Borrego Springs is a town of 3,100 people (2020), in the Inland part of San Diego County, California. Located in a desert valley forming the westernmost part of the Sonoran Desert, it is the main town in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which surrounds the valley.
Understand
Borrego Springs has pueblo-style, modern architecture and ranch-style house architecture.
The village of Borrego Springs is recognized as a designated International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association. Borrego Springs has no stoplights, and nighttime lighting is kept to a minimum to protect the view of the night sky. It is a center for public astronomy activities throughout the year.
Get in
Borrego Springs is about 90 miles (140 km) from downtown San Diego.
California State Route 78 passes a few miles south of Borrego Springs. Coming from the west on CA-78 (from Julian), turn north on Yaqui Pass Road (S3), which climbs a small ridge to cross into the Borrego Valley. If coming from the east (from Brawley), turn north on Borrego Springs Road.
Another road, the Borrego Salton Seaway (S22), connects Borrego Springs with Salton City directly to the east. This road passes through a variety of washes, small canyons, and boulder fields. Pick up the pamphlet "Erosion Road" from the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park visitor center for a self-guided tour of the geological features along the road.
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System provides occasional bus service between Borrego Springs and El Cajon on routes 891 and 892. El Cajon is an eastern San Diego suburb with a stop on the San Diego Trolley light rail. However, each service runs only one trip per week, route 891 on Fridays and route 892 on Thursdays.
Get around
See
- Aerobatic pilots from California and the southwest U.S. regularly use the airspace for practice and major competitive events. Visitors are welcome to come to the airport and watch the flight activity, which does not interfere with other airport operations. The San Diego Aerobatic Club sponsors two annual competition events, in April and October.
- More than 100 large metal statues of animals by sculptor Ricardo Breceda can be found in Galleta Meadows Estate.
Do
- The USA's largest desert state park, 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, surrounds the town.
- There are four public golf courses, a tennis center, and horseback riding.
Buy
Eat
- Red Ocotillo, 721 Avenida Sureste, ☏ +1 760-767-7400. Daily 7:30AM - 8:30PM. Traditional American fare; full bar; organic garden-to-table restaurant. Inside and outside dining (two patios and a garden; one patio is pet-friendly).
- Kesling's Kitchen, 665 Palm Canyon Drive, ☏ +1 760-767-7600, pamelainthekkitchen@gmail.com. Summer 2023 hours: W-Sa 11AM "till we run out". Menu "changes daily, hourly ..." For summer 2023, "we’re doing a world tour of food; fried chicken, thai noodles, BBQ, lasagna, pizza, fish and chips."
- Calico's, 587 Palm Canyon Dr, ☏ +1 760-767-7747. Tu-Sa 7AM-2:30PM, 4-7PM; Su 8AM-5PM; closed M. Pizza, coffee, and tea