Borrego Springs is a must if you seek to escape the busy streets of Los Angeles or are here visiting California. It is located only 3 hours away from LA. The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is California’s largest state park. You will feel you are on a different planet surrounded by the Badlands and rocky formations. People come here from all over the world mostly for camping, star gazing, and hikes.
Where to stay in Borrego Springs
The number one hotel I recommend is La Casa del Zorro. It is the most luxurious hotel there and it is perfect if you travel with a pet. If you do come with your dog, I recommend booking a “casita” which means “little house” in Spanish. You basically have your own little house in which you and your pet can comfortably enjoy. It is easy to take him/her for walks or bathroom breaks.
I highly recommend having dinner here. It is more of a romantic feel. Another thing I love about this place is that it has a designated dark area in which you can grab a chair, gather with friends, and stargaze. I love it because I kinda felt protected that I was there and not in the middle of nowhere. You can simply walk back to your “casita”.
There are plenty of other hotels that are decent. We stayed in Borrego Springs Resort and Spa which offered a pool, jacuzzi, and a Spanish-inspired restaurant where we enjoyed breakfast in the golf field. Another hotel that I got to see and can recommend is Borrego Valley Inn.
What to do
Here are 7 places that you might want to visit.
1. The visitor center
This should be your first stop. Here you can gather maps, buy souvenirs and figure out what to do.
2. Palm Canyon Trail
Palm Canyon Trail hike is a must. Located in the visitor center. There is a $10 fee to park at the visitor center then you simply follow signs to the hike. This is a 3-mile hike back and forth which leads to a beautiful palm oasis. It is a pretty easy hike, you just follow the path. There is a little bit of stepping on rocks but nothing too strenuous. I saw kids on the trail so…😁
3. Galleta Meadows
The Galleta Meadows are 129 sculptures designed by Ricardo Breceda. To find them you drive up and down Borrego Springs road and make a stop at each. Of course, take some awesome photos with each! The sculptures are scattered throughout, so there is not one specific destination that you can simply put on Mapquest. Make sure you stop by the visitor center and get a map that tells you where each one is. I felt like I was in a big easter hunt finding each one and getting so excited to find a new one. You don’t really need an ALW for this. We were able to go drive by them in our regular car.
4. Slot Canyon
This is probably the most popular hike and the most fun. It is best if you have an AWD to get here. This hike takes you on a narrow path through the canyon. It is a fun hike but I wouldn’t recommend if you are claustrophobic in small spaces as some parts are really narrow and you have to squeeze to get through. Slot hike is about a mile long round trip.
5. Fonts Point
Fonts point has the most amazing views of the Borrego Badlands. You do need AWD to get here as you are driving through sand and rocky ground.
6. California Overland Tours
If you don’t want to deal with getting lost or having an AWD then I highly recommend booking tours with California Overland Tours. They are the main tourist place in the Anza Borrego desert. You can book a private or group tour. Group tours save you money and you get to meet others. Joe was really nice and had snacks for us during each stop. My favorite was our stop in a secret spot called Vista Del Malpais. See the view below.
7. The Wind Caves
The wind caves trail is located in the eastern portion of Anza-Borrego dessert. It is a 1.5 mile trail round trip that starts out with a steep climb starting at Fish Creek Wash then keeps going uphill for about 250 feet to the wind caves. The views from here are spectacular.
Where to eat
Anza Borrego is not that big. There are some restaurants along a place called the Christmas Circle. You will see this as soon as you enter Borrego Springs. We spent plenty of time here because it’s the main place that leads to all the streets you need. We had dinner at Carlee’s which is a bar, and breakfast at Kendall’s cafe.
I hope I was helpful in planning your trip. Anza Borrego is a great choice when visiting California, make sure you have plenty of room in your phone and camera because you will need it. Also, bring lots of water for hikes. It gets really hot, especially in the Summer. Have fun!
Looking for more things to do in California? Check out The Flower Fields in California | What to expect
xoxo
xio💚
