Category: Attractions

  • Slab City

    Slab City

    123 BEAL ROAD
    NILAND

    Just a mile east of Salvation Mountain is your final destination, Slab City. Originally a World War II training facility, the town takes its name from the concrete slabs left behind after the base was shut down, where those wishing to live off the grid eventually set up homes. With no running water, sewer system, or electricity, most residents inhabit tents erected on the slabs or RVs situated beside them. Though it might sound desolate and dreary, the community is welcoming, friendly and inviting, not to mention truly unique. And there is a great deal to see, from BYOB bar/nightclub The Range (887 Beal Road) to the open-air art museum East Jesus(East Jesus Road). Singular, whimsical and begging to be photographed, Slab City is an extraordinary slice of Americana.

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  • Salvation Mountain

    Salvation Mountain

    603 BEAL ROAD
    NILAND

    Next stop, Salvation Mountain! A monument to God’s love created in the ‘80s by visionary Leonard Knight out of adobe, straw, local junkyard trash and gallons upon gallons of paint, the vibrant bluff stands like a beacon on a wide expanse of dusty desert land. Leonard sadly passed away in 2014 after almost 30 years of maintaining the installation, but it remains intact today thanks to his legions of devotees who have painstakingly preserved it. Thousands of visitors make the pilgrimage there each year to meditate, reflect and view the true wonder of it all. (If you need a restroom, the last one out this way can be found just a few miles before hitting Salvation Mountain at the Soco Mini-Mart at 8004 CA-111 in Niland).

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  • Bombay Beach

    Bombay Beach

    709 CA-111
    NILAND

    About 20 minutes down the road lies Bombay Beach, a small census-designated town of 200 homes and trailers, many of which are abandoned. The lowest city in America, elevation-wise, Bombay Beach is one of the most filmed and photographed spots in Imperial County – and it’s not very hard to see why. Half-populated, half-vacant and dilapidated, it is like no other place in the world. Thanks to the Bombay Beach Biennale, founded in 2015, the area is also home to countless unique art installations, which are dotted around the shoreline and surrounding streets, offering endless photo opportunities. Be sure not to miss the Ski Inn while in town. Though rough around the edges, the restaurant serves decent food in a fun atmosphere (Anthony Bourdain even had his first patty melt there!) and is a filming location! (Bonus – there is a bathroom on the premises available to patrons.)

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  • North Shore Beach & Yacht Club

    North Shore Beach & Yacht Club

    99155 SEA VIEW DRIVE
    MECCA

    Once a luxury vacation destination, the Salton Sea is a virtual post-apocalyptic dreamland today due to agricultural runoff that turned the waters toxic and massive flooding that forced residents out in droves. At the height of its popularity in the 1960s and ’70s, though, the Sea was THE place to be, and the Albert Frey-designed North Shore Yacht Club THE hangout for visiting A-Listers such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and The Beach Boys. Shuttered in 1984, the structure sat abandoned until being renovated in 2010 and currently serves as a recreation center, with the adjacent parking lot providing stellar views of the sea’s gorgeous blue expanses and white sands. Venture closer to the shore, though, and it becomes apparent that the water is actually brown, the picturesque blue seen from afar nothing more than a reflection of the sky. And that pristine beach? In reality, it’s crushed fish bones left behind by the many carcasses that regularly wash ashore. Simultaneously beautiful and harrowing, the Salton Sea has to be seen to be believed.

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  • Salton Sea

    Salton Sea

    CA-111
    MECCA

    If you’re spending more than a few days in the desert, there’s nothing quite like a road trip to the Salton Sea! In fact, it’s one of my favorite spots to take guests. I recommend visiting the east side, as the west isn’t all that unique. The Sea’s four main attractions are chronicled in detail below, but first a few notes. The journey takes at least five hours to complete, and while there are some bathrooms along the way, they are few and far between. As such, a stop at the Mecca Travel Center at the start of your trip is suggested. You can fill your tank with gas at the Arco on the premises (90480 66th Ave., Mecca) and utilize the bathroom at the neighboring Starbucks (90496 66th Ave., Mecca). The Travel Center is the last major retail you will see on your route.

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  • Pioneertown

    Pioneertown

    53688 PIONEERTOWN ROAD
    PIONEERTOWN

    This collection of rickety wooden buildings lining a small stretch of desert road about 30 miles outside Palm Springs began life as a movie set. Created by Hollywood heavyweights Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in 1946, Pioneertown promptly became a popular destination for shooting Westerns. When the genre died out in the late ‘60s, the complex was left intact and still looks much the same as it did when John Wayne and Bud Abbott roamed the dusty grounds. Today, you’ll catch tourists wandering the premises, popping in and out of the wood-shingled specialty shops, taking in Wild West shows, grabbing a meal at local favorite Pappy + Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace(which made my lunch list above) and reveling in the charmingly kitschy atmosphere.

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  • Joshua Tree National Park

    Joshua Tree National Park

    6544 PARK BOULEVARD
    JOSHUA TREE

    A day trip to Joshua Tree National Park, located about 40 miles northeast of Palm Springs, is a must for any desert visitor! While the entire 800,000-acre park is worth checking out, offering some of the most beautiful scenery known to man, there are a few stand-out spots that shouldn’t be missed, including the aptly-named Skull Rock (pictured), Jumbo Rocks, Arch Rock, the Cholla Cactus Garden and Keys View, an awe-inspiring lookout point featuring panoramic vistas of the entire Valley, with even the San Andreas Faultline visible on a clear day! (Note – there are three entrances to the park. The address above denotes the visitor center for the entrance closest to downtown Palm Springs.)

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  • “Happy Alley”

    “Happy Alley”

    MILES AVENUE, BETWEEN TOWNE & OASIS STREETS
    INDIO

    Just down the street from the “Heavy Metal” cactus, you’ll find “Happy Alley,” another whimsical art installation featuring colorful umbrellas strung across a tiny downtown Indio alleyway. Crafted by the city’s Human Resources and Public Works departments, the display is a vibrant and joy-inducing addition to the local art scene – not to mention a fabulous backdrop for pictures.

    Happy Alley

  • “Heavy Metal” Sculpture

    “Heavy Metal” Sculpture

    TOWNE STREET & BLISS AVENUE
    INDIO

    This aluminum statue, modeled after a rocking-out Saguaro cactus, was created in 2022 for the Power Trip heavy metal festival by sculptor/ frequent Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival contributor Don Kennell and his wife, Lisa Adler. The following year, the piece was relocated to a grassy patch in downtown Indio and now acts as a cheeky attraction, beckoning visitors to pose for photo ops beneath its prickly foliaged fingers.

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  • La Quinta Museum

    La Quinta Museum

    77885 AVENIDA MONTEZUMA
    LA QUINTA

    A charming venue filled with an array of exhibits and displays chronicling the history of the city of La Quinta, this fun and informative spot is a great place to spend an afternoon – especially during the summer months when it is too hot to be outside. The site also hosts a plethora of regular events, including music nights (held al fresco in the gorgeous courtyard), author readings, educational lectures, genealogy meet-ups, movie screenings and more! There is always something exciting happening at the La Quinta Museum!

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