Such a great children's museum. We brought my 5 and 2 year old here when we were visiting family in…read moreImperial a few years ago, and they had a blast. It is really great for all ages.. the adults had just as much fun as the kids. Lots of fun things to do, see and learn about. Some of my kids' favorite exhibits were the bubble area, massive pin wall, art spin crafts, vertical slide, and light brite wall. They also have a separate play room geared for younger children. I would absolutely recommend taking your children here.

I'm giving this 4 stars but wish it could be 4.5 (and they could easily reach 5 stars). This…read moremuseum is very centrally located in Centro Civico, right next to Liverpool. There is plenty of free parking. It is a large lot that has both indoor and outdoor exhibits and an IMAX theater indoors. We unfortunately arrived too late in the day to check out the IMAX. It was very deserted, even on a Saturday. The outdoor exhibits focus on trains, flora/fauna and colors/shapes. There is plenty of outdoor space for eating and relaxing. There is also a large lawn area, where they were having birthday party (looked fun!) and I believe they rent the entire museum after hours for weddings, events, 15eras, etc....The inside has all kinds of science and daily living exhibits. There is also a large maker space where kids can create (there is a second art space in the dark exhibit section as well). There is a rock climbing wall, a huge lighted fountain and an orbiter ride in addition to many interactive stations (bubbles, life size chess etc...) It is fun for the whole family. There is also a very high catwalk (I don't recommend this if you are afraid of heights, It is very high and not the sturdiest but fun!). All the attendants are very enthusiastic as well. So why no five stars? 1. Many of the exhibits were broken or partially broken 2. The gift shop needs to get in items for older kids, they have a captive audience but it's mainly little kids coloring books 3. the food is horrible!!! overpriced, overcooked and didn't taste good at all. This was a great outing. Oh one final note they do NOT have A/C they have big fans and the day we went (in mid October) was moderate enough that it wasn't an issue but you may want to go early in the morning if you are going in the summer!

Johnny Cloud is an amazing, local treasure!…read more Not only is his collection remarkable, his grasp of the areas history is second to none.

I lived in California for years and thought that I visited every corner of the state. I drove a…read morelot of miles in that time. Somehow, I missed a little piece of the state just north of Yuma, Arizona. Bard, California, has date farms and there was a ripe crop of lettuce growing yesterday. It was a long field of green. There's not really a town center but, if there is, it's most assuredly the Cloud Museum. It sits across from one of the lettuce fields, too. I'm not a car geek but all I can say is wow. Wow! I'm not the only one, either. I watched some folks exclaim the same word after entering. Johnny Cloud is 82 years old and has been collecting for half his life. The museum looks more like a junk yard from outside the fence where a large sign says: 'Probably the largest collection of Model T's in the world.' I don't know if that's true but if there is a larger collection, someone is keeping it a secret. Pulling up in the dirt parking area in front, I was immediately greeted by a bevy of older dogs that were eager to say hello and ask for pets before they all rolled around playing with each other. The admission price is $10. It's an honor system so place your bill in the metal box. At that point, you'll hear a loud motion sensor buzzer sound. It's a bit jarring at first but there is not a staff here. It's Johnny, his dogs, and some friends who may be there as they all tinker with whatever they may be working on. Indeed, they asked me if I wanted to watch them turn on a jerry-rigged Model T that now served as a large saw. Yes. Yes, I did. (For those who find it odd, I remember seeing old family photos of folks doing the same with their Model Ts back in the day.) The engine puttered to life, smoke bellowed into the air, and a large rusty saw blade began to whirl. One of Johnny's friends looked for a large chunk of wood to test out. Safety be damned. Johnny and his friends are obviously having fun among the hundreds of cars here. Most are rusted to a beautiful patina. Some have original faded paint, while others look almost new and seem ready for a country drive. All are neatly organized in long rows. This is an overwhelming display and I probably said wow a hundred times before leaving. There are also other car brands, toy cars, boat motors, car parts, wheels -- lots of wheels -- old electric pole glass transistors, a few period rooms, tools, and more assorted bric-a-brac. Again, it's all organized well and easy to view and appreciate. Although there is a website, Johnny doesn't maintain it. He doesn't use the internet and seems happily ensconced in an older time aside from the little golf cart that he uses to roam the property in his cowboy hat so he can chat with visitors. I don't know how many more years this will museum will be open even though Johnny doesn't look 82 and acts like a kid around his collection. California has always amazed me with its diversity. There are always surprises and this is one of the most memorable. P.S. The website says the museum is open at 9am. Johnny said he's usually tinkering by 7:30am so try your luck and offer your respects.

The Desert View Tower, built in the 1920's, offers a stunning view of the Anza Borrego Desert. It's…read morealso currently available on a short-term rental website listed as "Lighthouse in Jacumba, CA"! If you're driving by, it's worth a stop. Free to look around the grounds and giftshop; but there is a fee to climb to the top for the best and most expansive view ($9.50 as of this writing). The tower is next to "Boulder Park" featuring some truly hideous sculptures created by an unemployed engineer during the depression. The boulders are much more notable for what may be cupules created by Native Americans, cups that are carved out of rock as part of ceremonies and rituals. A smattering of animals live on the grounds including chickens and peacocks. Free parking.

I've been trying to figure out what to write about this fun little stop an hour east of San Diego…read more It's a wonderful piece of history and definitely worth exploring. My husband and I enjoyed our visit quite a bit. We paid the fee to climb to the top of the tower and go exploring the boulders on the property as well. The tower interior is home to a magical shop full of antiques and second-hand treasures. The boulders next to the tower are fun to explore and have lots of animals painted onto the boulders in the shapes of various animals. As you can tell we really enjoyed our visit BUT... The one road in and out of the Desert View Tower property is absolutely littered on both sides with (maybe) abandoned motor homes, shanties, and whole collections of god-only-knows-what! And the road itself is like driving on the surface of the moon. I felt like I was driving into a scene of "The Hills Have Eyes" (kids ask your Gen X parents about that one). Seriously... I thought we might be murdered and eaten! But if you're feeling brave, come well-armed, and are willing to pop a tire and ruin your suspension, it's a GREAT place to visit!

I did a long weekend trip to Palm Desert with the goal of visiting the Salton Sea. Originally, I…read moreplanned to loop the entire shoreline, but after talking with a ranger at the visitor center, I stuck to the east side and doubled back, which was definitely the right call. Our turnaround point was Salvation Mountain, right next to Slab City. Before going, I had read about Leonard Knight and the story behind the mountain, which honestly made the visit more meaningful. The dedication and message behind it are almost as interesting as the site itself. It is kind of amazing that the structure still stands today and is in such solid condition. The drive out was mostly fine, though hot and dusty, especially on a Saturday afternoon. I would recommend going earlier in the day if possible. The mountain itself looked better maintained than I expected. The colors were bright, and it was clear that ongoing work is being done to preserve it. I left a small donation since it felt like a meaningful effort to support. That said, it did not fully resonate with me. While I can appreciate the effort and story, the style of art and the surrounding environment did not quite click. If you are into outsider art or off grid communities, you will probably get more out of it than I did. The biggest downside is the immediate setting. Being next to Slab City definitely impacts the experience. The vibe felt a bit uncomfortable at times, and we did not stay long or continue on to East Jesus. Overall, I am glad I visited. It is unique, and the story behind it adds depth, but it is more of a one time stop for me than a place I would go out of my way to revisit. 3 stars.

Quirky fun is all I can say. About 90 minutes from Palm Desert. Just a strange experience but fun…read more I didn't reel it was inspired. Just the work of an obsessed man. Glad us was free. Then up the road is Slab City. Nothing worth mentioning there. Just ramshackle campers, burned out campers and various types of encampments. It was interesting once.

We were driving from San Diego back to El Centro. We had tried stopping earlier but the wind was so…read morebad, so we drove on. We saw the sign for the Imperial Valley Desert Museum on our last trip and it sounded interesting...but I didn't really expect that much being so far away from any towns. We weren't sure we were even heading toward the museum since there was no sign and road was gravel and bumpy. But around the corner there was the terra cotta roof of the museum. No sign for the entrance either but they were glass doors so in we went. No one was at the desk but there were people looking at exhibits so we went in. The museum was not large but had areas with different exhibits and historic artifacts. The exhibits were very informative and well done. They have a beautiful collection of pottery by the Kumeyaay, a local First Nation tribe (who had bands that covered north from Escondido to near Ensenada and east from Yuma, AZ. to the Pacific Ocean. There is a movie that explains how the different bands lived that was so wonderful and informative that I would watch again. We were there about an hour and didn't see everything in detail. I really enjoyed learning about the Kumeyaay people and the desert area of Imperial County area. We will definitely come back to go through it again. I highly recommend making the stop to see the museum.

This is an excellent desert museum. They have a number of good interpretive displays and regularly…read morehost events such as star viewing (they have several telescopes), lectures and planned trips to Anza Borrego state park and the surrounding areas. For years, this museum sat vacant. Finally enough money was raised to build out the interior. When it opened, I just had to go see it. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. For its size, I was surprised to see the number of displays they had and the quality of them. They also have a nice bookstore with trail maps and other informative desert literature. If you've driven on interstate 8 eight between San Diego and Arizona, I'm sure you have seen this museum. It has an outdoor trail with many native plants. There's also shaded sitting areas. If you have an extra 30 minutes to an hour, drop by the Imperial Valley desert museum. I'm sure you would enjoy it.

I'd been wanting to visit the Salton Sea and check out some of its famous spots. Bombay Beach was…read morehigh on the list. Rolling south from Palm Desert on a Saturday, we arrived around 11 AM. Right at the entrance, there was a shade tent with a guy trying to sell $5 parking for an art festival happening that weekend. I politely passed. My goal was the Ski Inn for a cold one, and honestly, it was blazing hot, not the day to wander the dusty town. The vibe was surreal. It felt like a mini Burning Man. Ironics were roaming around town in their get-ups, hanging out at RVs and Rivians. There was an overall strange mix of art and chaos. Bombay Beach itself is pretty rough around the edges. There was lots of "art" mixed in with junk and debris. I snapped some photos and wandered the playa, or whatever they call it here. Some pieces were interesting. My favorite was the Elon Musk installation. Eventually, I made it to the Ski Inn, a classic tourist dive bar hangout. I grabbed a cold beer, did a bit of people-watching, and soaked in the scene before heading out. BTW, same place Anthony Bourdain visited sometime around 2006/7 filming his show "No Reservations." Bombay Beach is definitely an oddball destination. Not sure if I would recommend roaming around when there is a big festival, but it has its quirky charm. I would like to return when it is a bit calmer, though honestly, it may just be a spot to experience briefly rather than linger. 3.5 stars

We were spending a week in Palm Springs, and as a lover of street art, when I read about Bombay…read moreBeach, I had to come see it! It is a very surreal experience to say the least. We parked in the town and walked around, as many of the properties have artwork on them as well. Then you have to crest a little hill to actually see the beach. There are things to see all over the beach, it just depends how far you like to walk. Definitely bring shoes that can get mucky, as the sand can be wet and sloppy. It was a super unique experience, and we were glad to do it. You are definitely out in an area with little or no retail, gas stations, restaurants, etc. so be prepared for that.

A marvelous museum that all prominent professionals and dignitaries have or will visit. But it…read moreisn't just open to those few, it is open to all of humanity who wants to have an enriched experience--an absolute must to visit! It is a magnificent display of history and art that transcends academia by utilizing all of the human senses. Upon arrival, one is immediately intrigued by Michelangelo's bronze arm that points along a line that travels though a pyramid and into history etched on granite before arriving at a church on a hill that overlooks the area. As one enters the museum, a docent greets the visitor and introduces the museum by a short film. The pyramid is opened where you have an opportunity to enter and be photographed standing at the "Center of the World," to capture your own history. From within the pyramid, you can feel the cool granite stone and see the sunlight glistening off the beautiful etched granite in the history courtyard--what beauty the Pyramids of Giza must have displayed during its day! You take a fresh breathe of the outdoor air as you approach the magnificent etched granite that displays the history of humanity. Being inspired by the great artists, philosophers, scientists, leaders, and many others--you continue to walk around under the blue blanket sky studying those topics of interest. At the end, you can ascend up a series of stairs to the Church. As you approach the heavens, you can sit and look out towards the mountains, desert, and blue skies. You pause to process what you just experienced while also subconsciously reflecting upon your own story of life. This is not the end. Departing from this experience, you stop to have a cold Felicity beverage at their restaurant where you further reflect. Finally, you slowly leave this spectacular museum, while subconsciously asking yourself, "what more can I do"--leaving this place with a new sense of belonging and a desire to accomplish more in life!

This museum is like a jewel in the desert and the owners are wonderful! Jacques-André and Felicia…read moreIstel. It's fun to stop by because there's always something new to see. It's worth stopping at, especially in the cooler months when the cafe and gift shop are open.

I have seen this place from the I-8 freeway over the years as I drove across into Arizona. While…read moreworking in the area I made the trek over and visited! They have a big gift shop with random knick-knacks. You pay $10 to explore the grounds which includes a tiny chapel on elevated mound of earth, a replica of a chapel in Brittany, France. They also have a beautiful display of granite blocks carved out like an encyclopedia of just about all kinds of things! Such an interesting place I definitely recommend you check out!

It was really a lot more than I thought it would be. Beautiful engraved granite, a maze, and the…read moreCenter of the Word Certificate. It was fun and had a lot of unique things to see. I highly recommend it for the history alone.

We decided to visit Coachella Valley Museum yesterday after hoping to go for a while now…read more The grounds and exhibits are so great, only surpassed by the warm welcome by the docent volunteers. My husband, a stroke survivor walking with a wheeled walker, had no problem getting through to the entryway on the long paved path from the external gate on Miles Street. Inside, the exhibits are so interesting and the facility is bright and clean. We love Indio, so seeing the history of the city's populace enriched our understanding about life in early days. They have a beautiful shop which is now added to my list if cool places to obtain unique gift items. Parking is right across Miles on the corner, directly facing the big museum gate. A ramp connects the parking lot to the roadway. While the property is not a massive one, Coachella Valley Museum is a rich cultural walk through the olden days and you are still close to the downtown area and hidden foodie hangouts like Gabino's Creperie and the Friday Night Food Trucks or the sweet Farmers' Market.

This place is a total gem!! Highly recommend for Coachella history, Indian History, Education…read moreHistory, Date Study (the fruit), and so much more!!!