Deep In Southern California Is A Charming City With Local Eats, Parks, And Vibrant Events

Just when you think you've discovered everything possible to do in California, another hidden gem materializes. Beyond the beaches, mountains, amusement parks, and concert halls, there are unknown communities brimming with identity. One such surprise is Brawley, a town of 28,000 in the desert region of Imperial County. This sun-drenched hangout is normally a lodging magnet for off-roaders hitting the dunes in nearby Glamis or birdwatchers who flock to the under-the-radar wildlife refuge of the Salton Sea a short drive away. But Brawley itself can provide entertainment on its own, offering a rodeo, recreational fun at area parks, and good eats.

Brawley's roots reveal a city that almost wasn't. Los Angeles investor J.H. Braly believed in the undeveloped region, purchasing 4,000 acres of land in 1902. But the federal government cast doubt on the area's agricultural viability. Spooked, Braly didn't want his name associated with the area and sold the land, and eventually the Imperial Land Company bought it. Named for a company associate's friend, Brawley was incorporated in 1908, paving the way for its farming and ranching industries. Today, it ranks as the state's second busiest produce shipping point, per the Southern California Association of Governments. 

Brawley is about 2 hours from San Diego and 3 hours from Anaheim. If you want to crash for a night or two, Best Western Plus Main Street Inn garners strong reviews on Tripadvisor for its clean rooms, full breakfast, and friendly staff. Amenities at the Brawley Inn include a complimentary to-go breakfast, a pool, hot tub, and fitness center. 

Brawley promotes community with a number of events, including the annual Imperial Valley Taco Festival celebrating Cinco de Mayo and the inaugural Last Splash Bash pool party. But its signature draw is the annual Cattle Call Rodeo, readying for its 70th year in November. Suffice it to say, the Brawley rodeo may be a visitor's first rodeo (pun intended) should one be in town. 

This weekend-long affair includes a parade, cook-off, mariachi bands, and the singular event of cowboy poetry, attracting all ages of cowboys, cowgirls, and fans donning their Western best to this celebration. The roster of nail-biting events includes a cowboys' wild horse race, steer wrestling, bareback riding, team roping, mutton busting, and bull riding. For the uninitiated, three brave souls try to catch, saddle, and mount a bucking bronco in the wild horse race, and contestants ages 5 to 8 have to hang on for a sheep ride in the arena for mutton busting. Ladies also get in on the action with breakaway roping and girls' barrel racing.

If you're looking for fewer thrills and spills, get out and about at Brawley's parks. A favorite is the Hugh T. Osborne Lookout for uninterrupted views of the Imperial Sand Dunes that may look familiar to Star Wars fans, as it was a film site for "Return of the Jedi." Ranked as California's largest dunes, this otherworldly landscape built up from winds of ancient Lake Cahuilla has a transportive effect on people. "I came to watch the moon go down and the sun come up. It was spectacular!" wrote one past visitor on Google Reviews. "I sat on the dunes alone in my silence and had the best time!" You can also bring a snow sled to ride down the dunes. 

If you get hot or dusty, bring a light picnic to one of the shelters at Pat Williams Park or cool off at Alyce Gereaux Park, known for its splash pad popular with kids and those young at heart. Wait in anticipation for the huge bucket to dump on you, and forget about the heat as water sprays from playful flower structures like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Make sure you sample some of the local grub. With a population that is 85% Hispanic, Mexican restaurants shine here. The quaint, strip mall find of Virginia's Casita has a 4.7-star rating on Google Reviews for its breakfast and lunch fare. Huevos rancheros, chile relleno omelets, carnitas, and mole chicken make this a road trip destination, say diners. Asadero 686 earns raves for its well-seasoned and flavorful carne asada and pastor tacos. 

For hearty, old-school fare with Mexican influences, Brownie's Diner is a popular place to fill up an empty stomach. "Only spot in the area we like to visit when in town," wrote one patron on Google Reviews. "Great service. Good food and solid prices." Brawley also delivers on a night out and a cold drink. One go-to spot is The Burger and I for watching sports and dining on burgers, wings, fries, and sandwiches. Inferno also serves solid bar chow along with wood-fired pizzas and elevated classics, such as blackened Atlantic salmon and rib-eye steaks. To get to Brawley from Los Angeles, keep driving east past Palm Springs and those iconic Cabazon Dinosaurs, an old-school roadside attraction you need to see before it's gone, for another 90 miles.