A well hidden gem!

Vicki and I pulled out of Anaheim, having had our fill of traffic, tourist attractions, crowds, and the elementary school across from our site. We headed east toward Palm Springs and settled into Sam's Family Spa, a real hidden gem! The website wasn't much to see, but the campground reviews are good. Upon arriving, we found the entrance interesting, with a large neon sign featuring "Sam" with a huge beer belly above a nice looking waterfall... As we pulled in, it seemed like we were pulling into a basic trailer park. We went into the office to sign in and were asked to go find a spot we liked and then check in. After looking around for a bit and determining which spots were the most dog friendly and had great views, we set up and checked in. The office/store is nicely set up and well equipped and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. The big surprise came when we walked into the pool and spa area which is only accessable through the office. The courtyard and pool areas are unbelievable! Beautifully maintained with outdoor aviaries, a beautiful lake (pond) and many separate areas for grilling, eating, horseshoes, volleyball or badminton, etc. all beautifully maintained and hidden from view until you seek them out. The Spa boasts a childrens pool, a large naturally heated pool which actually allows diving, a sauna, and four hot tubs that are heated by water drawn from four separate hot springs. No chlorine or other added chemicals. The four hot tubs each hold about 20 people and are all different temperatures. Heaven!

The views in all directions from the campground are absolutely fantastic! From the miles of windfarms in the valleys to the snow-capped mountains and the desert hills in full bloom, I am enticed in every direction. The snow covered mountain in the photo with the American flag is San Jacinto Peak at over 10,000 feet. Oddly enough, the Palm Springs airport is at the foot of this huge mountain and from here, the approaches look really scary! That airport must scare the heck out of incoming passengers. There are many miles of accessable dirt roads and rediculously rough trails through these hills and mountains, a lot of them seem to be for quads and motorcycles, but if you are careful, the Jeep fits. Loving it here, we signed up for another week.