Overview
Twentynine Palms is a city of 26,000 (2021) in south central San Bernadino County in the California Desert on the northern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park.
3 sights · 3 things to do · 3 places to eat · 8 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Twentynine Palms
Tortoise Rock Casino
29 Palms Art Gallery
Murals
The town has series of 26 murals painted on the sides of buildings all around town that present the history and personalities of the town. There is a sign listing the location of all the murals on the north side of Highw…
Old Schoolhouse Museum
Smith's Ranch Drive In Theater
Theatre 29
Community theatre
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 104°F; winter lows dip to about 40°F. Very hot (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Aug and Feb.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PSP Palm Springs International Airport, Palm Springs — 33 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SBD San Bernardino International Airport, San Bernardino — 67 mi away (major hub). Directions
Most visitors will arrive in Twentynine Palms on California State Route 62 (CA 62, also known as Twentynine Palms Highway), which runs east-west through the Morongo Basin.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning 29 Palms Art Gallery, Old Schoolhouse Museum, Theatre 29
- Lunch Las Palmas Restaurant
- Afternoon Tortoise Rock Casino, Murals
- Dinner Fuji Restaurant
Day 2
- Morning Smith's Ranch Drive In Theater
- Lunch Cactus Trails Cafe
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The City of Twentynine Palms (also known as 29 Palms) is home to the headquarters and main entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. Situated in the Morongo Basin in the Mojave Desert, the city is renowned for its beautiful natural surroundings, desert and mountain vistas and its world-class murals and artists.
Twentynine Palms is also home to the largest United States Marine Corps base, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.
Climate
At an elevation of more than 1,900 ft above sea level, Twentynine Palms has a slightly cooler climate, especially during winter, than Palm Springs, but with essentially the same subtropical desert characteristics. On average, temperatures reach 100 °F on 89 days, 90 °F on 154 days, and the freezing mark on 17 nights annually. Extremes range from 10 °F on December 23, 1990, to 118 °F on July 11, 1961. Winters are moderately cool, with highs in the 60s °F and the lows in the 40s °F. Summers are hot, with high temperatures above 100 °F. The wettest month is August with 0.65 in inches of rain, mostly from monsoon thunderstorms.
Get in
By car
Most visitors will arrive in Twentynine Palms on California State Route 62 (CA 62, also known as Twentynine Palms Highway), which runs east-west through the Morongo Basin.
For visitors from the west, from the Palm Springs area and beyond, would take CA 62 from Palm Springs through Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree Village to Twentynine Palms.
From the east, CA 62 comes from the Arizona-California state line by Parker, AZ. Visitors from the Las Vegas area could travel south on US 95 to CA 62 just west of the AZ-CA state line. Visitors from central Arizona, such as from Phoenix, would take I-10 to Desert Center (at Jct I-10 and CA 177), north on CA 177 to CA 62, then west on CA 62 to Twentynine Palms.
By bus
There is a limited bus network, run by the Morongo Basin Transit Authority (MBTA). There's an hourly service from Yucca Valley, where it is possible to connect with Palm Springs.
By plane
The closest passenger airport is:
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), about 55 mi west.
Further afield are:
- Ontario International Airport (ONT), about 105 mi west.
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), about 155 mi west.
- San Diego International Airport (SAN), about 165 mi southwest.
Go Twentynine Palms Airport (IATA: TNP)
TNP is a public use airport located six nautical miles (11 km) east of the central business district of Twentynine Palms, a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is owned by the County of San Bernardino
Get around
Most visitors would travel around by car.
See
See Murals
The town has series of 26 murals painted on the sides of buildings all around town that present the history and personalities of the town. There is a sign listing the location of all the murals on the north side of Highway 62 between Smoketree Ave and Yucca Ave.
- — The Old Schoolhouse, built in 1927, is the oldest public building in the Morongo Basin area. The school began in the truest pioneering fashion. After being denied requested funds from San Bernardino County, the inhabitants of the surrounding area decided to take matters into their own hands. Working solely on the assistance and altruism of the community, the one-room schoolhouse was born, hosting eight students hailing from different corners of the Morongo Basin. The schoolhouse is now home to a museum and gift shop operated by the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. Exhibits center around the groups that were important to the history of the Twentynine Palms area: the Native Americans, miners, cattlemen, homesteaders, and military.
Do
Eat
Eat Cactus Trails Cafe
American cuisine in a Southwest-style dining room.
Sleep
There is a variety of lodging available in Twentynine Palms. For camping, see camping options in Joshua Tree National Park.
Stay 29 Palms Inn
Established in 1929, 29 Palms Inn is a historic collection of wood and adobe cabins with a restaurant/bar and swimming pool available on the grounds. Minimizing distractions of the outside world, the rooms do not come with telephones, radios, clocks, and only very small black-and-white televisions without cable.
Stay Holiday Inn Express & Suites
The rooms are large and the beds are comfortable. The hotel has a small, heated pool that is half in the sun and half in the shade. There is a small fitness center as well. Free breakfast consisting of hot and cold food items is offered. The hotel is handicapped-accessible, with several rooms featuring roll-in showers and lifts for both the pool and the spa.
Stay El Rancho Dolores Motel
Go next
- Joshua Tree National Park, south — The large national park south of the town is home to two desert ecosystems and is a favorite for campers, hikers, and rock-climbers.
- Amboy and Route 66, north — The Mother Road routes through the California desert north of Twentynine Palms.
- Mojave National Preserve, north beyond Amboy — Sand dunes, mountain ranges, and mesas with three types of deserts: the Mojave, Great Basin, and Sonoran.
Nearby
Joshua Tree
City / town · 12 listings · 14 mi away
Joshua Tree National Park
Park · 41 listings · 20 mi away
Yucca Valley
City / town · 8 listings · 20 mi away
Desert Hot Springs
City / town · 18 listings · 27 mi away
Indio
City / town · 15 listings · 30 mi away
Cathedral City
City / town · 3 listings · 32 mi away
Coachella
City / town · 1 listings · 32 mi away
Rancho Mirage
City / town · 8 listings · 32 mi away
My experience
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