Safe and Sound in El Centro CA

We left Needles this morning and drove another 4 hours south to El Centro, California, a city located just 10 miles north of the Mexican border two hours east of San Diego.

While on the road, Scott was following behind me in the car. We went on these very short hilly roads...kind of like steep hilly dune roads and he said as I would get to the rise of the hill, it looked like the RV was driving into the clouds. What a cool thing to imagine! It's wasn't so fun to drive pulling a 40' RV with those steep hills and slopes though. I kept thinking I was going to bottom out!

Driving into Heaven

We also had a little bit of road construction so I took a couple more photos while we sat there. We were stopped at the Imperial Sand Dunes area and there were lots of people four-wheeling there!

I took this when I came upon a patch of queen palms.

We arrived safe and sound at about 12:30 pm today and settled into our RV spot at Desert Trails RV Park and Golf Course. Their motto is "Where the Sun Spends the Winter". Desert Trails is a VERY NICE RV Park located at 225 Wake Avenue in El Centro and will be our home for the next six months except for some small trips we may take here and there. I was a bit nervous selecting an RV park to stay at for six month that I hadn't been to before but I'd give this a 4+ rating. How many RV Parks have a golf course right in the middle of the park? We are in site 291, which is the right pink section, 4th spot down from the top on the map below...the first large size spot directly across from the 6th green. It's a great spot with a view of the golf course, the office and community center. It's fun because we can see all the comings and going at the park and I LOVE to people watch.

Amenities include:

Open Year Round with 404 Sites
Daily, Weekly and Monthly Rates (Snowbirds welcome)
Group Discounts
Premium Sites
Pull-Thru Sites
Standard Sites
30/50 Amp Electric
Water
Phone Hookup Available in over 300 sites
Modem Friendly
Cable TV
Mobile Homes
Premium Overnight Sites
Propane Available
Wide Paved Streets
Pet Walk Area (no grass)
Restroom/Showers
Laundry
Dump Station
9-Hole Executive Golf Course and Pro Shop with 4 Lakes and Koi Pond
Lighted Driving Range open until 10 pm
Recreation Center with Activities Galore and Billiards
Community Center with Banquet Facilities for Dinners and Games
Craft Hall and on-site Director with Sewing and Quilting
During Winter Months there is a wide variety of activities such a crafts, art, painting, quilting, Bunco, Cards, Bingo, Water Volleyball, Water aerobics and exercise classes.
Cozy fireside Meeting Room
Activities and Tours
30' x 60' Heated Pool and 3500 Gallon Hot Tub
Pickleball Courts
Horseshoes
Library
Shuffleboard Courts
Nursery
Non-Denomination Sunday Church Services

For Internet, we had to get our own provider. So, we are using Spectrum. They used to be Time-Warner but were bought out. And, we're using DISH for our satellite. We pay for our own electricty also, but the utilities are cheaper here than Logan, so that's good news.

This is the entrance to Desert Trails RV Park that has the office (that has a fountain in front of it making me miss my fountain) which contains a little post office, package pick up area (although it blocks the brochures) and then in the adjoining room is a table with four chairs, fireplace with sofa, a library room and a kitchen as well as a bathroom (not photographed). The rooms are a bit dated, but has what you need. The receptionist, Jimmy, is a fun, interesting guy. He's kind of unique; but he's super nice.

Next, I'll show you one of the bathroom / laundry rooms. There are five rest rooms around the park since it is so big with 400 residents and three with bathing facilities. There are two laundry rooms with 8 washers and dryers in each building.

Next, let's take a look at the pool and hot tub.

Across from the pool is the Community Center that has quilting and dinners but the building was closed when I came by. I'll go back tomorrow morning and see if it's open then.

Around the bend from the pool and Community Center is the Executive Golf Course and Pro Shop. When I came to the Pro Shop, there were a group of people gathered around enjoying the shade after their round of golf having some drinks. I met Patty in the Pro Shop who told me to invite Scott out for golf. He brought his clubs so he should have some fun with the folk here at the park while playing golf. Everyone has been very friendly...even in the city. Everyone always greets you with a warm hello wherever you are, which is quite refreshing. We went to PetCo and bought the girls a bunch of bones, treats and play toys which they really liked today. Those silly girls kept stealing each others bones and then would bark at us to make them give the bones back...ALL DAY!

Golf Rates are available on the website.