quartzsite yacht club for sale

Quartzsite AZ: Visiting this Quirky Desert Town

Written by elizabeth rose, arizona | destinations | outdoor travel | road trips | travel, wander with wonder contains affiliate links and is a member of the amazon services llc associates program. if you make a purchase using one of these amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. see our disclosure policy for more information..

Out in the middle of nowhere—between Phoenix and the California border—you’ll find a quirky little desert town named Quartzsite. The town is filled with quirky:

• The population of 3,700 swells to two million each winter
• One of the main attractions in Quartzsite is a little cemetery with a monument to a Syrian camel driver
• People come from near and far to check out the annual swap meet full of rocks, minerals, and oddities
• Folks gladly put down $49.99 for a yacht club membership, even though there are no boats in the middle of the desert
• More recently, the little desert town figures prominently in the Academy-award-winning movie, Nomadland ?

Quartzsite, AZ is just off I-10 about two hours west of Phoenix, and it’s now famous. Here are some of my favorite things about the quirky desert town of Quartzsite, AZ.

Quartzsite, the crazy place in the middle of nowhere on the way to somewhere. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

What's in This Article:

Quartzsite AZ and Nomadland Sites

Quartzsite entrepreneurs are gearing up for the 2021-2022 winter season. They have crazy ideas for Nomadland souvenirs. Vendors are preparing for an influx of visitors who are interested in visiting places where Nomadland , the award-winning saga, was filmed.

Nomadland , starring Frances McDormand and based on the book by Jessica Bruder , chronicles the wanderings of Fern, a 61-year-old widow who loses everything during a recession. She decides to live in a van, hit the road, and eventually join with a group of like-minded nomads who camp in the Arizona desert. This is where Quartzsite plays an important part.

If you watched Nomadland, you’ll definitely want to stop for a visit to see the quirky little desert town that was featured in the film.

In the movie, Fern joins an annual gathering of nomads—the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous—in the Quartzsite area desert south of I-10. The tribal gathering is run by Bob Wells, who lives in a van, runs the blog Cheap RV Living , and plays himself in the film. The nomads learn techniques on how to “boondock (camp for free),” and dry camp including how to use a bucket for a bathroom. In the winter, you’ll encounter all types of campers out in the desert surrounding Quartzsite.

One evening, the group heads into town and whoops it up at the Quartzsite Yacht Club (Open seasonally at 1090 W. Main Street) enjoying an evening of line dancing, pool, and brews. After the gathering, Fern decides to stay awhile in Quartzsite and picks up a job working at one of the many gem and mineral shows that pop up during the winter.

The Quartzsite Yacht Club, scene of the nomad’s foray into local nightlife. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Nomadland Characters

In the film, Fern is seen listening to a piano performance by Paul Winer, the owner of Reader’s Oasis Books (Open year-round at 690 E. Main Street). Winer, who died in his sleep in 2019 after battling cancer, was notorious as he preferred to wear as little as possible (well, often just a pouch over his privates), and was dubbed the “naked bookseller.”

Quartzsite Cemetery and Hi Jolly Monument

Before Nomadland, one of the main year-round attractions in Quartzsite AZ was the local cemetery. But this is not your average cemetery. In the middle is a large pyramid constructed of layers of local rocks with an impressive plaque placed in 1935 by the Arizona Highway Department. And on top of the tomb is an iron camel. This is the tomb of “Hi Jolly,” a man so important that Quartzsite holds an annual Hi Jolly event to honor this man. But who was Hi Jolly?

What does a pyramid and a camel have to do with Arizona desert history? Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Hi Jolly wasn’t really this man’s name. In fact, he was born Philip Tedro in Syria and was part Greek. At one point he converted to Islam and took the name Hadji Ali after his pilgrimage to Mecca. Ali, a camel breeder and driver, emigrated to the United States as part of a U.S. Cavalry experiment in the 1850s using camels for transporting goods in the desert. The closest the Americans could get to pronouncing his name was “Hi Jolly” and that name stuck.

US Cavalry Camel Corps

Ultimately the “Camel Corps” was disbanded, partially because the smaller animals, like burros, were terrified of the large creatures and partially because funding dried up due to the impending Civil War. Hi Jolly kept some of the camels and remained in the area. He did some prospecting, hauled freight, and served as a scout.

Hi Jolly died in December of 1902 and remains the subject of folk tales to this day. Some of the camels were spotted in the desert as late as 1942. You can visit his tomb in the pioneer section of the town cemetery located just off Main Street on W Elsie Ln and Hi Jolly Lane. There is a sign at the turn-off. It’s a peaceful place with fascinating grave markers and a nice mountain view.

Originally from “somewhere in Syria,” Hi Jolly spent his golden years in the Quartzsite area. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

If you are in town in mid-January, check on the date for the Hi Jolly Daze Parade. It’s a big event and you may even see a real camel marching along.

Rock and Mineral Shows and Swap Meets

A major draw for visitors each winter is the huge sales events featuring rocks and minerals, flea market finds, antiques, and even an immense RV show and sale . In general, events and sales run October through March annually, which coincides with the influx of snowbirds and bargain hunters. Watch the Chamber of Commerce website for dates of special events . Or pick up a copy of the Desert Messenger newspaper when you get into town.

My friends from the Pacific Northwest forgot hats but fortunately, there was a vendor selling the perfect solution. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

When the major swap meets and rock and mineral shows run, you will find that the traffic on I-10’s Quartzsite AZ exits back up.  So, it’s ideal to go early. Don a custom hat and wear sunscreen as much of the fun is outdoors. And wear comfortable walking shoes.

There will be steel drums overflowing with minerals from all over the world, fossils, arts and crafts, and quirky things like tipi’s, animal skins, garden sculptures, and more. There’s Navajo jewelry, petrified wood, hand-made items for your home, and, well…. just about anything you can imagine.

You never know what you’ll find when you walk the rows upon rows of vendors. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

While there are rock shops year-round in Quartzsite AZ, the winter shows attract vendors from all over the world. Right after the Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows end, you’ll often find new vendors arriving in Quartzsite after they pack up their goods and leave Tucson.

There are both small and large specimens for sale at the Quartzsite shows. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Quartzsite Yacht Club

The Quartzsite Yacht Club has been a phenomenon for years. Now, this is really quirky. The Quartzsite Yacht Club has more members than any yacht club in the world and—there is no water nearby! Back in the 1970s, Al Madden opened the Quartzsite Yacht Club Restaurant Bar & Grill and started selling memberships as a joke. By 2010, more than 10,000 people representing every state and numerous countries around the world had become card-carrying members of the Quartzsite Yacht Club. And, some faraway yacht clubs have even offered free entry to their cushy amenities in reciprocity for the Quartzsite card-carrying members. After all, when you join for $49.99, you get a membership card, certificate, and snazzy sailing t-shirt.

After a long day of shopping, the beer and burgers at the Quartzsite Yacht Club provided a welcome break. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

RV Camping in Quartzsite AZ

There are well over 50 RV parks in Quartzsite. While they are not necessarily fancy, they offer amenities that the desert dry campers won’t have. Plus, many are within a walkable distance from shopping and restaurants.

Many people camp out in the desert at the BLM’s La Posa Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA). To camp on the 11,400 acres, your vehicle must be 100% self-contained for waste and gray water. And, during the winter crush, it’s not free.

According to the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce, LTVA requires a Special Recreation Permit between September 15 and April 15. The LTVA allows camping between April 16 and September 14 at no cost, but the standard 14-day limit applies. Fees are $180 for long-term permits valid for 7 months. They are $40 short-term permits valid for 1 to 14 consecutive days. The minimum fee for camping is the $40 permit which can be renewed by paying another $40.

During the off-season, the standard BLM camping regulations and 14-day limit with no fee rules apply. The permits are valid in any of the six LTVAs in California or two LTVAs in Arizona. You can purchase permits from the Bureau of Land Management Yuma Field Office or on-site from the LTVA host during the winter season.

There are also areas a bit further away from the four-corner intersection of Quartzsite.  You can get current information and driving directions at the BLM site.

There are many blogs and organization websites that give good advice and information to people new to RV camping in Quartzsite. Online you can find maps and information along with campground reviews and photos.

Watch event calendars for the big shows in Quartzsite. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose

Off-Road Vehicle Trails Near Quartzsite AZ

The Arizona Peace Trail , a 750-mile Off-Road Vehicle (OHV) approved trail, draws OHV enthusiasts who enjoy exploring out in the desert around Quartzsite and as far away as Yuma and Bullhead City.

In addition, the area has more than 1,000 miles of BLM OHV-approved trails. Jeep trails are shown on an interactive map at the Jeep USA site . Be sure to check out more of our road trips on Wander, along with ideas for more fun things to see and do when you visit the Southwestern USA.

Boomer Travel | Camping | Copper | History | Phoenix | Quirky Travel | Retirement | Shopping

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• United States
• More to Explore

Quirky Quartzsite, Arizona: What You Need to Know

A Guide to Visiting "The Rock Capital of the World"

Pass through the small hamlet of Quartzsite, Arizona, in the summer, and you may think nothing happens in this flat desert town. But come winter, the entire area bustles with activity—and not just from tumbleweeds.

During the two months, RVers come by the thousands to camp (called "boondocking" here) in the temperate if fairly primitive desert conditions. Yet, there's another reason people descend in droves during the winter: a love of geology.

Quartzsite, with its unusual concentration of collectible gems, minerals, and precious metals, has been a rock hound's paradise since the 1960s. It swells in population each winter thanks to more than 1 million visitors, most of whom converge on the small town in a wave of RVs during January and February. The Desert USA website explains the draw:

“Eight major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise peddle their wares to snowbirds, collectors and enthusiasts.”

Located in the Sonoran Desert of western Arizona, Quartzsite sits just 18 miles east of the Colorado River on Interstate 10. The 125-mile trip takes about two hours from Phoenix; the town is also easy to reach from Los Angeles in under five hours by car.

The annual show season runs from October through April, though the main events take place in January and February. If you like gems and minerals, hit the sales during the big “rock hound” events when you can find collectible geodes, crystals, and even fossilized bones from around the globe. Antique hunters score at the swap meets, and you can find unusual handmade items and one-of-a-kind jewelry at the nearly constant craft shows. Add in a mix of classic car shows, chili cook-offs, and  RV shows and sales , and Crazy Quartzsite keeps your social calendar full.

Check the  Quartzsite calendar  so you can come during the events that most interest you. Grab a copy of  The Desert Star  newspaper when you get to town for more up-to-date news and ads.

How does a town in the Sonoran Desert, hundreds of miles from the nearest body of water, gain the largest yacht-club membership in the world? Back in the 1970s, Al Madden opened the Quartzsite Yacht Club Restaurant Bar & Grill and started selling memberships as a joke. By 2010, more than 10,000 people representing every state and numerous countries around the world had become card-carrying members of the Quartzsite Yacht Club.

What to Expect

Be prepared for traffic during the height of the season; I-10 frequently gets backed up in January and February.

It’s dusty out there in the desert, and most shopping takes place outdoors in makeshift tents along rows of RVs. The wind can pick up or a rainstorm can move in suddenly, so be prepared with a jacket, sturdy outdoor clothes, and walking shoes. 

If you're not prepared to bed down in an RV, a handful of chain hotels operate in Quartzsite. You can also stay on the west side of Phoenix and venture into Quartzsite as a day trip.

Related Articles

More related articles.

• Central Asia
• Southeast Asia
• Eastern Europe
• Western Europe
• Central America
• South America
• Middle East
• North America

Quartzsite Yacht Club

I become a member of the Quartzsite Yacht Club — “Welcome Aboard – long time, no sea!” -the motto of the Quartzsite Yacht Club I joined a yacht club. I joined a yacht club in the middle of the Sonoran desert. There is no water, no sea access, no rivers in sight of this yacht [...]

I become a member of the Quartzsite Yacht Club —

“Welcome Aboard – long time, no sea!” -the motto of the Quartzsite Yacht Club

I joined a yacht club. I joined a yacht club in the middle of the Sonoran desert.

There is no water, no sea access, no rivers in sight of this yacht club, nor are there any boats — unless, of course, you count the ones that are being flatbedded behind rigs driving down the interstate running deliveries to the seaside ports of Los Angeles and San Diego hundreds of miles away.

——————— Phoenix, Arizona, Southwest USA, North America Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Wade’s Travel Gear | All Travelogue Entries ———————

Yes, it is true, the Quartzsite Yacht Club does not have any access to the sea — it never has and it never will unless California falls into the ocean and the Pacific rears up to meet its new coast line in Arizona — but these cold facts seemed to have done little to deter its founder, Al Madden, from founding a yacht club in the desert.

The fact that Quartzsite is as dry as a mouth full of saltine crackers  may even have encouraged the founding of the yacht club:

Americans possess nothing if not a love for a good twist of over obvious irony — and a yacht club in the middle of the Arizona desert is appropriately ironic.

As you dust the grit of the desert off of your blue jeans and take one last breathe of air that cooks you from the inside out, you approach the Quartzsite Yacht Club, which sits right on the main thoroughfare of town. You may even caste one last glance out across a wide expanse of bare naked desert earth before you walk up to its door. The mere thought of water here is a mirage of the mind, and to even dream about the open sea seems ludicrous: you are in the land where fire combines with earth, and the water element seems to be a facade reserved for far away lands.

But as you reach for the handle you see a replica of ship’s helm hanging above the door — and you realize that you are about to enter a yacht club. Inside, the walls are covered in sea going paraphernalia — paintings of storms at sea, oars, shipping flags, stuffed marine animals, models of ships, ships in bottles, nautical charts, and a big galley bell hangs over the thick wooden bar.

The sign on the bell caught my attention:

“To he who rings this bell in jest, buys a round for all the rest.”

As I sat at the bar dreaming into the sea paintings and random assortment of ship parts and pieces that completely blanketed the walls of the club, I began to realize that this yacht club is no jest: it is for real. The people who duck into port and dock at Quartzsite may not be traveling by boat, they may not be traveling by sea, but they do have yachts: land yachts, a.k.a. Recreational Vehicles — RVs and campers.

Each year in Quartzsite 300,000 people from all over the USA and Canada sail across the continent in their land yachts for the cheap port fees and good docking facilities that are found in Quartzsite. These terrestrial sailors then stay for a few months drinking beer, worshiping the sun, and rejoicing that they possess the wisdom and gumption to follow the birds south and duck out of another winter . . .

And why not?

The yacht club serves as the main rendezvous point for these terrestrial sailors.

Terrestrial Yacht in the Desert

But as soon as spring breaks in again for its yearly round, Quartzsite is again left abandoned, and the sailors return home.

Though the yacht club still keeps its doors open for the few thousand sailors who have tied up to more permanent moorings and stay in the small desert town throughout the year.

“I pay $80 a month to keep my RV here,” spoke a year-rounder who pulled a stool up next to me at bar of the yacht club one night.

“Not bad,” I reply.

“Yeah, not bad,” he continued, “A lot of people say that they come here for the sun or for the weather, but no, they come here for another reason.”

People come to Quartzsite because it is cheap to live there.

$80 a month, apparently, claims a place for an RV, and a few more ten dollar bills on top of this covers rent with utilities. I must say here that, in my scant survey of inter continental sailing, this is a common tune of oceanic sailors as well: you go to where you can live the best on the least amount of money and effort.

For many RVers this place is Quartzsite, Arizona.

Yacht club in desert

I ordered another $1.75 beer at the bar, and then inquired as to how I could become a member of the Quartzsite Yacht Club.

As for the benefits of membership I would get a t-shirt that had an image of a yacht sailing through the desert with cacti all around and a surprised jack rabbit watching the ship sail passed, a certificate confirming that I am a charter member of the club, a standard yacht club affiliation flag for the boat that I am soon to buy, and an official Quartzsite Yacht Club membership card.

People at the club even attests that the yacht club reciprocity statement that is printed on the card is in fact valid, and one man even told how he was permitted to gas up his boat at a club in California simply because he flashed his Quartzsite Yacht Club card.

I figure that if I am going to sail the world by sea I may as well be a member of a yacht club. And perhaps the only yacht club that is suitable for me is one out in the middle of the dry, dry desert.

I signed my name on the club membership ledger, and the bartender then saluted me and proclaimed me official charter member #7491 of the Quartzsite Yacht Club.

Quartzsite Yacht Club Card

Arizona Desert Series

[seriesposts orderby=date order=ASC name=”arizona desert” ]

About the Author: VBJ

VBJ is currently in: New York City

Leave a Comment

You’ve got to love a bit of irony! Nothing better that a yacht club without the sea or boats. But instead “land yachts” also known as RV’s and Caravans.

You can certainly see the similarity in the lifestyles. Just one on land and another at sea!

Thanks for sharing this post. Has certainly brought a smile to my face!

This is a brilliant idea. I wouldn’t mind being a part of it just for the fact it’s a yacht club without any form of sea transport. It is a good idea to try to live the best you can on as little as possible because it means you can save money in the long run.

Right on, the place is really interesting.

I love the yacht club.

Next post: Vagabond Journey Travel Newsletter

Previous post: Hi Jolly and US Camel Corps

• Risa of Alveo on Here’s Why You Should Try Living in Another Country
• Joan on Volunteer in Iceland, Travel for Free
• Laraib Khan on Why Airports And Flying Have Become So Bad
• Dmytro on Undertaking a Medical Procedure in a Foreign Country: 6 Legal Tips You Must Know
• VBJ on Why Frontier Is America’s Worst Airline

Post Stream

Why frontier is america’s worst airline.

In a country that’s becoming known for poor air travel service, this airline is the worst of them all.

Why Airports And Flying Have Become So Bad

The great air travel race to the bottom.

On Going To The Gym While Traveling

Working out has always been a part of my travel routine, but now it’s turned it into a conduit for exploration.

Panama’s Presidential Election May Portend What Will Happen With Trump In The USA

A backfire of unprecedented proportions?

Panama Is An Expensive Place To Be A Tourist

Turn tourist here and pay the price. Literally.

On How Places Change: Panama City

I violated the Laws of the Three Nothings and found myself on the something train.

Panama’s Soberanía National Park, Bird Dorks, And The Man Who Had Nothing

A short journey into the rainforest.

Gamboa: A Portrait Of Panama Canal Zone History

A journey to the end of the road.

On Visiting The Miraflores Locks Of The Panama Canal

The ditch that changed the world.

Veracruz Beach Shows What Panama Is Made Of

Want to look into the core of a culture? Go to the beach.

Ghost Cities of China

Quartzsite, Arizona, made famous by Oscar-winner 'Nomadland,' readies for new tourists

It was the day after "Nomadland,” partly filmed in Quartzsite, Ariz., won the Academy Award for Best Picture. But the owner of a rock shop and gift store was readying a sign advertising another Quartzsite claim to fame: Home of the world’s largest belt buckle.

“I’m going to pull these guys off the freeway,” said Phil Bates, owner of the Main Trading Post on Monday as he readied the roadside sign, advertising the four-by-eight foot buckle.

One of Quartzsite’s industries has indeed been inducing drivers along Interstate 10 to turn off into the town for gas and food.

Quartzsite also hosts internationally-known rock and mineral shows and has shops that sell gems year-round.

But its other lifeblood is winter visitors. Both people with tricked-out RVs take a designated space in one of the town's many proper RV parks. As well as people who find space out in the surrounding desert. 

Where Fern lived in 'Nomadland'

It was the latter that was depicted in Nomadland . Francis McDormand won the Best Actress award for her portrayal of Fern, a widow who moves from a company town where the company has closed. She turns her van into her house and begins her nomadic life in Quartzsite, a small town in the desert of western Arizona.

It is not entirely clear whether the Best Picture win will translate into more tourists deciding to make a pit stop in Quartzsite. But Bates said he plans to be ready to sell "Nomadland"-related T-shirts and tchotchkes to any of the newly curious.

“I saw that it won,” he said, “It was like, son of a gun, that movie really took off.”

The Quartzsite Yacht Club

The filming of the movie, in late 2018, did not seem to draw much attention from residents, nor disrupt daily activities. Most of McDormand’s scenes were filmed where the nomadic travelers camp, in the desert south of Interstate 10. The town proper lies north of the freeway, though two Quartzsite businesses are shown in the film.

In one scene, McDormand dances with co-star David Strathairn inside the Quartzsite Yacht Club, a bar and grill on Main Street that features live music when it’s open.

Those wanting to visit the Quartzsite Yacht Club, however, will have to wait until at least October. The bar closed for the season in February, a bit early because of staffing issues, according to its Facebook page.

MeMe Selleck, the Yacht Club's owner since 2015, said the bar will reopen in October along with what she anticipates will be "Nomadland" merchandise for sale. She no doubt will sell more memberships to the Quartzsite Yacht Club, each priced at $49.99.

The bar is at the center of a landlord-tenant dispute that has been scheduled for trial in La Paz County Superior Court in July, court records show. But Selleck didn't expect that to alter her business.

Donald Miller, who sings his "Quartzsite Vendor Blues" in the film, will be back at the club, Selleck said.

"With the movie and the big hype, I've been getting a lot of messages," Selleck said. "I think it will be a positive for everybody in this town."

A sad piano song at Reader's Oasis

In the movie, McDormand also takes in a performance by Paul Winer, who plays a melancholy boogie-woogie piano song paying tribute to dead friends. That piano sits in a small music hall adjoining the Reader’s Oasis bookstore, also along Main Street.

A location scout for the film heard Winer’s playing and sent a video to the film’s director, Chloé Zhao, who decided to include him in the film, said Joanne Winer, Paul’s wife.

In the scene at the piano, Winer offers a musical toast to, as he sings it, "the friends who had to depart. The friends in our heart," concluding, "Help me smile away the tears." 

Winer died in November at 75 after an illness that started to hit him around the time of filming, Joanne Winer said. Paul Winer didn’t get to see himself in the movie, but he figured he would make the final cut after he received a check for $1,000, Joanne Winer said. She also received an advance royalty check of another $1,000 as Winer’s song, “Next To The Track Blues,” was put on the film’s soundtrack.

Paul Winer earned the nickname “The Naked Bookseller” because he would be naked much of the time. Though, Joanne Winer said, he didn’t have to be told that the filmmakers would want him clothed for his piano performance in the movie.

Joanne Winer said she’s hoping for a “Nomadland” bump in business. She said that with the COVID-19 pandemic keeping away tourists this winter, particularly Canadians, her business is off 80% compared to last year. 

Much of her business, she said, comes from tourists who want to pick up a book as a souvenir, rather than a T-shirt. 

Desert dwellers and the all-important bucket

The nomads who camp in the desert form their own community during the winter months, said Mark Goldberg, who runs a Quartzsite Off-Road, an atlas of interesting sites that can be viewed by users of all-terrain vehicles.

Goldberg also helps organize volunteer groups that clean up after what he called the small percentage of desert dwellers who leave waste behind.

Though the movie famously describes the merits of different sizes of plastic buckets to be used as toilets, Goldberg said the film didn’t show proper disposal techniques. That would involve either a pit toilet on Bureau of Land Management land or a solid waste facility in Quartzsite.

“We want to maintain the quality of what we have,” he said, “the beauty of the desert.”

Most of the seasonal Quartzsite visitors, both the nomads and the RV dwellers, have begun packing up, fleeing to cooler climes as summer approaches, said Lynda Goldberg, a member of the Quartzsite Town Council. Mark Goldberg is her husband.

During the summer, motorists stop for fuel, food and, from the town's perspective, hopefully, a keepsake of some sort.

The winter visitors begin returning in October. Some hold out until after Thanksgiving. Tourist traffic picks up in January when the gem shows start.

Goldberg said that she expects to see a few more long-term visitors next fall and winter as a result of the movie. “I don’t think it’s going to be a huge, huge amount, but I do think that we will absolutely have some curious people,” she said.

In April, the town council passed a proclamation to show its formal appreciation for the "national and international recognition" the movie brought to Quartzsite, its businesses and residents.

Goldberg thinks more motorists will pull off of Interstate 10, just to get a brief peek at the place where the movie was filmed. She said she expected the gift shops that line Main Street to soon start featuring “Nomadland”-related items.

One possibility she thought about was a five-gallon bucket. To be used as a novelty, not a necessity.

“I can see white buckets with Quartzsite on them,” she said. “You darn well know that’s coming.”

• © Roadtrippers
• © Mapbox
• © OpenStreetMap
• Improve this map

Quartzsite Yacht Club

1090 W Main St, Quartzsite , Arizona 85346 USA

• Independent
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Public Restrooms
• Outdoor Seating

No Longer Maintained

This location is no longer maintained in Roadtrippers. Please confirm location details before visiting.

Learn more about this business on Yelp .

“Join the largest yacht club in the world!”

Come enjoy a night in the Quartzsite Yacht Club Motel, a nautically themed motel, adjacent to the restaurant and bar, the Quartzsite Yacht Club.

Reviewed by Bernie W.

Servers are great, owners are great, drinks are decent, food is good, prices are ok for Quartzsite in high season. My only complaint is that the speakers and amplifiers are WAY too loud. I'd... Read more

Reviewed by Richard S.

This business is no longer open. So no point in going if you're reading this. But it was truly a fun place. Read more

Reviewed by Dawn R.

In all honesty this is more a bar with bar food. Not a bar and grill and not a restaurant with a bar. Just a bar with bar food. The prices are too high for what they offer. If you're looking to... Read more

Reviewed by nuekerk

Here's an interesting fact about the Quartzsite Yacht Club: despite being located in the middle of the desert, over a hundred miles from the nearest body of water, it's the holds the largest yacht club membership in the world. For just $25 you can join, and get this - the membership is honored by other, actual yacht clubs that practice reciprocity. Pretty awesome, plus you get a tshirt, membership cards, and a big flag. Read more

View 108 reviews on

• Sun: 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Mon, Tue: 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
• Wed - Sat: 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Problem with this listing? Let us know .

Has RV parking changed? Let us know .

• Check Parking
• Unknown Pets Allowed
• Check Restrooms
• Unknown Wheelchair Accessible
• Check Credit Cards Accepted
• Check Lunch
• Check Brunch
• Check Drinks
• Check Outdoor Seating

Parking, Dining

Nearby Hotels

Click to discover a great deal!

Related Trip Guides

The top things to do on an i-40 road trip, the top things to do on an i-10 road trip, the ultimate guide to petrified forest national park, the ultimate guide to grand canyon national park, keep exploring with the roadtrippers mobile apps..

Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you to hit the road!

Connect with us and hit up #roadtrippers

Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful.

• Roadpass Digital
• Mobile Apps

Business Tools

• Partnerships

Get Inspired

• Road trip ideas by state
• National parks
• Famous routes
• Voices from the Road

Fresh Guides

• A Highway 1 road trip along California’s Central Coast
• The ultimate guide to Mammoth Cave National Park
• The Ultimate Guide to Badlands National Park
• Route 66 Leg 2: St. Louis to Tulsa
• Route 66 Leg 1: Chicago to St. Louis
• Route 66 Leg 3: Tulsa to Amarillo
• Offbeat Road Trip Guides
• Road Trip USA
• Scenic Routes America
• National Park Road Trips
• Terms and Conditions

Salads & Sides

Fish & Chips

Big O's Smokin' BBQ

GRATUITY :  18% gratuity is added for parties of 6 or more. CONSUMER ADVISORY NOTICE :  The Health Department has issued a notice that human consumption of meats, eggs, and poultry products not fully cooked may carry potential health hazards.

Quartzsite Yacht Club Restaurant, Bar & Grill 1090 W Main St, Quartzsite, AZ, 85346, Ph: ( 928) 927-6331