arrow-down arrow-left arrow-right arrow-up play-button plus tab-indicator dots close menu search facebook google-plus instagram pinterest rss twitter tiktok youtube rss-two heart Check FeaturedBadge linkedin minus apps placeholder linkedin

San Diego East County Deserts

A kaleidoscope of colorful flowers & more

Year-round, San Diego's East County Desert areas offer views of badlands, hikes to palm oases and slot canyons, relaxation at resorts and sightings of wildlife. But once a year, the ground erupts in a patchwork of colorful flowers that overwhelm the eyes with their unforgettable beauty.

Wildlife, Wildflowers & Hidden Treasures

The Anza-Borrego Desert is a place of ancient hidden treasures, subtle charm, epic wilderness and stunning silence, the antithesis of the highly manicured Palm Springs. 

Wildlife 

Heading east on Interstate 8 through the pretty mountains leads to the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, one of the richest and seemingly boundless living museums in San Diego county. This massive state park is home to roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer, bighorn sheep, desert iguanas, chuckwallas and four species of rattlesnake. The desert garden just outside the Visitor Center building provides an overview of some of the vegetation in the park.

Wildflowers

Springtime in the park is a magical affair as the dry, rugged landscape is transformed by winter rains into a kaleidoscope of colorful wildflowers with splashes of bold colors across the desert dunes, creating a spectacular floral display. The annual desert spring wildflowers come in a variety of species from tiny flowers with mere sparkling bits of color no larger than the head of a pin to the majestic ocotillo with its fiery spines of scarlet that pierce the skyline.

Hidden Treasures

The desert resort community of Borrego Springs is a quiet funky corner in the world with a handful of restaurants, shops and places to stay. Cozy up in a casita at La Casa del Zorro, play Tom Fazio golf at Ram’s Hill Golf Course, nosh authentic Mexican eats at Carmelita’s or enjoy burgers, beer and karaoke at Carlee’s. There are also bed-and-breakfast inns, motels and several vacation rental condominiums and houses.


Follow this link to discover more about California's deserts.

Find a place to stay

Book online or call 1-800-350-6205 to speak with a local expert
Book Now
1 Room
  • 1 Room
  • 2 Rooms
  • 3 Rooms
  • 4 Rooms
  • 5 Rooms
  • 6 Rooms
  • 7 Rooms
  • 8 Rooms
  • 9 Rooms
1 Adult
  • 1 Adult
  • 2 Adults
  • 3 Adults
  • 4 Adults
0 Kids
  • 0 Kids
  • 1 Kids
  • 2 Kids
  • 3 Kids
  • 4 Kids
  • 5 Kids
San Diego
  • San Diego
  • Coronado
  • Downtown
  • East County
  • Gaslamp Quarter
  • Hillcrest
  • La Jolla
  • Mission Bay & Beaches
  • Mission Valley & Old Town
  • North County Coastal
  • North County Inland
  • Point Loma, Harbor Island & Shelter Island
  • South Bay

Call 1-800-350-6205 to speak with a local travel expert

Related Articles and Features

Deals just for you

Associations & Organizations

San Diego Interpretation | Phone and Video

Valdes Language Services
Valid: May 13, 2024 - ongoing

High-quality phone and video interpretation services with professional and certified linguists. You can trust that your meeting will be a success. (619) 860-6642  More than...

Restaurants

HAPPY HOUR AT ALLEGRO

Allegro Restaurant and Bar
Valid: Apr 18, 2024 - ongoing

Join us at Allegro for our Happy Hour Specials! Available Sunday - Thursday from 4-6pm. $6 House Wine by the Glass, $8 Well Drinks, Oysters and more!   See why we've been rated one of Little...

Tours & Sightseeing

Family Friendly- Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Amazing Scavenger Hunts by Urban Adventure Quest
Valid: Feb 2, 2024 - ongoing

Enjoy an Amazing Race type adventure with your family and Save 20% when you use Promo Code SDFUN. Only $39.20 for a Team of 2-5 people. Have fun and do something unique! Covid Friendly outdoor...

Events to check out

Event

San Diego Crew Classic

Mar 28 - Mar 30, 2025

Regarded as the first major regatta of the year, the San Diego Crew Classic brings together thousands of athletes from more than 100 universities, clubs and high school programs across the United...

Event

Motivation Concert By FlyTimeless | Fri. 1/24/25

Gaslamp Event Management (GEM) - Club VIP SD - Downtown Dolls
Jan 24, 2025

Step Into a World of Inspiration, Energy, and Connection at a Flytimeless Motivation Concert   What if one night could transform everything? Feel the music electrify the air, let inspiration...

Event

San Diego Leprechaun Run

Mar 15, 2025

San Diego Leprechaun Run is BACK in Pacific Beach! We are excited to announce that registration is now open for the 5th Annual San Diego Leprechaun Run 5K & Kids 1K on Saturday, March 15th!

Stay in touch

Sign up to receive the latest news, events, and updates about San Diego. Our monthly and weekly newsletters will keep you informed about the latest and greatest happenings in the destination.

Sign Up

Partners

Explore

Plan

Stay

Follow Us

Language:

English | Change Language

Select your country or region

China
Germany
Great Britain
Japan
Mexico
Korea
Switzerland
Brazil
France
Australia
Canada
USA

Or use Google Translate

Afrikaans
Albanian
Arabic
Belarusian
Bulgarian
Croatian
Danish
Deutsch
Español
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
Francais
Georgian
Greek
Haitian-Creole
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Icelandic
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latvian
Lithuanian
Macedonian
Malay
Maltese
Nederlands
Norwegian
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Slovak
Slovenian
Swahili
Swedish
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukranian
Vietnamese
Yiddish