Surf, Sand, & Super Blooms: The Great Southern California Road Trip
California Road Surfing
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
Our Roadsurfer Class B RV in Borrego Springs
Recently, my boyfriend and I were given the opportunity to experience Southern California in a Class B recreational vehicle from Roadsurfer, a camper rental company, in Los Angeles. Built on a Dodge Ram ProMaster chassis, our vehicle included a queen-size bed, a well-equipped kitchen and eating space, and a separate toilet with shower in a functional (albeit tight) layout.
Rather than head up the central coast of California, we opted to head south to San Diego and then inland for some boondocking in the massive Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
The drive from Los Angeles to San Diego is about 125 miles, and weekend traffic almost tripled our drive time. Despite our late evening arrival, we had no problem checking in and quickly finding our space at the Mission Bay RV Resort in San Diego.
Sights of San Diego
PHOTO BY FELIX LIPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
The Botanical Gardens and Pond in Balboa Park
It was our first time in an RV park. And the following morning, we were pleasantly surprised at its home-like atmosphere. Each site was almost uniformly converted by our fellow RVers into private living spaces, complete with seating and synthetic turf, outdoor kitchens, lighting, a television for nighttime movies, and the occasional low fence for family pets.
For our first San Diego excursion, we decided to take an Uber to Balboa Park, where we spent the day exploring its gardens and museums. Our favorites were the Botanical Building and Lily Pond, as well as the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Balboa Park is also home to the Old Globe Theatre and famed San Diego Zoo.
Later that evening, we used a portable grill to cook steaks and the indoor kitchen to microwave some rice and veggies. (Over the course of five nights, we were easily able to prepare all major meals using only our portable grill and the compact kitchen.)
While on an after-dinner walk along Mission Bay, we found groups of fellow campers patiently waiting for the nightly fireworks from SeaWorld across the water. The pyrotechnic display provided the perfect mood lighting as we strolled together along the waterfront.
A Very Private Campsite
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
Our very private campsite in Blair Valley in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Saying goodbye to San Diego the following morning, we headed east into the Cuyamaca Mountains and the historic former mining town of Julian, now a mecca for romantic couples and lovers of antiques and apple pie. We paused long enough to pick up a bottle of wine from one of the tasting rooms in town before descending into the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest park in California’s system.
Rather than spend the night in an established campground, we boondocked off the grid for two nights at a primitive site in Blair Valley. Our campsite was a small cove slightly above the valley at the end of a road. The surrounding hills on three sides provided a barrier against the sustained desert winds, which admittedly limited our outdoor grilling activities from early afternoon until well into the evening.
Serpents and Sand
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
A rusted serpent in Borrego Springs
We had intended to take nearby hikes the following day to see Indigenous American pictographs and the homestead of Marshall South. South was a struggling writer who built a makeshift residence for his family on Ghost Mountain, where they lived through extreme conditions from 1939 to 1946, wearing little if any clothing in homage to local first cultures. Feeling lazy and romantic, however, we opted to stay in bed with coffee before enjoying a leisurely afternoon and evening in our private desert cove.
Wildflowers and Rusted Pachyderms
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
Elephant and wildflowers in Galleta Meadows
While we saw only a smattering of small blue wildflowers at Blair Valley’s higher elevation, the lower elevations of Borrego Springs were in the midst of a full-blown super bloom when we arrived the following morning. The desert surrounding the quirky community was awash in a sea of temporary purple flowers and more permanent wrought iron sculptures. We stopped for photos of a huge, rusted serpent swimming through the sand and under the road, and then took a short detour on a dirt road through Galleta Meadows past even more wrought iron art, including a perfectly posed young elephant.
Borrego Springs Vibes
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
Palm Canyon RV Resort in Borrego Springs
That evening, we stayed at the Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort in Borrego Springs, which featured multiple pools, a burger joint and saloon, and a quaint old Western theme. At the jacuzzi that night, we struck up a conversation with the saloon’s bartender, who was relaxing with her lesbian partner. The pair were snowbirds living onsite in their RV and would be heading to Colorado in a month to host a summer campground in the Rockies.
A Roadsurfer to Remember
PHOTO COURTESY DONALD PADGETT
Sunrise in Borrego Springs
After experiencing perfect weather throughout our stay, Mother Nature treated us to rain on our drive back to Los Angeles. Our first adventure at the helm of a Class B RV proved to be a diverse and overwhelmingly positive experience, starting with the city lights and activities of San Diego and ending with romantic evenings alone in the desert. It was one road trip we’d be more than happy to experience again.
Learn more and rent your own RV at Roadsurfer.com.
