Have you ever stayed at the 29 Palms Inn in Twentynine Palms? It's situated on the 9,000-year-old Oasis of Mara, surrounded by the amazing Mojave Desert and less than 15 minutes away from the north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. It's a great place to stay, relax and eat if you're planning on spending a few days in the area. I was lucky enough earlier this month to be able to meet an aunt, uncle and cousin there and spend some time showing them some of my favorite places in the park.

It was early April and there were wildflowers in bloom almost everywhere we went. The weather was perfect for hiking and even though the park was very crowded, once you get a little distance away from the main road, it almost seems like you have the place to yourself.

Here are some of the places we visited and things we saw.