Anza Borrego Desert

To me, winter is one of the best times (next to spring, of course) to visit Anza Borrego Desert near San Diego, California. Yes, it’s cold, but I so much prefer the cold to the hot. To this day, my mother always says “oh, but it’s a DRY heat” — but somehow, this never comforts me when it’s 114 degrees out. To me, you can always put more clothes on in winter, but in summer, you can only take so many clothes off.

I have visited the Anza Borrego Desert at least seven or eight times, and my family always stayed at La Casa del Zorro in Borrego Springs, California. I don’t think I appreciated the resort as a child as much as I do now as an adult, but believe me, it’s beautiful. Guests have the option of staying in rooms located in the main hotel buildings or to reserve one to four bedroom casitas (which means “little house” in Spanish), some of which have their own swimming pools. The resort is very close to nearby mountains, and the property is incredibly serene and relaxing. There is wildlife absolutely everywhere, which, as a kid, was the most entertaining part of our stays. have found memories of roasting marshmallows in front of the living room fireplace and listening to coyotes yip-yip in the night. There’s a nice tennis club at the resort with plenty of courts. Keeping the ball in play during a gusty day in the desert is quite the challenge though!

La Casa del Zorro (The House of the Fox) is a great place for families and for couples. If you’re looking for an incredibly laid-back weekend of hiking, swimming, golf and tennis, the resort and the Anza Borrego Desert have much to offer. And if you’re lucky, you might even catch a rare glimpse of the beautiful Borrego Sheep – they completely blend into the rocky mountains and they are some of the most agile creatures – and best climbers – on the planet.

Anza Borrego flowers

Photo Credits: ercwttmn, yacht boy