After a long hiatus from writing blog entries, I decided to describe my recent enjoyable and affordable “daycation” on March 13, 2023. I traveled with a Daytripper Tours group to see the gorgeous Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and colorful, blooming desert wildflowers in Borrego Springs !
I love living in California and had always wondered about those popular wildflowers at Borrego Springs!
Here’s a quick recap of my trip!
Tour travelers (approximately 50 of us) had our choice in joining the motorcoach tour from several transit stations (La Mesa, Mission Valley, University City or Escondido). I decided to take the trip from the Escondido Transit Center (the one nearest to the trip destination)! The comfortable motorcoach had large picture windows, air conditioning, reclining seats, a bathroom on board, foot rests, seat belts, and overhead storage bins.
On the way to Borrego Springs, we briefly stopped at Dudley’s Bakery in Santa Ysabel (I bought some tasty date nut raisin bread – they have many varieties and a cute gift shop area as well). Then, after arriving in Julian, another passenger and I had a delicious lunch and warm cider at the Julian Grille and separately went sightseeing and shopping downtown in Julian (no new photos were snapped by me there, I have been there, done that)!
It was a great day trip to Borrego Springs with Day Tripper Tours – including great sights such as traveling the 18+ mile Banner Grade Highway between Julian and Borrego Springs (observing snow-covered Santa Rosa Mountains in the distance), admiring the vast desert landscape, being amazed at Artist Ricardo Breceda’s famous massive metal sculptures (we saw a few of over 100 sculptures), the Anza-Borrego Visitor’s Center, gorgeous wildflowers along Henderson Canyon Road (purple sand verbena, yellow sunflowers, white dune primrose, desert lily) and more!
Our tour guide, (Mark) as well as motor coach driver (Caroline) were superb! Mark narrated throughout the trip and gave us some interesting tidbits about the area and showed us a few videos as well. Caroline’s excellent careful driving made us feel very secure.
Check out my photos in this video from our day trip to see the beautiful Spring wildflowers at Borrego Springs (and more) in the Anza-Borrego Desert!
It was a wonderfully picturesque, scenic, active (yet tiring) day in the desert! I hope you enjoy the video (and if you haven’t, get a chance to visit Borrego Springs sometime)!
As a finale of this blog post, here is my Haiku, inspired by the trip!
My Desert Journey – A Haiku
by Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications
Susan J. Farese, SJF Communications
Borrego Springs tour
Vivid, colorful flowers
Picturesque bloomers!
Landscape of cactus
Metal sculptures captivate
Mountains as backdrop!
Delightful Spring day
Aesthetically so pleasing
Travel now complete!