From the Coast to the Desert, With Stops in Encinitas, Julian, and Borrego Springs

Driving south along Pacific Coast Highway, it's impossible not to stop once or twice, to take in the incredible ocean views from the bluff top vantage point. There are several lifeguard towers on the sand below; this whole stretch of coastline is extremely popular with surfers and bodyboarders (as well as families and kids with boogie boards).

One last beach look, this time from the steps leading down to Grandview Surf Beach, part of the community of Leucadia within the city of Encinitas. Soak in those views and that fresh sea air as after breakfast it's time to turn toward more inland destinations.

The lower parking lot for Encinitas City Hall has an EVgo Charging Station with a whole row of CCS plugs. Download the EVgo app for a smooth payment transaction, then head towards South Coast Highway, which is one of Encinitas' main thoroughfares for restaurants and shops.
Type: CCS 6 Plugs Power: 50 kw

An all-American, all-day-breakfast sort of establishment, The 101 Diner has been a local fixture for decades, serving specialties such as homemade biscuits and gravy, super stuffed omelets, decadent Benedicts, and all sorts of pancakes and crepes (try the baked apple pancake). Lighter options have made their way on the menu over the years, including a selection of avocado toasts and Açaí bowls. If sidewalk seating is available, nab it, as the location is great for people watching.

Come back to pick up the car.

Named for the word "farm" in Japanese, Nojo Coffee & Tea is one of those lovely local discoveries you only make by taking the back roads between destinations, instead of freeway driving. Nojo shares its roadside location with The Vegetable Shop at Chino Farm, an open air farm store selling peak seasonal produce sought after by local chefs and avid home cooks alike.
All coffee is sourced from local roaster, Manzanita Coffee Roasting, and the tea selection (available hot or iced) is extensive — especially the range of herbal teas. Sip and browse until it's time to get back on the road. Wednesday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm Sunday: 9:30 am – 1 pm

A lot of agriculture grows out in this inland area of North San Diego County, including citrus and avocado groves and, perhaps surprisingly, winemaking grapes. (While a majority of California's viticulture is further north in the state, this corner of San Diego County has a thriving local winemaking scene, as well.)
The tasting rooms of many of the small, often family-run wineries in the area are typically open on weekends only, which is why Orfila Vineyards and Winery, open daily, is the perfect stop to learn about San Diego's viticulture history — Orfila Vineyards, which opened in 1994, was an early pioneer here and has over the years taken home countless awards at competitions up and down the state, helping put this San Diego region on the map.

The quaint mountain town of Julian (population 1,318) is a perennially popular regional destination as it's such a delightful contrast to the typical SoCal lifestyle — at an altitude of 4,266 feet, Julian even occasionally receives a dusting of snow in the winter months. Surrounded by apple orchards, which grow well in these cooler mountain temps, Julian is synonymous with apple pie; driving into town, you're all but guaranteed to see lines down the street for a couple of the local pie shops.
The apple pie is just as tasty at Julian Cafe, one of the town's oldest establishments, housed in a former general store building from 1872. For a lighter lunch, try a bowl of the cafe's tortilla soup — a menu staple — or the Julian apple salad (greens topped with apples, candied walnuts, blue cheese crumbles and avocado). The cafe's 1/2 pound burgers are popular, as is the chicken pie turnover, another house speciality.

By the time you've reached in Borrego Springs, you've descended nearly 4,000 feet in altitude — so almost back to sea level — and the arid desert landscapes on this side of the mountains are a completely different world.
Borrego Springs has an unusual welcoming committee — a collection of large-scale metal sculpture works along the road in the form of extinct species, these horses, a gracile sabertooth cat, a couple of aiolornis (a prehistoric bird) among them. All in all, there are a total of 26 such sculptures throughout the local area. Collectively known as the Sky Art Sculptures, there are some you can visit quite easily, others that require more of an off-road capable vehicle. Pick up more information on Sky Art Sculptures at the next stop if you'd like more information about their location and driving conditions.

A small bookstore and shop at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association serves as a sort of de facto town visitor center, and a must visit for insights into the desert's ecology, from plant life to local bird and reptile species and the area geology, as well as local goings on.
The shop closes up at 5pm daily (earlier on Sundays), but before you hop back in the car, have a wander through the Borrego Springs Desert Garden adjacent, which offers an up close look at to local desert flora and some art, as well, which stays open until 7pm.
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

The greatest cluster of Art Sky Sculptures is found about 15 minutes outside of town, along Borrego Springs Road and Big Horn Road (a cross street). The massive serpent sculpture — which looks as if it's swimming through the desert — is a popular one for photos and is in close proximity to several others. (Here's a link to a detailed map of all the Art Sky Sculpture locations.)

Once the sun's dropped behind the mountains for the day, desert evenings remain comfortably temperate most months of the year. (In winter, it does get chilly.) Soak in the day's warm afterglow from the outdoor patio at Kesling's Kitchen, a New American restaurant with plenty of global influences that's attached to the Borrego Art Institute. The menu changes by the day, but you'll regularly find thin crust pizzas made in the kitchen's wood-burning oven, a couple of beautiful salads, the house smash burger or house fried chicken basket, and rotating Mediterranean- or Asian-inspired small plates and mains.
The restaurant's Facebook page posts the menu each day they're open, which is typically Wednesday through Saturday, but can vary seasonally.
Wednesday – Thursday: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm Friday – Saturday: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Tuck in for the evening at Borrego Valley Inn, a secluded, adults-only desert oasis with two pools (note that one is clothing optional) and a hot tub from which to take in the dazzling desert night sky. Rooms are styled as small casitas, many with private patios, some with fireplaces and kitchenettes. Continental breakfast is also included.
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