California Adventures & Family Connections!

This week’s video takes us on an exciting road trip to sunny California, first stop: the one and only Joshua Tree National Park! 🌵⛰️ We hiked scenic trails, scrambled over epic rock formations, and tracked down the perfect spot to watch the sun melt into the desert horizon. Spoiler alert: the sunset did not disappoint.

But the adventure didn’t stop there! We had the opportunity to meet Laurie’s biological half-brother for the very first time and spend Easter weekend with his wonderful family. Big thanks to the Manchesters for being such amazing hosts and for taking us all the way to the Pacific Ocean so we could officially say we’ve dipped our toes in that salty blue!

Camping at Indian Cove 🏕️

Indian Cove Campground, tucked into a quieter corner of Joshua Tree near the town of Twentynine Palms, was our home base. It’s about a 30-minute drive from the main park entrances and doesn’t offer hookups (hello, dry camping!), but it was peaceful, scenic, and just right for our two-night stay. Heads-up for future travelers: if you’ve got a larger rig, book early and do some digging on location. Campground spots in the park can be a bit tricky! Reserve through Recreation.gov up to six months in advance.

Joshua Tree Highlights 🌄

We squeezed in as much exploring as possible in our two days. We hit some popular (but not too crowded) trails like Arch Rock, Heart Rock, and Lost Horse Mine. Sam’s favorite? The Hall of Horrors was an absolute playground of massive boulders you can climb, crawl through, and conquer like a rock ninja.

When sunset rolled around, we took a tip from Your Guide to the National Parks by Michael Joseph Oswald and headed down Desert Queen Mine Road. This was a total win, we had the place to ourselves and captured some stunning shots of the iconic Joshua Trees glowing in the golden light. ✨

Onward to Riverside!

Next up, Riverside, just east of L.A.  I met my biological half-brother Steven in person! He and his lovely wife Laura welcomed us like family, and we got to celebrate Easter together with church, dinner, and a day at the beach. 🌊

We visited Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach, caught sight of surfers riding the waves where the U.S. Open of Surfing is held, and enjoyed a delicious lunch with ocean views. It was a bit chilly so thank goodness for jackets.

Coming Soon… Nevada!

Next up: we’re headed to Nevada to explore Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the legendary Hoover Dam. Stay tuned for more adventures from the road! 🚐✨