Covered Wagon BBQ & Desert Tour

The Covered Wagon BBQ and Desert Tour departs from a Coachella Valley location on evenings and combines a mule-drawn covered wagon ride through Sonoran Desert terrain with a chuckwagon-style BBQ dinner. The dinner includes smoked brisket, and the evening continues with live music, line dancing instruction, a campfire, and stargazing. The total experience runs 3 to 4 hours.

The format reads as novelty, and the execution, based on a 4.9-star rating across 177 reviews, exceeds what the description promises. The desert at night is a different environment from the desert at midday: the temperature drops, the sky opens to a density of stars that the valley's light pollution only partially diminishes, and the quiet between music sets is genuine. The BBQ is competent rather than exceptional, but the setting elevates it.

At $139 per person, the tour is priced as an evening experience rather than a budget outing. For groups looking for something to do after a day on the course that does not involve sitting in a restaurant, the Covered Wagon tour provides a distinctly different evening.

Know before you go

Evening departures only; confirm the specific time at booking. The wagon ride covers uneven desert terrain; dress appropriately and wear closed-toe shoes. Bring a jacket or sweater; desert evenings cool significantly, particularly during winter months. The meeting point is in the Coachella Valley; confirm the exact location at booking. Alcohol is available for purchase.

What stands out

The 4.9-star rating and the combination of desert setting, live music, and communal dining. The experience works because it takes visitors out of the resort-and-restaurant circuit and into the desert itself.