A small well-kept desert town is a haven for retirees & tourists. The entire valley is surrounded by the largest state park in California & boast some of the best desert scenery around. A day trip from San Diego, this is an excellent place to learn to use that SUV on dirt roads, camp without the crowds or begin mountain biking. The lush desert vegetation of this region draws thousands of city folk each spring for the annual bloom. Equipped with digital cameras, eager to kneel down & shoot the microscopic flora in the remote washes... best have a decent macro lense tho (plus a steady tripod for the sunset shots).

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