A Guide to visiting Pioneertown in California

The old west lives on in a small town called Pioneertown north of Joshua Tree National Park. This place is unlike any other and is a true hidden gem in California. Not only that, but it’s the most photogenic place so you’ll want to know everything before heading there. In this blog, I outline all you need to know before visiting Pioneertown in California.

Story Behind Pioneertown

Pioneertown was built in 1946 to mirror an 1880s old-western village. It was Dick Curtis’ dream to build a “Living Breathing Movie Set”. So he gathered up investors (27 to be exact) to build the town of his dreams, Pioneertown. Some of the famous investors are Roy Rogers, Dick Curtis, and Russell Hayden.

The goal was to build a town where they could work and play. Back in the day, all of the shops were fully functioning. Today, only a few of the shops in Pioneertown are functioning and the rest are strictly for show.

When to Visit

Since it’s the desert, it gets extremely hot during the summer months. So plan on visiting in the cooler months from November-April when the weather is mild and the crowds are low. We went midday on a Wednesday and we were basically the only ones there.

Mane Street Shops

Only some of the shops on Mane street are functioning and the rest are strictly for show. Here are the ones that are functioning:

Pioneertown General Store

All things vintage, accessories, and western-inspired. They are open Thursday to Monday from 10:30-5 pm but a note on their website that they run on desert time so hours will vary.

MazAmar Art Pottery

A small pottery shop with handmade goods. They are open every day from 10:30-6 pm.

Pioneertown Motel

“There is a special spirit here that attracts folks from around the globe. You may catch a meteor shower, happen upon a sold-out show, dance under the stars or simply pass time around a fire.”

This motel in the middle of nowhere California has to be the quaintest place I’ve ever seen. We only walked around the property for a bit but chatted with the owner enough to know we want to come back for a night here!

Pappy + Harriets

A restaurant and music venue all in one. They note on their website that sometimes the two get in the way of each other so when heading here make sure to check if there is a concert that night. They take reservations, head to their website for more info!

How to get to Pioneertown

Located in the Yucca Valley and is closest to Joshua Tree National Park which is about 20-25 minutes away.

It’s a nice day trip from Palm Springs (40 minutes), Los Angeles (two hours), and San Diego (2.5 hours).

Thanks for reading my Visting Pioneertown in California blog. I hope this helps you plan your trip to visit and for more of our travel guides head here!

XO,

Courtney