California Route 62 Road Trip

Dinny and Mr. Rex are billed as the World's Biggest Dinosaurs and possibly the most famous. They made their silver-screen debut in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" in 1985. Now they are joined by a few dozen other fake prehistoric creatures and the establishment charges $12 per person for admission. If you want to skip the fee, snap a few pics from outside the grounds where the dinosaurs are still highly visible.

The Nude Bowl is your classic kidney bean-shaped pool and was a popular BMX and skateboarding haunt especially in the '80s and '90s. It was formerly a nudist resort called the "Desert Gardens Ranch" located just outside of Desert Hot Springs, CA - and you gotta think some hardy skaters had to pay homage occasionally by marrying skating with nudity. When the place started getting too rowdy with raging par...

The spirit of the old west lives on in Pioneertown, CA. Once a permanent movie set built in the '40s used for shooting scenes as well as for housing actors, it's now become a bonafide small town with thriving businesses popular with locals and out-of-towners.

To the tourist, Pappy & Harriets may appear just like any other obscure, local hangout on the outskirts of town. Well, it might be that, but it’s so much more. This legendary venue boasts some pretty heavyweight musical acts including Sir Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Neko Case, Vampire Weekend…the list goes on for days.

This Christian-themed park was opened in 1950 by Reverend Eddie Garver. The first statue was a 10-foot tall, 5-ton statue of Christ created by Frank Martin. Over the next 10 years he built over 30 statues for the park before his death in 1961. Although the park is still managed by the foundation it is showing signs of wear. Some may find it beautiful and some may find it unsettling - it all depends on yo...

As seen on "No Reservations," the Integratron is an acoustically perfect wooden dome situated on a "geomagnetic vortex" positioned just so in relation to the energies of the Great Pyramid in Egypt. It was allegedly built using instruction from extraterrestrials and Anthony Bourdain received a revitalizing "sound bath" that flowed sonic power straight to his chakras. Get all that? Even if not, the buildin...

This outdoor gallery of work by renowned sculptor Noah Purifoy is pure magic. The sprawling desert landscape serves as the perfect backdrop for the weathered, industrial aesthetic of Purifoy’s structural, found object masterpieces. Need we say more?

Who would have ever guessed that a lonely desert highway would be the location of a museum and salon dedicated to beauty and its history? Vintage coiffing equipment and accoutrements are on display next to the newest and best hair potions. However, unlike the 1950s, the stylists here use organic dyes and modern-day techniques.

Yarn art is showcased in this giant green Polaroid camera. Once a photo-developing stand, it was converted by owner Shari Elf. One would not think so many different objects could be made from a ball of yarn and a crochet needle. Lined along every inch of the walls are stuffed animals, toys, realia, and miscellaneous knick-knacks - as well as a few pieces of clothing. Shari doesn't know how to crochet or ...

Big Josh is Joshua Tree's very own Muffler Man. He made the move from Mecca, CA and has been standing here since 2018. The Station owners like to change Big Josh's accessories occasionally. During the first half of 2020 he been sporting a mask and blue nitrile gloves in order to do his part in fighting Covid-19.

This ramshackle wooden "kabin" was the prison of a religious leader with a fantastical name. Interestingly enough, this religious leader was also the fantasy of artist and freethinker Eames Demetrios. The hut is the first historic site which is part of his grand Kcymaerxthaere project. To get there Take Hwy 62 to Sunburst Avenue and turn north. Make a right on Crestview and follow it until you reach a di...

An Old West-style trading post offers everything you need while on holiday in the desert. Get your soft t-shirts and hoodies, guide books and maps, camping supplies and sugary snacks, crystals and hand-made jewelry, incense, and other quirky things for the road. From Twentynine Palms Hwy, go south on Park Blvd. You'll see Coyote Corner directly on your left-hand side. The store is open every day from 9 t...

Made to be eco-friendly and portable, a few dozen of these prefab houses were designed and completed by Finnish architect Matt Suuronen in the 1960s and 1970s. Very few have survived to the present day and the ones that have survived are mostly uninhabitable. This one is unique because it was lovingly restored by Ronald Jackson after he transported it from Wisconsin. Soon thereafter he turned it into an ...