Idyllwild has continuously been my go-to place for a little R&R and escapement from the heat of the desert valley below. I have been coming here with family and friends for many, many years to “get away” which is exactly what I did earlier today with a good friend.
As I am (sadly) back in Southern California’s Coachella Valley and my world adventuring outside the U.S. are currently over (for hopefully only a little while) it behooved me to find ways to occupy my time with nearby locations, Idyllwild being a prominent one of those. It’s quite easy to get there, as well, if a bit twisty-turvy ride up the mountainside: from Palm Desert go up Hwy. 74 and thence to Hwy. 243 to get into the cooler coniferous mountain region passing Lake Hemet along the way and you are rewarded with a spectacular view, crisp fresh air, picturesque log cabins, and towering pines.
Today’s outing was a simple one with little to no direction and no time frames, as they tend to be. I drove up past the gas station and parked at The Fort where we meandered about stopping in at Lady of the Lake, the metaphysical shop, and swept through various other shops nearby including their soap shop, an import store, and a local candy/chocolate shop for some sweets on the drive back.
Lunch was had at the Red Kettle (formerly Jan’s Red Kettle) which was an average meal but nothing to write home about. We ended up there because our favorite restaurant – The Bread Basket, a European-style café and bakery a little further up the road – had closed down and we were adrift on where to go from there. If my parents were around we’d probably hit up the Gastrognome, a decent if slightly higher-priced venue, located nearby The Fort but as it was just us two girls we weren’t looking for fancy, just cozy atmosphere and time for girl talk. Our first port of call was Nature’s Wisdom juice bar and bistro next to Oma’s Café for some savory soup and stews but sadly (oh-so-sadly) they only took cash so we had to wander elsewhere. Not to say that the Red Kettle was bad – it wasn’t – but it was a simple place with very friendly staff and somewhat indifferent food. But I do believe it is a local hangout as it was quite busy when we walked in for lunch and probably one of the oldest restaurants in the area, if I had to take a guess. Good for local color but not for the serene ambience the both of us were hoping for.
Food tucked away we found ourselves driving up randomly towards national forest land but without a forestry pass – meaning no parking – so turning around we headed back into town to warm up with a hot cup of tea and snacks from the lovely Idyllwild Tea Co. which is now located inside Oma’s Bakery (another move that made me sad – I miss their lovely tea room!!). Jess and I caught them just a smidge before closing – at 3pm on a weekday – so only take-out cups could be acquired. However, we were free to range about on the outside patio for as long as we liked but with the cloud covering slowly drifting in and temperatures dropping down a hasty retreat was had back to my car for the twisty drive down back into the heat of the desert.
All in all a decent day was had am I’m quite looking forward to visiting again. If anyone happens to be in the area there is a popular wine tasting and art walk through the Art Alliance of Idyllwild this upcoming Saturday, October 9, from 2 to 5pm. I’d also recommend Idyllwild as a great place for hikes, camping (I tend to like camping at Hurkey Creek near Lake Hemet), or renting a log cabin for the weekend.
Happy R&R!!
