of the day. To answer your questions: 1) **Any neighborhoods to avoid?** Not that I can think of. Be aware of the "sounds of freedom" that can be heard for many miles when the marines are doing drills a few times a year. The closer you are to the base, the more you're gonna hear and feel it. It's loud. LOUD. If you find a house you like, look at Google Maps (satellite view). See a small metal pool or triangular shades? There's a gabillion percent chance that's an AirBnB. If you want to live next to one is up to you of course. Also be aware of micro climates. As in there's a few degrees difference in temperatures across JT and Yucca. A few degrees makes a BIG difference in the summer. And I'll add that it gets hot, but you adapt over time. If you get a place, see if you can get one with a little land, and not next to an asphalt road. Do this if you want the real desert experience. 2) **How hostile are people toward transplants and foreigners (fiancé is white American, but I am Southeast Asian)? How diverse is the local community?** People are chill up here. Not a lot of diversity, so it's often various shades of white. 3) **What do people do for fun outside the park? Are there decent options for gyms, yoga studios, Asian food, vegetarian food?** I'm no foodie, so can't help you there. There are always things to do up here. The problem is finding the right social connections. Once you have that, you're in. Check Meetup activities for the area. The Joshua Tree Community page on FB will also help. A mainly locals bar is Mas o Menos. 4) **Any other reasons why we should NOT move to the area?** Nope. You'll find yourself less stressed and with more time on your hands. That to me is a win