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.

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.

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

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.

Quirky fun is all I can say. About 90 minutes from Palm Desert. Just a strange experience but fun…read more I didn't reel it was inspired. Just the work of an obsessed man. Glad us was free. Then up the road is Slab City. Nothing worth mentioning there. Just ramshackle campers, burned out campers and various types of encampments. It was interesting once.

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.

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.

This is the coolest (and probably best funded) library I've ever been to. I make it a point to stop…read morein when I visit the area. Inside the building is a cafe that also sells fresh loaves of bread, an incredible used bookstore, and a huge saltwater aquarium, to name a few things. If I lived in the area, I'd hang out here regularly, as there are lots of varied seating options (including outdoors), a humongous collection of DVDs and CDs, and 5-star programming, including concerts and free art workshops for all ages. There is also the Observatory. What a fabulous feature for a library. I attended one of their regular free OPENights and loved it. Be aware that it is an observatory (= small) and not a whole planetarium. At the OPENight, I'm glad I used the restroom before arriving, because you'll stand in line outside (bring a jacket!) waiting to be let into the observatory, as they only let a handful of people in at a time to look through the telescopes. The library is closed at that time, so no restroom access. The wait was around 40 min, but they post an astronomer out there who will talk about stars & stuff and answer any questions, so that was very entertaining.

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

I just went for the first time from 9:30-12pm on Saturday 10/19/24. My main goal was to see…read moreburrowing owls and I was successful!!!! Unfortunately the visitor center was closed even though it was supposed to be open according to the posted hours. Luckily a couple walking their dog were very well informed and helpful! They told me volunteers man the visitor center in winter when the winter bird migration is happening. They said to return in 3 weeks (11/9/24) and there would be thousands of birds and the center should be open. I recommend waiting and coming then. The couple also told me how to find the burrowing owls, they live on the drainage ditches and their nests are labeled with a stick with a pink ribbon tied to it. You have to drive very slow or stop and wait to see them. Luckily there was a sign posted on the visitor center window with a map and "X's" drawn where the burrowing owl nests are. So I used that to drive around the dirt roads that are in grids in the farmland. I went to 4 near areas and two were occupied, one with a pair of burrowing owls and one with a single owl. I also saw a roadrunner, American kestrel, lots of egrets, quail, blackbirds, what looked like a prairie dog, and other birds. The visitor center area is considered "Unit 2." There is a 2 mile trail round trip called Rock Hill Trail that leads to the shore of the Salton Sea. I will do that next time. There is a huge two story observation deck, a shaded picnic area, a very nice restroom, and water dispenser. Unit 1 is 30 minutes away on the southwest edge of the lake. It has another huge two story observation deck, a toilet, a 0.7 mile hiking trail around a large pond with two photography blinds. I'll do that next time. This area will be great for waterfowl viewing when the winter migration occurs. I recommend stopping and taking pictures on the east side of the Salton Sea while driving to the southeast corner where the visitor center is. Once you're at the refuge there is pretty much no view of the lake, same with Unit 1. Next time I also want to explore Salton City. I got a hotel in Palm Springs for the night but it is 1 hour 45 minutes away! So next time I will stay in the a hotel in Brawley. It takes a lot of time to explore this whole area and bird watch.