Bob Springer has taken the kinds of trips many RVers dream about. He’s crisscrossed the U.S. countless times and visited most of the Canadian provinces in his 40-foot Newmar Dutch Star, including Newfoundland, which involved an overnight ferry from Nova Scotia.
But when it comes to selecting a winter base camp, there’s no place the Montana native would rather be than The Springs at Borrego RV & Golf Resort in Borrego Springs, California.
The 200-site park borders a golf course on the edge of Borrego Springs, a tiny, isolated Southern Desert community surrounded by Anza Borrego Desert State Park, about two hours northeast of San Diego.
“I love the place, especially being by myself,” said Springer, 79, whose wife passed away a few years ago. “It’s the perfect place to go to because the people are so friendly there. I’ve met some amazing people at the Springs.”
(Photo courtesy of Springs at Borrego RV Resort in Borrego Springs, California)
During the winter season, the resort has a variety of social activities, including wine tastings, cookouts, live music, even “open mic nights,” Springer said. There’s also lots to do outside the park. An avid hiker, Springer likes to explore Anza Borrego’s many hiking trails. On the warmest days, he hikes along the Pacific Crest Trail, which is less than an hour away. He also enjoys watching the beautiful winter sunrises and sunsets, which cast deep orange, red and purple hues on the nearby mountains.
The resort’s proximity to hiking trails is also an attraction for Colin and Paula Leslie of British Columbia, who came to the Springs for the first time at the recommendation of their neighbors in Canada during the winter of 2020. While the COVID pandemic interrupted their visits, the Leslies have continued to return to the Springs every winter even though it costs them more to do so as a result of unfavorable exchange rates with the Canadian dollar.
The Leslies love hiking and exploring the slot canyons in Anza Borrego. They also enjoy playing golf and having a view of the fairway from their RV site.
The Springs has 30 40- by 80-foot sites with 18- by 70-foot concrete slabs that are located along the fairway with utility pedestals on both sides of each campsite. This enables guests to position their vehicles however they wish without being constrained by the location of the utility pedestals. Guests often like to set up their rigs facing each other, essentially creating their own camping area with friends.
The Springs is owned by Boa Vida RV Parks and Resorts, which acquired the resort from the Wright family in 2017. Daniel Wright, who opened the Springs with his father in 2005 and built it into one of the highest rated RV resorts in the Sunbelt, currently works as a part-time assistant manager, with Paul Goodrich handling most of the day-to-day management of the resort.
(Photo courtesy of Bob Springer)
Park amenities include a recreation and wellness center with a spacious fitness room and outdoor saltwater swimming pool and spa. The resort also offers tennis, pickleball, volleyball and basketball courts as well as areas for horseshoes and lawn bowling and several ponds for catch-and-release fishing. The resort also has three dog parks, including one with a stainless-steel dog washing station. Guests also enjoy a 500-seat amphitheater for concerts and basketball games.
“There’s always something to do or nothing to do, if you want to,” Colin Leslie said, adding that the Springs recently organized an ax throwing activity.
During the winter months, the Springs also features periodic “star talks” with Dennis Mammana, a local astronomer who gives entertaining talks about the planets, stars, and constellations. Mammana sets up telescopes for guests to view the constellations after his talks, which are a popular evening activity.
Both Springer and Leslie say they love Borrego Springs’ clear skies and the overall serenity of the resort, which has become their winter home away from home. “It is so dark and quiet at night,” Leslie said, “The only thing you hear at night are the owls and the coyotes.”
(Photo courtesy of Bob Springer)
