Flight
~40 minute drive to Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree Apparently this small airport was named one of the top 10 most stress-free airports in the U.S. So there's that.
Flight
~1.5 hour drive to Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree If flying into Palm Springs is not an option, going through Ontario may be the next least stressful option. It is about half the distance from the high desert as flying into LAX.
Flight
~2 hour 20 minute drive to Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree Formerly known as Bob Hope Airport, this little airport in Burbank is somewhat closer than LAX.
Flight
~3+ hour drive time to Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree While flying to LAX, renting a car, and driving from there to the high desert may sound like a cheaper option than taking a connecting flight to Palm Springs, it won't be the least stressful. Note that there is a music festival almost every weekend of April (including the 18th), so there will likely be more traffic leaving LA on the I-10 before you hit the 62. However, there should be less traffic driving from LAX than from SAN (as the festival takes place about 50 miles south of Yucca Valley).
Flight
~2.5 - 3.5 hours to Joshua Tree/Yucca Valley You might be able to find a cheaper flight into San Diego, which is a similar distance from the desert as LAX. However, note that there is a music festival almost every weekend of April (including the 18th), so there will be more traffic when heading north from San Diego through the Coachella Valley. Our wedding venue is ~50 miles north of Coachella.
Rental Car
We HIGHLY suggest renting a car, as there is a lot to explore in the area, and Uber/Lyft in the high desert isn't a reliable way to get around.
Train
The MBTA (Morongo Basin Transport Authority) leaves 3X/day from Palm Springs Airport to the Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree area. Click the link for more info.
House Or Rental
Especially if you can get a group of people together, this may be one of the cheaper options. If you want to go all out, there are also some really fantastic mid-century homes you could rent for the weekend. Most options labeled Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, or Pioneertown would probably be close enough to the venue, but you can always gauge distance by seeing how close the rental appears to be to Route 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway). That is kind of the main road through a lot of these towns, and our venue is not too far off of it. The farther your rental from it, the longer your drive home after the reception.
House Or Rental
Similar to Airbnb, this website is another vacation home rental option.
Hotel
We haven't stayed here, but it seems to be a spot people like in the area. Rock Legend Gram Parsons passed away here in room 8. Whether or not that is an attractive quality is up to you.
Hotel
Small motel in Joshua Tree with rooms starting at ~$125/night.
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
This small hotel is centered around a mineral hot springs pool that looks very relaxing. Note that it is located between Palm Springs and the Joshua Tree area, so it is a bit farther of a drive to the venue (looks to be about ~23 miles, so somewhere around a 30 minute drive). However, if you are looking for a desert oasis kind of vibe this might be your jam.