The Desert View Tower, built in the 1920's, offers a stunning view of the Anza Borrego Desert. It's…read morealso currently available on a short-term rental website listed as "Lighthouse in Jacumba, CA"! If you're driving by, it's worth a stop. Free to look around the grounds and giftshop; but there is a fee to climb to the top for the best and most expansive view ($9.50 as of this writing). The tower is next to "Boulder Park" featuring some truly hideous sculptures created by an unemployed engineer during the depression. The boulders are much more notable for what may be cupules created by Native Americans, cups that are carved out of rock as part of ceremonies and rituals. A smattering of animals live on the grounds including chickens and peacocks. Free parking.

I've been trying to figure out what to write about this fun little stop an hour east of San Diego…read more It's a wonderful piece of history and definitely worth exploring. My husband and I enjoyed our visit quite a bit. We paid the fee to climb to the top of the tower and go exploring the boulders on the property as well. The tower interior is home to a magical shop full of antiques and second-hand treasures. The boulders next to the tower are fun to explore and have lots of animals painted onto the boulders in the shapes of various animals. As you can tell we really enjoyed our visit BUT... The one road in and out of the Desert View Tower property is absolutely littered on both sides with (maybe) abandoned motor homes, shanties, and whole collections of god-only-knows-what! And the road itself is like driving on the surface of the moon. I felt like I was driving into a scene of "The Hills Have Eyes" (kids ask your Gen X parents about that one). Seriously... I thought we might be murdered and eaten! But if you're feeling brave, come well-armed, and are willing to pop a tire and ruin your suspension, it's a GREAT place to visit!

The Tumco Historic Site is an abandoned gold mining town and is historic for being one of the…read moreearliest gold mining areas in California. It'd history spanned some 300 years, with periods of boom and bust. Over 200,000 ounces of gold was taken from the mines in the area, unfortunately, none in my pockets when we were there. We went out to see the area just to get out of the house during the quarantine. It's the perfect area to be pretty much alone to hike, talk short walks, look at spring flowers and see the remnants of an old gold mine. The good news is that it's a not a long drive off Hwy. 8. If you have some time, it could be a fun place for you to explore. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and scorpions that roam the desert.

What a great place to camp (we stayed for a week). It can be quite windy so be prepared for that,…read morebut the historical hike is so nice. Don't get me wrong most things have disappeared through the 300 or so years but you can still make out where things would have been. It's a very beautiful area with great hiking. And, plenty of space for our RV so we're well away from others if we wanted to be.

Ughh... sad place. I…read moredidn't stay long. It was hot, dusty, and uncomfortable, and honestly pretty depressing. What I saw felt more bleak than interesting, and there was nothing about it that I found uplifting in any way. There is a bit of history here. The area used to be Camp Dunlap, a World War II-era U.S. Marine Corps training base. After it was decommissioned, most of the structures were removed, leaving behind the concrete slabs and bunker-like remnants that give Slab City its name. Some of those old concrete huts are still around, and a few have been brightly painted, which was probably the only part I found visually interesting. It sits out near Slab Mountain, and by that point I had already seen enough. I didn't even bother trying to find East Jesus. It was time to go. Beyond that, it just felt like a mess. There was a lot of garbage, very little in the way of amenities, and many of the people living there looked really down and out. It had an eerily familiar resemblance to parts of LA's homeless encampments, which made the whole experience feel uncomfortable rather than unique. For me, this is not a tourist destination. There's very little here that I found remotely interesting, and definitely nothing I'd describe as inspiring. Not for me. 1-1.5 stars

One of the last remaining free societies, enjoy it! A unique perspective and story to be seen with…read morelots of art, resilience and creativity.

I did a long weekend trip to Palm Desert with the goal of visiting the Salton Sea. Originally, I…read moreplanned to loop the entire shoreline, but after talking with a ranger at the visitor center, I stuck to the east side and doubled back, which was definitely the right call. Our turnaround point was Salvation Mountain, right next to Slab City. Before going, I had read about Leonard Knight and the story behind the mountain, which honestly made the visit more meaningful. The dedication and message behind it are almost as interesting as the site itself. It is kind of amazing that the structure still stands today and is in such solid condition. The drive out was mostly fine, though hot and dusty, especially on a Saturday afternoon. I would recommend going earlier in the day if possible. The mountain itself looked better maintained than I expected. The colors were bright, and it was clear that ongoing work is being done to preserve it. I left a small donation since it felt like a meaningful effort to support. That said, it did not fully resonate with me. While I can appreciate the effort and story, the style of art and the surrounding environment did not quite click. If you are into outsider art or off grid communities, you will probably get more out of it than I did. The biggest downside is the immediate setting. Being next to Slab City definitely impacts the experience. The vibe felt a bit uncomfortable at times, and we did not stay long or continue on to East Jesus. Overall, I am glad I visited. It is unique, and the story behind it adds depth, but it is more of a one time stop for me than a place I would go out of my way to revisit. 3 stars.

This was a quick stop for me before heading to Bombay Beach. It's near Slab City, and as you drive…read morethrough the area and start seeing all the RVs around, you can immediately feel the energy shift a little :) After hearing about this place from the movie ases on a true story, Into the Wild and living in San Diego for so long, I finally decided to check it out. I was honestly impressed by how well maintained everything was. I technically arrived after hours around 6pm, but there was still a volunteer there who gave a short introduction about the history of the place, which I appreciated. As I walked up the mountain, I was surprised by how clean everything was and how bright and vibrant the paint still looked, so huge credit to the volunteers who keep it looking this way. I was even given a free postcard on my way out, which was a nice little touch. I probably wouldn't make a full trip out here just for this alone, but pairing it with a visit to the Salton Sea or Bombay Beach is definitely worth it. I also love that it's completely free so no tickets or entrance fee needed.

Borrego Springs is one of my favorite places. It definitely is a far drive out from the Southern…read moreCalifornia area and the weather was very warm in the summer. However, it was absolutely worth it because the night sky is so breathtaking. The Milky Way at Borrego Springs is truly unreal and it's so hard to describe, you just have to really see it in person. I really loved all the sculptures and being to admire them during the day and under the night sky. Highly recommend experiencing Borrego Springs once in your lifetime!

The Galleta sculptures are a disorganized, worn out set of sculptures spread out across miles of…read moreone of Borrego Springs valleys. The sculptures themselves need upkeep (lots of bird poop on them) and a simple map on site guiding you to their location would be helpful but it doesn't exist. Drove miles on unpaved roads looking for structures that would stand out and did it prior to sundown (as recommended) but it just made it even harder to find them. Sunset shots as they described were not all that spectacular although now that I've been there I would definitely visit either in the early morning hours or late afternoon when the heat is not so overwhelming. Definitely not worth seeing unless you're in the area. Disappointing.

I have seen this place from the I-8 freeway over the years as I drove across into Arizona. While…read moreworking in the area I made the trek over and visited! They have a big gift shop with random knick-knacks. You pay $10 to explore the grounds which includes a tiny chapel on elevated mound of earth, a replica of a chapel in Brittany, France. They also have a beautiful display of granite blocks carved out like an encyclopedia of just about all kinds of things! Such an interesting place I definitely recommend you check out!

It was really a lot more than I thought it would be. Beautiful engraved granite, a maze, and the…read moreCenter of the Word Certificate. It was fun and had a lot of unique things to see. I highly recommend it for the history alone.

As California's largest State Park, Anza-Borrego is another spot everyone should have on their…read morebucket list. They have some great trails, camping, star gazing, and a bunch of giant statues that are fun to check out. The visitor's center was fun with a friendly staff. Don't forget to ask about the Junior Ranger Program. We saw two coyotes outside the visitor's center. We did the Palm Canyon Trail. It was an easy and short trail that was perfect for kids. We walked past 4-5 bighorn sheep. That was very cool. Keep in mind there are certain areas that can only be reached if your vehicle has AWD. The town of Borrego Springs is nice with a couple restaurants, shops, and places to stay. Looking back, it would have been nice to spend the night to stargaze. Don't forget to hiking smart: sun protection and plenty of water. Stay on the trials. Leave no trace. And have fun.

Yes! This is the second time I have visited the Visitor Center and hiked the Palm Canyon trail from…read morethe parking lot. Didn't see bighorns this time but last April they rams were out showing their prowess while the females and young-in's watched from the surrounding cliffs. Action was around #10 marker. Enjoy!

Designed in 1959 by Albert Frey, this motel was a hotspot for the rich and famous until the Salton…read moreSea went sour. Now, long abandoned, this old motel is nothing but a photo hotspot for Salton Sea visitors. While I was there, I noticed that the current owners may have plans of renovating this motel. I noticed the hotel rooms being swept and many entrances are boarded up.

So this was the Famous North Shore Motel, where famous movie stars of the 50's and 60's stayed…read more Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop amongst other big stars all spent time in the area around the tourist hotspot of Hollywood. Now, there is just the foundation. After driving around a bit, I stopped to ask at the nearby fire station. They explained that it had to be torn down due to health codes and violations and whatnot. I get it. Old building. Not maintained. Rotting. He directed me to the tennis court that still had it's colors and markings. We walked over and looked around and found the tennis court. I imagined the big stars I was sharing time and space with. Wandering around a lil bit I came upon the foundation for the motel. Wildly famous people stood here. Partied here. Had encounters here. This place was where it was at. Now, a cement foundation and cracked tennis court is all that remains of the ritz and fame of so long ago. The parking lot seems still there as well. Perhaps the tall now unkempt palm trees saw some incredible sights in their younger days. I paid my respects, smelled the air, and took some photos before moving on towards our next target. To watch the final tractory demise of the Motel: https://youtu.be/_GJQIWDH59o

This is a well maintained and fun playground. We stop by every time we drive to Yuma. My kids all…read moreenjoy their time here. Plenty of things for kids to do, for all ages. The park is clean and so are its bathroom. Large field to picnic or kick a ball. Highly recommend stopping by for some fun family time. There is a lot of wildlife to observe as well.

We loved this park!…read more The park itself has a large playground area (seen in photo) for bigger kids to run around. There is also a side, smaller area for toddlers with smaller slides, swings, climbing tubes, etc. Along the perimeter there is a traditional zip line and one with a chair. This is also connected to a trail that goes along the Colorado River that has very nice views and is quite long!