Our family spent a week in Idyllwild, where we worked during the day and explored the town and nearby hiking trails in the afternoons and evenings! There is so much to do, although the town is extremely quiet during the middle of the week. That was okay though, because it also meant the hiking trails were not busy as well! Here are our favorite activities, restaurants, and Airbnb recommendations.
Hikes
Devil’s Slide
Distance: 6.6 Miles
Type: Out and Back
Elevation Gain: 1,700 ft
AllTrails Link >> https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/devils-slide-trail–2
This was the best and hardest hike we have done since having a baby. It was completely worth it as well, because the views at the very end are gorgeous. Also, you get to hike on the PCT for a small section of this hike, which was a top priority for my husband. You do need to get a pass to park at the Humber Park parking lot, which you can pick up at the ranger’s station in town.
Ernie Maxwell
Distance: 4.6 Miles
Type: Out and Back
Elevation Gain: 800 Ft
AllTrails Link >> https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/ernie-maxwell-trail
We loved this hike, because we could walk to the south end trailhead from our Airbnb. There was less elevation gain than most hiking trails in this area, but you get amazing views, and do not be mislead — you will feel the burn on those elevation gains as you hike!
Restaurants
While we did stay in an Airbnb and cook a few meals while we were there, we also went out to eat. There are multiple vegan options around town, and here are our favorites!
Mama’s Egg House: Get the Vegan Burrito, the Vegan Breakfast Burrito, and any of the smoothies! We had vegan burritos here an one other place (cough*TheSunflower*cough) and Mama’s Egg House burritos were SO much better.
El Buen Cacao: Get the Vegan Milkshake, the Mocha, or any of the chocolates! Chocolate beans roasted and made right in Idyllwild from single-origin sources — this place is a stand-out and one-of-a-kind.
Cafe Aroma: Get the Vegan Queso, Cashew Alfredo, and mock-tails! This place was where we celebrated my birthday dinner while in town. It has a nice outdoor seating area, with music and a cute atmosphere.
Higher Grounds Coffee Shop: Get the Oat Milk Latte. Okay, this is what we order at every coffee shop, but we enjoyed their lattes and the opportunity to sit outside with nice, live music.
Where to Stay
When searching on Airbnb, there are so many great, unique places to stay. I’m sure so many are great. We stayed here, and we loved the backyard/patio, that they had baby stuff there for us to use like a high chair and playmat, it was walking distance from town and we could walk to the Ernie Maxwell trail from our doorstep. Most importantly, the couple who hosts this place are amazing at hosting. I can’t think of a better perk in an Airbnb than to have a host who truly wants to make your stay spectacular.
Check out our other trip ideas in the Southwest/around Las Vegas to:
St. George, Utah
Death Valley, California
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Joshua Tree, California
Palm Springs, California
Making a stop in Las Vegas? Check out our ideas for getting outside and eating out in Las Vegas.
Very nice article. I definitely appreciate this site. Keep it up!