Gently rock

Natural desert treasures litter the landscape. One minute there's an ocean of nothingness, next, you're dodging cactuses as you try to take a stroll, then there are huge granite monoliths and boulders lining the road. Finally, you'll see thousands of the park's namesake, the Joshua Tree.

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their own style and attractions.

Palm Springs is famous for its mid-century modern architecture and design, with homes ranging from traditional simple lines and large windows to the eclectic.

The Frey House II is built high up in the San Jacinto mountain range and even has a giant boulder incorporated into the lounge.

And a couple of hours spent on guide Michael Stern's Modern Tour takes you too some of the quirkiest homes you will ever see - guaranteed.

Another of the cities, the artistic Coachella (yes, home of the famous music festival) houses a long wall of murals depicting the lives of locals while the area surrounding Palm Desert offers luxury in the El Paseo Shopping District.

While in PD, spend a morning at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, home to more than 500 animals across 80 acres. Rolling hills provide a perfect landscape for everything from rhinos and cheetahs to ostriches and wolves.

You can even feed your sense of adventure - and that of a greedy giraffe - for a small extra fee. The gentle giants take food out of your hand. Watch those huge tongues!

If you fancy venturing further out, Red Jeep Tours take you deep into the heart of the San Andreas Fault zone, where you can marvel at the geological features sculpted by tectonic plate movement.

The jeep travels through a labyrinth of canyons and breathtaking landscapes and ends with incredible views back over the whole valley. The earthquake fault system is still active, but I'm sure you'll be fine!

Around an hour from civilization is the beauty that is Joshua Tree National Park. Well, I say "park", but at almost 800,000 acres, it's more of a small country within a country.