would give it 0 stars if i could. wow where do i start. I grew up here as a little kid and my mom…read moregot me out of here at 8y/o(now i understand why). I moved back here after a divorce because i have a daughter and thought family here would help. Im educated, friendly, outgoing, and this place has been so disappointing. There are no jobs. Im met with such hostility as a mexinan-american girl who doesnt speak spanish. so many mexi-cali residents take the jobs here from california residents even the low skill jobs or retail jobs. its so sad. People are so unfriendly. very toxic here. very small-town mentality of people dont want to know you if they didnt know you as a child.people dont want you to do better than them and you can feel the envy radiate off people. High obesity rate. the residents here are getting ripped off by the rising cost of living but tbh they deserve it.

Yes this place is ok it could be better and the mall is getting a bit lonely but I wish their were…read moremore new better businesses like fun ones that we used to have because el centro really has nothing fun's they don't have trampoline park how they used too or a water slide or fun places.

I had to reception to check in but thought this place was pretty cool. The rocks along this area…read moreare circular which definitely makes it look like a pumpkin patch. They info posts about how they form which is really cool to read. The ride over is pretty fun too and you gotta make sure your vehicle is equipped to get through. Great photo ops too! This is a must see when visiting Ocotillo Wells!

What a unique natural formation of rocks that look like pumpkins in a pumpkin patch at Halloween!…read more Great place to capture the night skies over the unique landscape. A harrowing experiences for me to get there...the roads are really rough. But such a worthy endeavor.

The Kinetoscope is a circular mural inside an abandoned water tank by Christina Angelina and Ease…read moreOne in Slab City, California.  The larger than life canvas was originally covered in grafitti and filled with trash. In order to properly prep the space, discarded, half broken shovels were employed and a makeshift pulley system of Home Depot buckets was instated to lift out the sand. The truck was repurposed as lodging for a week, the closest toilet was a 5-minute drive away, and all involved went without showers. This was well worth it for the final result.   Visitors must climb a staircase to the top of the tank (roughly 15 ft), where there is a ladder to take them back down, into the structure. Once inside, amplified sound reverberation accompanies two series of artistically rendered female faces.  Faces are captured in a variety of freeze frames and combined to create motion, inspired by the work of photographer Eadweard Muybridge.    Each individual face embodies a specific emotion tied to a meaningful moment when Angelina trusted her intuition, an inherent sense often ignored by society. The subtle interconnectedness of these moments creates a sense of "magic" in its movement as each form contributes to the natural flow of the piece. Her use of totem animals continues through the incorporation of raven and rattlesnake skulls.   Faces sit atop a ghostwritten blend of Eastern/Western writing styles by Ease One. These hidden words form the lyrics to Society by Jerry Hannan and Eddie Vedder.   It's a mystery to me We have a greed with which we have agreed You think you have to want more than you need Until you have it all you won't be free   Society, you're a crazy breed I hope you're not lonely without me   This piece uses a limited palette to subtly unify elements of figuration, lettering and graf futurism in a sophisticated, stylized manner. The background is of latex paint, the rest is of spray paint.

Republic of Slowjamastan: The Nation You Didn't Know You Needed!…read more Ever wanted to visit a country that's smaller than your average Costco but ten times more entertaining? Look no further than the Republic of Slowjamastan, a hidden gem off Highway 78 in the middle of literally nowhere. You'll know you've arrived when your GPS starts to laugh at you. The drive alone is an adventure, with nothing but open road and desert as far as the eye can see. Then BAM--out of the dust emerges a tiny "nation" with its own quirky flag, customs, and government (I'm pretty sure the sultan is just the most interesting man in the world). It's the kind of place that makes you question everything you know about borders and citizenship. Who knew sovereignty could be so much fun? This is the perfect spot to bring up at parties. You'll blow everyone's minds when you casually mention, "Oh yeah, I've been to Slowjamastan. No big deal. It's not on most maps yet." Instant conversation starter, and who doesn't love a little international travel brag? Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. But that's what makes it unforgettable. Pack a snack, bring a camera, and prepare to say, "Wait, what?" more times than you thought possible. 10/10 would recommend for anyone looking to spice up their road trip playlist and add "citizen of Slowjamastan" to their résumé.

Border towns are all different. Whether you're entering Canada or Mexico. There are a number of…read moreentry points. No two alike. I'm originally from Chula Vista so when we would cross into Mexico usually it was one of couple ways or entries (San Ysidro, Otay, etc). You would enter Tijuana and enter the hustle , bustle and yet modern everyday of TJ living, for food, to get to other locations like Rosarito, or venture into the exciting yet mysterious TJ nightlife to see what was good w/out getting into too much trouble. That's it. That's all. For most anyway. My boyfriend's family is originally from El Centro. Last time I was in El Centro there was nothing here. So after a handful of times visiting the city of El Centro, he decided to show me a city where his other relatives were from. Ah, the city of Mexicali, opposite of Calexico. Crossing I would say is still easier than crossing from the main border in San Ysidro. You can still find a lot of places to shop and eat here. Mexicali is definitely rural. The streets and sidewalks with are all uneven and filled with holes. Vendors & night workers. For some the view might be sad. For others humbling. For them, this is life and this is there day to day. It's said Mexicali was built by the many Chinese immigrants that were brought over for labor or fled the anti-Chinese policy from the US. This is historically home to the largest Chinese community in Mexico. Also known as Chinesca. "I don't see a lot of Chinese walking about" I tell my boyfriend. "The only Chinese I see are in the Chinese restaurants." Side note: the Chinese food definitely has a different yet still delicious flavor here. Mind you Chinese food differs everywhere you go. My advice when eating in this city is have no expectations. Just immerse yourself. Apparently, the Chinese built underground for themselves. To escape many things including the heat. There is said to have been opium dens and even illegal gambling. I'm not saying there still down there, just don't see a lot of Asians. There is a lot of mystery, history and a long established way of living here. However with the recent efforts of the younger generation with both Chinese and Mexican bloodlines to re-establish the Chinese culture here I'm sure we'll see an increase in tourism one day. So why the 4/5 stars? Not comparing this city to anywhere else I've been in Mexico. I grew up by Tijuana, raised off of Mexican culture. Been as far as Yucatán, Jalisco, The city of Tequila so on and so forth. I wasn't raised to disrespect anyone in their own home. If you're treated hospitably, you be respectful. Mexicali is beautiful in its own way and right.

Our wait to get to the big parking lot was 1 hour. Multiple cars drove past us on the right side on…read morethe rocks to avoid the wait but it was some bumpy terrain. There was only one line and two lanes open. We walked across so it was faster. Once across, we explored Algodones aka Molar City for a few hours. After a few errands and lunch, we walked back towards the gate and across. There was a small wait to cross back but definitely much faster then with a car. The agents were friendly.

Its much faster to walk across the border then to drive over. There was a longggggg line to cross…read moreover and we waited an hour just to get to the parking lot. The parking lot is big. All the agents were friendly.

Galetta Meadows was one of the most unexpected art experiences I've ever had. It's pretty magical…read more You're basically driving through the desert and you suddenly come face to face with a 350 foot serpent or a herd of wild horses, mammoths, scorpions and on and on and on. The massive metal sculptures are scattered across the desert landscape in the area and are free to explore. It's almost like a treasure hunt. You drive from installation to installation looking for silhouettes in the distance hoping to see more. At one of our first stops, I met a couple of gentlemen who were working on a comic book inspired by the sculptures. They were taking photographs and had lots of information so it was really helpful. All that being said, I did have a particularly terrible experience that was exclusive to me and has nothing to do with the installations themselves, so I'm not reflecting it in the rating. However, it's a good cautionary tale for anyone reading these reviews. There are signs everywhere that tell you where you can and cannot drive and I was in a particularly large vehicle headed down a one-way stretch of road that had signs along the side that said not to pull off. There was a four-wheel drive vehicle coming towards me and my husband commented that it had appeared as if they almost didn't make it across a dip in the road. When they approached our car, they motioned to me to roll the window down and the driver proceeded to tell me that there was no way that my car was going to make it through. He confirmed that he almost did not make it himself and told me that I would need to turn around. Unfortunately, when I tried to do that, I got stuck in the sand. It was terrible and I felt like an idiot. I tried to dig myself out but my car was just too big and didn't have four-wheel drive. It's hot in the desert so after about a half an hour I called for a tow to pull me back the 30 ft to the main road. They wanted me to wait 3 hours and said it would be $2,500 to send someone out. So yeah, it was easily the worst experience of my trip and embarrassing to write about, but hopefully someone else can learn from my mistakes. Watch the signs, follow the designated paths, respect the terrain and if you have any doubt at all, just walk. That said, don't let my misadventure scare you away. Just be cautious and you'll have an incredible time driving around the desert. Looking at these enormous works of art against the red clay and blue sky is just as unforgettable as getting stuck in the sand.

A must-see if you're in the area. The artist, Ricardo Breceda, was commissioned to create these…read morestatues in situ. Admission is free and each set of sculptures are located in different areas. A map is available on line to make sure you don't miss any! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190910471684613837/ The serpent is probably the most famous sculpture (and rightly so) but the others are also amazing in their detail. Truly unique works of art and 100% free!

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.

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.

I spent a lot of time in El Centro so I've definitely been to Calixco several times. Its about a 15…read moreminute drive from EC so it takes no time. I come to Calexico to visit family and then cross over to Mexicali to have some real fun. May not be the nicest or cleanest but it is what it is.

Just got back and guess what? It really hasn't improved any since 6 months ago. The people are…read morevery friendly-especially if you habla espanol. Fine dining=Applebee's. It's still quite windy and dusty. I go there for a reason and the city serves its purpose. I'm always happy to come home to San Diego