El Centro

[slickest1]

Has anyone stayed around El Centro Ca. for the winter? Pro and cons? Thanks.

[2gypsies1]

Boondocking in Borrego Springs would be much, much more pleasant than at the Slabs!

[arnko37]

If you like to boondock free check out the slabs. Go north from El Centro to Niland. The turn east in town and go about 4 miles and you are there. It was a WW2 military base. One square mile. the buildings are long gone but the cement slab bases are still there. No hook ups but there is a dump station in Niland with water and also a dump and water in a reast area just south of Niland. Interesting place and people. Just park wherever you want, get out the lawn chairs and get yourself a beer. Do a internet search on Slabs and you can see pics and more info.

[RVLimey]

We are staying at the Springs at Borrego for 3 months. Yes it is expensive but we find we don't spend as much money once you are here. If shopping is high on the list, then maybe this is not the place for you. It is an hour from Indio. A trip into town every three weeks or so. We like to play golf and its very reasonable here, having our own 9 hole championship course. I buy a 10 pack of 10 rounds in a golf cart for $225.00. Also there are tennis courts, a great pool area with 4 spas and of course the desert. Last year we spent a week at Rio Bend in El Centro. Great sites if you can be near the pond. Good golf course and on Saturdays the Blue Angels give a free air show.
anyway do whats best for you but remember you sometimes get what you pay for...

[Cool_Canuck]

Few years back we spent some time at Sunbeam Lake in Seely. Rates are reasonable. Just down the road from the Navel Landing Base. The Blue Angels would be over the park just about everyday. Had a hoot.

[slickest1]

It sounds like the Springs are above my pay grade as well. Thanks to those for the alternatives, we will still check out the area. We have never been through there so will have to check it out.

[rocmoc]

Great off-roading & other outdoor activities.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[2gypsies1]

Borrego Springs - excellent boondocking - free!

[aauummm]

mpierce wrote:
Looked at the website. Looks great. But mucho $! Wow. Above my pay grade.

About The Springs at Borrego RV Park and Golf Course: I was shocked also when I saw the current prices. We stayed there in Jan 2009 and it was $960/mo. They've raised the prices a lot. For us it was a splurge so we decided that it would be all of our birthday, anniversary, christmas gifts to each other for two years! We stayed at the Springs for one month and then other places before and after.

There are other more moderately priced RV parks in the vicinity and lots of people boondock in areas around town. As mentioned in other posts, the state park campground is excellent.

There's also Butterfield Ranch Resort: http://www.butterfieldresort.com/
and Stagecoach Trails RV Resort: http://www.stagecoachtrails.com/

Both are located toward Julian, CA but are not too far from Borrego.

More info on the area: http://www.desertusa.com/borrego/du_borregosprings.html

[Art_Davis]

Just a couple more items on Borrega Springs. The state park camping is, as another poster said, very nice--and much cheaper than the upscale places like The Springs. One thing no one has mentioned are the fine Ron Braceda sculptings that just pop up at you here and there in the desert as you drive around. Mostly of the prehistoric native animals of the region.

On the Salton Sea: be careful! It is agricultural runoff, and our experience has been that the odor is none too pleasant.

[mpierce]

Looked at the website. Looks great. But mucho $! Wow. Above my pay grade.

[RVLimey]

Hi,
we are staying at the Springs at Borrego right now. All the comments about this park are correct. It really is a bit of paradise. Off the beaten path but a real gem. Arrived Dec 1st and plan on leaving March 1st. We don't like to praise this park and area, as more people will want to visit here.
Seriously though, it's well worth a visit.
Cheers

[slickest1]

I sure will Tom! I answered your PM did you get it?

[Macktee]

Dennis, make sure you let us know what you find there so we can check it out sometime too. Take care. Tom

[Roy_Lynne]

I go down to the Salton Sea NWR, Brawley area every winter for the birding. I like it down there, not many folks and wonderful weather.