Vacation Rentals in Idyllwild

Head for the hills in your cozy vacation home in California's mountain town of Idyllwild. Whether you're looking for a romantic weekend away or a house to accommodate your next family reunion there's the perfect home to accommodate your party's size and travel needs. Located conveniently close to popular cities like Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and San Diego - Idyllwild offers the charm of rural mountain life with easy transfers to nearby big city attractions. Most of the vacation rental options in this area are log cabins, lodges, and chalets set in the rural area of Mount San Jacinto State Park. Some of the amenities available include luxuries such as hot tubs, wrap around porches, and lakeside views.

Idyllwild is a small town in California nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains, popular for it's hiking trails and other outdoor activities. The closest airport to Idyllwild is located in Los Angeles, however the most common way people visit the town is by car. Highway 74, otherwise known as the Palms to Pines highway, passes between Palm Springs and Palm Desert through a scenic leisurely route. The terrain is very hot, dry, and sparsely vegetated which is the perfect environment for all types of desert wildlife.

Whether you like your parks more rugged or perfectly manicured, Idyllwild is the perfect place to kick back and take in the sounds of nature. Some of the most popular parks in Idyllwild include Humber Park, Lawler Park, and Skunk Cabbage Meadow. From Humber Park, follow the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail for an easy and relaxed walk in the woods. Due to the arid climate, it's advised that you wear sunscreen and carry ample water with you in the summer months while hiking.

Though Idyllwild is a relatively small town, the area plays host to a thriving arts scene with many galleries littered throughout downtown. The Idyllwild Arts Academy frequently offers free admission to its galleries, exhibitions, and musical performances. For those interested in theatre, Stratford Players put on regular performances from Shakespeare to modern Tony-award winning plays. They are most known for their Fall performance of Will in the Woods, which highlights Shakespeare's play in an open-air traditional Elizabethan fashion.

Why go horizontal when you can go vertical and take in the California sights from a new vantage point! Suicide Rock is a popular destination for rock climbers featuring 2 pitch climbs and over 300 other climbing routes to choose from. With a range of difficulty, these climbing spots can become very busy in the spring and summer so it is advised that you arrive early to reach the summit before the afternoon crowds.

The most popular hiking trail in Idyllwild, Tahquitz Peak offers stunning views of Los Angeles in the distance thanks to its elevated lookout tower. Along the way you will find all kinds of vegetation and wildlife including ancient ponderosa pine and the occassional wandering deer. The hike out to Tahquitz Peak takes about 4 hours from Humber Park and has substantial elevation climbs.

While most conceptions of California center around it's coastal beaches, the region is also filled with many mountain ranges. One of the most popular in southern California is Mount San Jacinto State Park which is also within the path of the Pacific Crest Trail. A large majority of San Jacinto State Park is located within Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument within Riverside County. It is here that you will find the majority of idyllic cabins and quaint cottage vacation rentals for the perfect natural retreat in Idyllwild.

Cool off in the artificial Lake Hemet which is part of the San Bernardino National Forest. Located 30 miles outside of Idyllwild and 13 miles from Palms Spring, the huge area offers many outdoor sports activities including swimming, boating, and fishing. Lake Hemet and its surrounding area is also used as the backdrop to several festivals, weddings, and other events throughout the year.

Learn more about the topography and history of southern California's desert regions at Idyllwild Nature Center. Here you will find many trails, picnic areas, and a museum which focuses on Cahuilla Native culture. This visitor-friendly center is also a popular pit stop for hikers braving the Pacific Crest Trail which runs from Mexico all the way up to the Canadian border of the United States.