Editor’s note: I’ve been to the Palm Springs area more times in my life than I can count, yet I have not done any of these day trips Jackie talks about in her article. For more of her experiences and writing, click here to visit her index page.

Since we often go to Palm Desert (Palm Springs area) to check on a condo which we co-own, we have discovered some great day trips fairly nearby. This article will discuss three that we have done within the last couple of years: the amazing metal sculptures in Borrego Springs, the Coachella Valley Preserve, and the visitor center and gardens at Sunnylands. Before visiting any of these places, please check whether they are open and the road conditions. And always carry water when you are in the desert.

Sculptures at Borrego Springs

Just a bit over a one-hour drive from Palm Desert lies Borrego Springs. The drive passes the Salton Sea and then enters the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Borrego Springs is a small town completely surrounded by this state park. Since we had heard great accolades about the sculptures and it was a very hot day, we spent most of our time exploring the magnificent sculptures. These 130 sculptures were all created by a single person, Ricardo Breceda. Breceda was commissioned by philanthropist Dennis Avery (heir to the Avery Dennison label fortune) in 2007 to create sculptures of animals whose fossils had been found in the vicinity. After completing those, Breceda also made sculptures of people – Native Americans, Padres, miners – as well as fanciful creatures, such as a sea serpent.

We only saw a couple dozen of these amazing sculptures since they are spread out and require some walking from the road and it was hot! They are unique and huge, as shown by the sea serpent in comparison to my husband.

The sculptures are either by themselves or in small groupings on both sides of the main road, as well as various side roads. One can do a google search and download a map to help you find them. They are unique and with amazing detail. Below is one of a full-sized jeep, with a full-sized person, mining tools, and more.

Here is one of former denizens of this region – camels.

The detail on each of these sculptures is amazing as shown by this tortoise.

Breceda continues to create metal sculptures at his studio near Aguanga, near the Anza-Borrego Desert, not too far from Temecula.  Dennis Avery passed away in 2012, but left an endowment to cover any necessary repairs to the 130 sculptures he commissioned. 

We did go into the State Park and took a brief stroll to see a few of the vistas. Beautiful scenery!

Coachella Valley Preserve

Only a 15 minute drive from Palm Desert is the Coachella Valley Preserve, which is actually a group of preserves. The sign at one of the entrances says that this area is managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management (which owns the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve), The Nature Conservancy (which apparently was instrumental in forming the preserve system, but transferred its ownership to the Center for Lands Management), The Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and California State Parks. The different entities control different portions of the preserve and work together to protect endangered species and habitats (including palm oases, sand dunes, and various desert habitats).

The San Andreas fault runs through the Coachella Valley Preserve and allows underground water to reach the surface, creating the palm oases.

Once one reaches the palm oasis, there is a nice boardwalk to walk through and then one can see the water at the base of the palms without getting wet.

There are also trails outside the oasis through the desert and to nearby peaks. It is a lovely way to spend part of a day.

Sunnylands

Another great place to visit is Sunnylands, only 15 minutes from Palm Desert.  Sunnylands was the winter home of Ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg.   (He was the Ambassador to the Court of St. James under President Nixon, and she was the State Department’s Chief of Protocol for President Reagan, an ambassador level position.)  There they entertained leaders for 40 years.  They put the estate into a trust in 2001 for the continued use of the premises for leaders to discuss important issues and for the public to learn about Sunnylands, and it was opened to the public in 2012 after both Annenbergs had passed away.

The visitor center and gardens are open to the public at no charge.  One can also buy tickets to see the home (we did not).  The visitor center features a 20-minute movie and a display.  When we were there, there was a display of place settings and name cards for important dinners.  Sunnylands has hosted eight U.S. Presidents and high-level foreign leaders as well as others from various fields (entertainment, education, business and more).

The gardens are beautiful, with many species of native and non-native drought-tolerant plants. The landscape architect said that they painted “in big brush strokes” with many plants of the same kind creating this effect.

There is still a small lawn area with a view of the mountains behind. The outdoor seating of the lovely café overlooks the lawn and gardens.

The new landscaping dramatically decreased the water usage. In addition, there are more than 800 solar panels, providing some of the electricity, a geothermal system for some of the climate control (both winter heat and summer cooling), a roof that reflects sunlight which helps to reduce heat, and sidewalk and driveway materials that also help to reduce heat. Both the visitor center and administrative center for employees have LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. So, whether you are interested in history or sustainability or just enjoy a beautiful place, I encourage you to visit Sunnylands.

Most people visit the Palm Desert/Palm Springs area to relax in the desert heat. But these day trips can enrich your experience there as well!

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