What a beautiful eclectic village that was made from garbage of an abandoned California dump, that…read morewas once an Army base, even before the dump. Make sure you visit the library, Cornelius Van Gogh, the Librarian will even let you take out books and return them whenever you return to Slab City. If I'm not mistaken; Tuesday night is movie night outside the library. Just ask for details inside. She's done a fantastic job of running and keeping the library up to date and she even stopped what she was doing to give us the grand tour. :) Check out her You Tube Channel and subscribe to the Cornelius Van Gogh adventures. They're really one of a kind residents, they've made a home from our garbage, that they have to share with the public 24/7. You're visiting, and they live there, and, they're so willing to show and tell you all the secrets, the stories, and the treasures of their lost world. Please be kind and leave a tip and, don't forget your swimsuit to dip in the natural hot springs on your way out of Slab City.

Zoey Aurora welcomed my sister and I with open arms and let us explore the nooks and crannies of…read morethe library with were filled with quite the eclectic spread of books, magazines, games,etc. They were a wealth of knowledge and were engaging and open. There also were cuddly kitties.

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.

Cute pretty building first opened in 1919. Local public library's technological center. Great place…read moreto study, read and use computers. Pretty building. Newly renovated. Also has a nice room downstairs used for classes it seems. Open M-Th, 4-8p, and every other Friday. Closed weekends.

5 STARS - THE COOLEST LIBRARY IN TOWN! It May Be The Only…read moreOne In town but it is definitely worth a visit. Air conditioned and modernized! Winning. I had an event in El Centro not connected to the library. I also had a meeting. To avoid having a meeting in my car, I went to the El Centro Library. This library is next level cool! It's sleek, modern, and full of awesome gems--individual study nooks with its own charging hook ups, study rooms, open space layout, including outdoor seating. It may be silly to express but the vibe is relaxed, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The Mission Valley library in San Diego is tensed for no reason. And you have to watch & side eye nearby patrons. I reserved the study room for 2 hours. It was fully equipped! Television, whiteboard w/markers, sanitizer and ample outlets including USB's. The best feature is its accessibility features. From bathrooms to tables to door handles, if you have mobility challenges you'll do fine here. The doors won't slam on you, you can reach the sinks, desk clerk and computers without strain. Respectfully El Centro Library is lovely Please visit your libraries. We never want to lose this magnificent funding source of knowledge. "A library is a terrible thing to waste."

This new library has some pretty good workspaces to choose from. From desks to privacy pods they…read morehave options to get your work done. The building is kept clean and in good shape. During the hot summer months it's a great place to get your work done in air conditioning.

*No Ordinary Library*…read more We live in Rancho Mirage and experienced a major power outage that disrupted our service for multiple days. In the morning, prior to knowing the official extent and estimated length of the outage, wifey & I came here to charge devices, do some work via WiFi, and stay cool on a 100+ degrees day. Everyone here made us feel welcome and were very understanding of our situation. It's a beautiful and spacious library -- inside & out. There's a bunch of different sections to sit depending on your mood. There's also an outdoor patio that came in handy to warm up every now & then because the AC inside is extremely frosty. Instead of venturing out for lunch in the afternoon, we decided to stay here and share a sandwich at the Aspen Mills Cafe. We went with the Aspen: Tender oven-roasted turkey breast, cucumber, red onion, lettuce, avocado, horseradish, and light mayonnaise on cranberry spice bread. Side of potato salad and pickle. $13.95 If that sounds good to you? It tasted even better. All natural, fresh and filling. Marcela was manning the cafe. She's friendly and makes a mean tasty sandwich. Afterwards we both signed up for Rancho Mirage Library Cards. It's free for residents and doesn't expire for 2 years. Tho the power outage brought us here this time, we'll be back one day to enjoy the library even more.

We came for the STRONG WORDS show. What a place! You can tell they are well funded. The event was…read morefree for members. I'll be back for more events.

I happen to notice this building as I was sitting in a restaurant across the street. As I left the…read morebuilding I checked out the sign to see what it was. I reached my campsite and decided to read up on the library. The reviews were great so I decided to go the next day. Since I was visiting in the area I asked the librarian if they had any info what to do in town. She was very helpful and friendly. After pointing me in the direction to look for things to do in town. I sat and looked around the library and was admiring the architecture. It was a gloomy, windy and very wet day. But, being inside the library I didn't get that feeling. It was bright and open and with floor to ceiling glass windows it brought the outside beauty indoors. They had individual work rooms, meeting rooms, teens and youths areas. I decided to walk around and view the outdoors from the youth section. There the floor to ceiling windows opened up an entire room you can only look at from your chair. With the storm hovering above you could see Mother Nature in the works. What a grand room! So also in this area they had set up on the tables easels with canvas and paint supplies. I found out from the librarian that they sometime offer different art projects for anyone to do at no charge! So after my town adventures in the rain I returned to do a little painting of my own. In the two hours that I was there painting I also enjoyed the sound of the heavy rain tapping on the rooftop and windows. Watching the plants blowing in the wind and the dark clouds pass by. The library has a security guard just inside the front door. The entrance lobby is open and bright. The staff is very helpful and friendly. I would definitely return to the library if I'm in town. You should see for yourself what they have to offer.

Amazing library and views. Highly recommend to visit. Full wifi and electric vehicle stations…read more Covered parking

Friendly and helpful.I am excited to get down to Quartzsite for the Winter and get back to the…read morelibrary.

Ups label printing $1.00/page as well as full service library - books and CD's available!read more

We visited the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge toward the end of March and…read moreunfortunately the timing did not work in our favor. It was already around 100 degrees, which made it too hot to venture out toward the lake. My son loves bird photography and uses a telephoto lens, so we were hoping to see more wildlife. Instead, we mostly stayed near the visitor center area. We did spot quite a few adorable cottontail bunnies resting in the shade. They dig little shallow pockets in the cool dirt, which was fun to watch. There were also a few birds chirping and some doves, but overall not much activity. The visitor center itself is small but nice and worth a quick stop. From what I have heard, this area can be amazing for migratory birds, but we did not see many during our visit. I am guessing earlier in the year or during the winter would be a much better time to go. It is also pretty out of the way, so not somewhere you will just casually swing by. Overall, it was an okay visit, but I would definitely plan for a cooler season next time. 3 stars

Should you visit here if you're not a birder (bird-watcher)? Unfortunately I have to say no, unless…read moreyou're already in the area.. The Sonny Bono nature center is free experience and it's also a pretty fun drive along the farmlands and the geothermal power plants just to get here. Once you've parked there's also a nice little hike to a rock with views of the south Salton sea.. There is also a small visitor center but that's about it. This is a place for birdwatching and if you don't have proper gear like binoculars or a powerful telephoto lens you're not to going to see the birds. There is a wooden observation tower but the free attached binoculars can't be focused and the lenses are dirty. There are no warning signs about mosquitoes on the rock hike trail. There should be. We were attacked by a swarm and I got tagged nine times. Not fun. You need: Powerful telephoto lenses Mosquito repellent Sunscreen and water