Exploring the Anza-Borrego Super Bloom with Kids

I managed to talk my husband and some friends to make the trek out to Anza-Borrego State Park over the weekend to check out this year's desert super bloom. In the days leading up to our trip, I hyped myself up looking at photos from the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association's website, the Anza-Borrego Foundation's instagram and talking to friends who have been in the past. I was really pumped to see the super bloom. Little did I know that due to all the press coverage EVERYONE AND THEIR MOM had the same idea. Seriously, EVERYONE. They are expecting the same turn out again this weekend so here are my mom tips for anyone planning to go out there with tots in tow.

Mom tips
1. Get there early and leave early. I cannot stress that enough. We arrived at 9:30 AM and it was already pretty crowded. I would recommended arriving at 8:00 AM if you are going on the weekend. Leave by11:00 AM or earlier to avoid traffic and the harsh mid-day sun. The traffic coming into Anza -Borrego wound around the mountain 6 miles deep as we were leaving. It was INSANE.
2. Apply lots and lots and lots of sunscreen, wear hats and comfortable closed-toed shoes. It's supposed to be hotter this weekend than it was last weekend.
3. Stop to use the restroom before arriving in Anza-Borrego. Bathrooms are limited and lines are long.
4. Do your research before heading out. Cell service out there is poor so don't expect to be able to google map things easily. For more info on where to you spot the blooms and traffic updates see the Anza-Borrego State Park website.
5. Bring along snacks and plenty of water. This seriously felt more like a long day at Disneyland than a peaceful morning in the desert. Every place in town looked crazy busy around lunch time so we opted to try to get out instead of trying to find food. Food options are also limited in this small town.
6. Parker's favorite part of the day was checking out the collection of large metal sculptures strewn throughout the desert.  

I hope the tips above save you a lot of headache! The super bloom was gorgeous and definitely worth seeing but be aware of the horrendous traffic and crowds that you might encounter. Now enjoy some photos of the blooms we spotted. I've tried to identify as many as possible using the flower guide on the ABDHA website.

[Notch Leaf Phacelia]

[Hedgehog Cactus. When in bloom the flowers are hot pink!]

[Arizona Lupine]

[Nature comes up with the best combos.]

[Spider burrow that Parker spotted.]

[Parker is forever 3rd wheeling these two!]

[Ocotillo]

[Under the grasshopper's belly.]

[It's pinching us!]

[Really though, what is this? A giant rodent?]

[Serpent sculpture]

[Desert Dandelion]

[Field off Henderson Avenue]

[Desert Chicory]

[Desert Lily]

[Desert Sunflower]

[Brown-Eyed Primrose]

[Thanks to everyone for coming with us to the desert! ]