What to See
and Do | Where to Stay
Borrego Springs
This low desert town is what people say
Palm Springs was like 50 to 60 years ago, before the
transformation to chic took place. The business section
of the town is built around and near a traffic circle,
which features a park with palm trees, plus a picnic
area. It's close to state park headquarters and the park
visitor center.
What makes Borrego Springs famous, is its
location in the middle of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park -- the largest state park in the lower 48 states. Borrego
Springs is a relaxed resort and retirement town, with
several good hotels, including the deluxe Borrego Ranch Resort & Spa, and the slightly less expensive Palm Canyon
Resort. Summers are very hot, with a daytime average of
106 degrees during August -- 75 degrees at night. Winter
and spring temperatures are delightfully comfortable, day
and night.
The town is a 2-hour drive from San Diego,
and 3.5 hours from LA. The major access highway is State
Route 78, which leads east from Carlsbad and Escondido,
north of San Diego. The route leads through several small
communities, including Ramona and Julian. Take County
Road S-22 to drive north to Borrego Springs.
What to See & Do
The desert state park is the major
attraction for visitors to Borrego Springs, and you can
get details of park features and programs by going to the
Anza Borrego Desert State
Park page.
Other activity is available for the visitor
including enjoying the resort facilities including Borrego Ranch Resort & Spawhich offer
pools and tennis courts, and good dining.
While in the Anza-Borrego area, you should
explore the old mining town of Julian, located at the
junction of Highways 78 and 79. The last remaining hotel
-- of 15 which operated during the gold rush days -- is
the Julian Hotel, still in operation as a quaint
Victorian B&B inn.
For local information, visit the Borrego
Springs Chamber of Commerce, at 786 Palm Canyon Drive
(P.O. Box 450, Borrego Springs, CA 92004).
You can rent a home in town for anywhere from
$180 to $300 per day. Several sets of luxury condominiums
are available to travelers. These include Ram's
Hill which has a championship 18-hole golf course, a
good restaurant, and lounge. Contact Ram's Hill at
800-524-2800 (in California) or 800-732-9200 (outside
California).
Anza-Borrego Camping
Palm Canyon Resort has both superior hotel
accommodations and a large RV park, complete with
swimming pool, plus bar & grill.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park operates several
campgrounds, including one with hookups for RVs and
trailers in Palm Canyon. The length limit for RVs in the
campground with hookups is 31 feet, and a 30-day limit is
imposed.
For more information on camping in the park -- both
organized, primitive, and out on the desert -- go to the
Anza-Borrego Desert State
Park Page.
