15 Places to Visit on Historic Highway 80 in California

Years ago (1972-1979) we'd ride out motorcycles out to the desert to camp for the weekend(from SD) and on the way back the Desert Tower was 'the' stop. We'd climb the steps and gaze at the view to the desert floor. We'd normally camp near Ocotillo or in Anza-Borrego State Park. Great memories!

My parents and I used to go for drives together. Back when I was a kid, going on drives was like a little vacation. Even in my times, everyone having cars opened up places and experiences you couldn’t go to, or have, before then. We would go up Highway 1 on the Oregon coast and into California to see the Redwoods, etc. That was in the 1960’s (I’m old) so the roads were small and the trips were a lot of fun. They also had roadside attractions to visit. I am not sure people can ever really understand what road trips were like before the super highways and thats too bad. Thanks for some great old memories.

Highway 80 has so many fascinating things to see. It’s a great weekend drive in San Diego/Imperial counties.

Very well done. I just got back to Riverside Ca last night from a round trip West Coast from Santa Monica to the Canadian border on my motorcycle. I did a few youtube videos but nothing near the quality of yours

This was the highway our family used twice yearly from when my parents married in 1957 until my grandparents died in the late 1970s. We drove from Atlanta to Shreveport Louisiana, using US 80 from Tuskeegee, AL to Shreveport (gradually alternating with Interstate 20). There were so many billboards, roadside businesses, and scenery. I loved it all. Was a big part of my childhood. I especially enjoyed US 80 in Eastern Louisiana.

Your history and narration is outstanding as always. Can't say we've ever seen half these things ourselves but certainly makes one want to take the drive especially with the mixture of old ruins of towns mixed with thriving old business such as a century old candy store. 😁

Thank you again for roads in and out of San Diego...I lived-in San Diego too.❤you're great👍👋🪶

WOW! Did that bring back a lot of memories! Thanks for a great video.

Im from El Centro...One of my favorite spots in holtville I want to add is the hot springs. Holtville Hot Springs is a natural spring where you can lounge around this lil oasis.

When in Holtville you may like the free hot springs. Just east of the 115 exit on Evan Hewes road. It's got a deep cement pool and is one of the hottest springs I have been to. There are cooler side pools and a cool palm oasis pond too. I swam in the pond but worried about snapping turtles as it looked lush and exotic. Paradise a stones throw from the freeway. Valley of the Moon West towards Jacumba is amazing. There are huge granite rocks shaped by the wind. If you make it to the top of the mining peak and shout you can get a dozen echoes if it's calm. A side loop leads to Pancho Villa's cave and there's a hidden miners shack out there too. Table mountain across the freeway leads to a view of the Carrizo gorge train trestles but it's serious 4wheel or moto. Thanks for getting me back out to these places virtually and filling in the history of places I took for granted and drove right by. Drive like there's no tomorrow!

Good reveals thanks for taking us along on the road trip.

Excellent video. Brought back memories as I have lived in several locations along old highway 80 since 1969.

You are great fun.

The bell looks like the ones on El Camino Real in San Mateo County and other places.

Thanks. I don't know how I miss this one a year ago. But it is a great presentation.

Another solid virtu-tour! Thanks.

This video brings back many memories. I haven't been to nearly any of them since I was a child. Thank you for the experience.

Hello from Thailand 🇹🇭, it was great seeing my hometown of Holtville, CA. Haven't been back for almost 10 years. There was a couple of places you missed on your trip through the Imperial Valley. About 4 miles east of Holtville there was a wide spot in the road called Date City. On the east side of the valley was a place called Dixieland, I know this place because when I was 2 years old we lived there. Further on would be Plaster city where they make sheetrock and ship it all over the U.S. My wife and I almost bought the Desert vew tower in 1999 but backed off. The owners wanted to strip everything out and sell it and leave us with nothing to sell. We just backed out of the deal.

What a stud guide...determination as big as a mountain lion...kinda like a field mouse...he is going to cover the whole field...como una mosca he flies every where, pauses long enough to let you know what he is doing and talking about...and off you (we) go to the next adventure,,,down the Camino of hopes...

Well documented. Great history. We have been to several of those locations, and your narration makes us want to visit the rest. Thoroughly enjoyed this video.Thank you for sharing.