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Explore
Salt Lake City
The horrors at the Pioneer Museum
Swimming in the Homestead Crater
Visiting the NSA
SLC has the best coffee
Karaoke at Club Jam
Monroe, UT
Exploring the Delta Solar Ruins
Soaking in the Mystic Hot Springs
How to survive camping
Zion
Sandbox at Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Seeing ghosts in Grafton
Feeling small in Zion National Park
Getting lost in the Valley of Fire
Las Vegas
Culture dies on the Strip
Finding America in a buffet
Strange things in the Mojave Desert
Joshua Tree
Extraterrestrials at the Integratron
Nature in Joshua Tree State Park
Hicksville Trailer Palace
Salton Sea
Bombay Beach
Post-apocalyptic art in East Jesus
Dr. Suess meets God at Salvation Mtn
San Diego
Aliens at Unarius Academy of Science
Celebrating Dia de los Muertos
Cannibals at Museum of Man
Harper’s Topiary Garden
Burritos at Lucha Libre Taco
Chilling in Mission Beach
The horrors of early America
Pioneer Museum
Swimming in a hot spring
Homestead Crater
Visit the country's largest data center
NSA
SLC has great coffee
Coffee
Karaoke at SLC's #1 gay bar
Club JAM
Explore the failed experiment
Delta Solar Ruins
Soaking in hippy waters
Mystic Hot Springs
How to survive
Camping
Giant pink sandbox
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Seeing ghosts
Grafton
Realize how small we are
Zion National Park
Get lost
The Valley of Fire
Where culture dies
The Strip
Finding America
All-you-can-eat-buffet
Strange things
Mojave Desert
A sonic experience
The Integratron
Pretty
Joshua Tree State Park
Legit palace
The paradise that wasn't
Post-apocalyptic art
East Jesus
Dr. Suess meets God
Salvation Mountain
Salton Sea & Joshua Tree
Our Alien bretheren
Unarius Academy of Science
Celebrating death
Dia de los Muertos
Cannibals and cyborgs
Museum of Man
Dali style hedges
Harper's Topiary Garden
Burritos as big as your head
Lucha Libre Taco
Chill
Mission Beach
Where We Went
Writer
Illustrator
Photography
Eudora Peterson
Eric Kenney
Julian Master
Who's who
VICE and GEICO are bringing back the great American road trip. Packing some bags, setting a playlist, firing up the GPS, and hitting the highway system for all it’s got. We’re traveling across the country, documenting the journey, and showing you the best way to travel without spending a ton. Check out our guide to driving across the American Southwest.
VICE and GEICO are bringing back the great American road trip.
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$43
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84
It’s not a cult
In an unassuming storefront in nearby El Cajon, lies the key to understanding past lives, our brethren in the cosmos, humanity’s path into infinitum, and the interdimensional root of universal love (if you’re into that sort of thing). Unarius, short for Universal Articulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science, is an education center, library, and meeting place for those who seek a particular understanding of themselves and the universe. Founded in 1954 by Ernest and Ruth Norman (who claimed to be an interplanetary spirit named Uriel), Unarius’s mission in short is to bring humanity into a new level of consciousness so that we may once again join our space brothers in an interplanetary coalition of peace. Open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, Unarius happily welcomes open minds to learn about such topics as the history of Atlantis, intelligent life under the surface of Mars, and the spiritual legacy of Nikola Tesla. When we went, we were greeted by Billie, who told us of her murderous past life in ancient Egypt and how she advanced her spiritual development by thousands of years through oil painting.
Dia de los Muertos, north of the border
Lucky for us, we happened to be in San Diego on Dia de los Muertos. A national holiday in Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of the deceased that flips the script on mourning with parties, music, and food. We headed to the historic Old Town of San Diego to hit up the city's official festival. Mariachi music played in the square, fresh food was being served from carts, and posed skeletons were everywhere. We joined the locals and had our faces painted like sugar skulls.
Day of the Dead
Cannibalism, the legacy of racism, and the future of cyborgs.
Humankind is really messed up. We’re violent, absurd, disgusting animals that have ravaged earth and one another since the dawn of time. So of course we deserve a family-friendly museum dedicated to chronicling our sordid history as a species. Set in the heart of San Diego’s scenic Balboa Park, Museum of Man is clickbait and academia merged in one. Ranging from the emergence of early hominids to the future of cyborg engineering, Museum of Man attempts to explore the human condition in all it’s weirdness while remaining scholarly. The place seems bombastic on paper; with exhibits exploring topics such as racism, the history of beer, and cannibalism. But with each placard and short video you’ll come away with a new appreciation and perspective on what makes us so incredible. Pro tip. For views of Balboa Park and the rest of San Diego, pay to climb Balboa Tower. It comes with a sarcastic tour guide.
Salvador Dali in bush form
Just a few blocks from Lucha Libre is one of San Diego’s hidden gems. On the hillside private residence of Edna Harper is a topiary garden that rivals Versailles's. With more than 50 honeysuckle sculptures, Harper’s Topiary Garden is a surrealist dream with shaped shrubs ranging from the discernible (like a stack of sombreros) to the abstract (a sea lion that may also be a chicken). Trying to figure out each piece is like a giant, organic game of "Where’s Waldo". What puts the garden on another level is that none of the sculptures rely on internal wiring or cages; a not-so-small feat in the world of topiary.
RV's are impossible to park
If you plan on road-tripping in an RV, make sure that you have a solid strategy for parking. Most cities are not built with easily accessible spots for giant vehicles. If you’re driving through the country, or through national parks, you’re going to be fine. But if you’re planning on driving through a more urban area, consider parking the RV at one central location and walking, biking, or ride-sharing from spot to spot. You’ll thank yourself later.
Travel Tip
If you like to be visually assaulted while eating a burrito the size of your head, check out Lucha Libre. Everything in the restaurant is a luchador and if it isn't a luchador, then it’s a picture of a luchador, and if it isn’t a picture of a luchador, then it’s an artifact from a luchador, and if it isn’t that, then you’re not at Lucha Libre. Founded in 2008 by three Mexican-born, San Diego-raised brothers, Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop offers fat portions of fresh Mexican food that’s been anointed by the spirit of Mexican wrestling (e.g. Full Nelson enchiladas, Tap Me Out tacos, etc.). Try the Surfin’ California burrito, an ungodly hybrid of a traditional California burrito and Lucha Libre’s signature Surf & Turf burrito. Go on their website, tacosmackdown.com, 24 hours before visiting to reserve the Champions Booth and dine in faux gold luxury for no extra charge.
Over-the-top taco place with over-the-top food
The beach is public and open year round (though the water is usually freezing). Houses of all shapes and levels of glamour line a boardwalk that’s constantly run with rollerbladers, longboarders, and occasional Marty McFly wannabes. If your inner child needs to come out, there’s Belmont Park with the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. For your outer adult there are single-origin coffee shops, introductory surf schools, and jumbo margaritas line Mission Boulevard. And if you’re just feeling lazy, sitting on the sand and people-watching along the boardwalk is a great way to burn a few hours.
Built on a sandbar between the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay, Mission Beach is the most chill of the chill within San Diego. It has first-class ocean views, but a casual everyone’s-invited vibe. In any other city, a neighborhood like this would be overrun with a hyped-up tourism industry. But Mission Beach is different. There aren’t any souvenir stands, hotels, or half-dead hermit crabs for sale here. Mission Beach feels like a collegiate hippie neighborhood that just so happens to be in a beautiful location.
Beach-town vibes with top-notch people-watching
San Diego is the city equivalent of your favorite T-shirt: relaxed, comfortable, easy-going, and as far away from work as possible. With a seaside setting, temperate weather and scenic mountainscapes, San Diego was made with one destiny in mind: to be extremely chill.
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The planned paradise that isn't
Driving north from East Jesus, you’ll pass the Salton Sea on Route 111. The largest lake in California, the Salton Sea is a man-made body of water that was basically created by accident as an inland freshwater oasis. Bombay Beach, a small village on the eastern side of the lake, started as a resort destination. In the 1950s the town was a major vacation spot for the entertainment elite, featuring water-skiing, golfing, and yachting. But by the 1970s, things had taken a turn for the worse. The lake became contaminated with agricultural runoff. With underlying salt beds and nea rainfall near zero, the ecosystem began to die out. Rotting fish released a pervasive terrible odor. Bombay Beach was economically gutted and today the town, with about 250 residents, exists in limbo as California has yet to announce its ecological plan for the lake. The town is a fascinating testament to when good times, go bad.
Know where the gas is, and isn't
When planning your drive, make sure you have a solid handle on when and where you need to fill up on gas. While map apps may seem like they have the entire world indexed, they’re not totally up to speed with remote locations. It’s good to make sure that you know when you’re passing the last gas station for 100 miles, or if there’s another one the next exit over. When in doubt, ask someone local. Also when in doubt, fill up anyway.
Remember art class in elementary school where you would use random objects and Elmers glue to make a sculpture? East Jesus is like that but on a giant scale, in the desert, and baked with an anti-capitalist bent. It's a community of artists who use recycled materials to create a range of work. The art garden is home to sculptures that comment on everything from mass media and conspicuous consumption, to the insidious nature of dolphins. It's open from sunrise to sunset 365 days a year.
The end of the world in a sculpture garden
Built entirely by Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain was a labor of love for one man with a very simple message. Described as “a national treasure” by Senator Barbara Boxer of California, Salvation Mountain remains an open-air, public art installation that has to be experienced to be understood. You’ve probably seen it on Instagram. But seeing it in person is something entirely different.
In the middle of the vast, dry California desert is a small mountain that looks like it may be a portal to an alternate cartoon dimension. Like a low-budget Dr. Seuss amusement park meets Christian fundamentalism, Salvation Mountain is a Technicolor immersive folk art experience that speaks to the power of determination.
Dr. Seuss meets God
There’s something bizarre about the Southwest that’s distilled in Southern California. It’s an area defined by withering flower children from the 70s who came west for a new start and stayed for the long haul. Heading east from San Diego brings you closer to the Salton Sea; a giant, salty, landlocked lake with strong post-apocalyptic vibe.
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Raise your frequencies/take a nap
The Integratron is a giant wooden dome built atop geomagnetic lines that run deep under Landers California. Assembled by George Van Tassel, the Integratron is a multi-purpose structure with it’s design based on writings from Nicola Tesla and telepathic directions from extraterrestrials. It’s billed as being an acoustically perfect structure capable of channeling sound, electromagnetic forces, and positive spiritual energy. The best way to experience the Integratron is through a “sound bath”. While lying on blankets in a circular pattern, an Integratron guide plays a series of quartz bowls that fill the space with loud tones. You will probably fall asleep. Or channel yourself into another dimension. Whatever works for you.
Integratron
Don't Burn Out Share the drive. Keep alternating, stick to a rotation time. It’s fun checking out the landscape go by, it’s also fun driving. Having one driver is crazy.
You’ve probably heard about Joshua Tree from a friend who moved out to Los Angeles last winter to find a “work-life balance”. It’s a well-worn destination for creative types and nature lovers looking to escape the city. But don’t be fooled by staged Instagram posts with leather fringes and green juices. Joshua Tree can’t be fully appreciated in one hike, one afternoon, or even one full day. To call out Joshua Tree as just a destination is a bit facetious. You could book an entire week-long trip discovering all that the park has to offer and still miss out.
Make time to take the time
Joshua Tree National Park
Hicksville has all the usual amenities you would expect from your typical trailer palace; including a swimming pool, hot tub, library, shooting range, and mini golf course. While it may not be the cheapest option in the area, Hicksville is definitely worth the price in absurdity alone.
Take your average run-of-the-mill trailer park. Now add a few splashes of fairy dust, an influx of capital and a round of polish and you have Hicksville Trailer Palace. Set in a secret location that may or may not be near Joshua Tree, California, the facility is essentially a private hotel consisting of a collection of creative trailers. Everyone gets his or her on unique camper, with options ranging from Peewee’s wagon, to a cabin built for the zombie apocalypse, to “the Fifi” (complete with neon wigs and cocktail glasses).
Not park; palace
There’s something bizarre about the Southwest that’s distilled in Southern California. It’s an area defined by withering flower children from the 70’s who came West for a new start and stayed for the long haul. Heading east from San Diego brings you closer to the Salton Sea; a giant, salty, landlocked lake that sets the scene for a post-apocalyptic vibe.
$30
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Enjoy the party or don’t even go
There are moments in life where you have to check your cultural sensibilities at the door and just ride the wave. To travel to Las Vegas and not walk the Strip is to miss the very reason for the city's existence. It’s where the collective id of America runs wild and the rules of civilized society no longer apply. It’s heavily corporatized and often terrifying. Lights, colors, and video screens surround you. You’re swiftly guided along a beautiful, privately owned sidewalk from casino to casino without having to think. Strangers all around you hawk “shows” and “experiences” that aren’t exactly family-friendly, or even legal. Fictional characters from beloved movies, TV shows, and cartoons ramble around in slightly off-brand costumes fishing for spare change. And the music of Bruno Mars is everywhere. On paper, the Strip sounds like a hellscape of late-stage capitalism. But in reality, all these factors come together to create a unique experience that quickly feels surreal. You might as well enjoy the ride.
Do not, in any event, try to take an RV through a drive through. You will scratch the top of your vehicle.
Have you ever eaten sushi and thought to yourself “Damn, I wish I could also be eating pepperoni pizza and sipping a pina colada at this exact moment.”? If your answer is anything even remotely resembling “yes,” then you should try a Vegas buffet. Buffets in Vegas are everything that makes America great/disgusting manifested in edible form. Our melting pot of diversity is embodied in an actual melting pot of marinara sauce, curry, and nacho cheese. Our belief in equality allows for a plate that’s truly equal parts surf and turf- meaning half crab legs half cheeseburgers. And our unwavering love of excess and value realizes itself as ice cream sundaes that will give you diabetes. For just $30 you too can enjoy all that our great country has to offer, all at once, in your mouth.
"I'll say when when I say when"
Buffet
If you’re driving from the west, the best way to get to Vegas is by taking the scenic route through the Mojave Desert. Warning; The roads can be rocky, and your GPS may get confused at times. Minor inconveniences aside, the Mojave offers you a scenic relaxing drive. Keep your eyes peeled for roadside art. The landscape may be dry and severe, but isolated modern artistic moments will pop up when you least expect them.
You’ll see things
The name “Sin City” can be interpreted to mean either “center of excess and indulgence” or quite simply, “hell”.
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Be nice to park rangers
Park rangers are some of the most chill people on the planet. And if you’re nice to them, they’ll make your time in a state or national park better than ever. They know all of the trails, hidden pathways, and the ins and outs of regulations.
Let your toes run free
About 40 minutes outside of Zion is a giant, pink sand box. What is now Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park was formed over hundreds of thousands of years from wind erosion. Piece by piece the red rocks of Utah have been broken down and scattered in a collective basin, creating massive pink dunes. Off-road vehicles like A.T.V.s and dirt bikes are a huge draw in the park. Depending on the time of year, they’re rentable from private shops in surrounding towns. But even just walking the dunes on foot is a real trip. The sand is perfectly smooth and demands to be walked barefoot. The dunes are steep but forgiving, making for great year-round dry sledding. And the views are insane. Bring your camera for great shots jumping off the peaks.
Like Westworld but without the robots
More historical than scary. Grafton’s sordid history of the Virgin River flooding the town and the eventual evacuation because of the Black Hawk War, will give you a good idea of how precarious life was in the Old West.
Grafton cemetery and ghost town
Prepare to get dirty
If you plan on staying within Zion, know that you won’t be able to shower within the confines of the park. If you really need to wash off a day’s hike, there are pay-per-use showers nearby in the town of Springdale. Otherwise, make sure to bring unscented moist towelettes and deodorant.
Everyone sleeps on Utah. It’s easily disregarded as a fly-over state by coastals. And for everyone else, it’s that state where rich old people go skiing. What America’s collective conscious has yet to realize, is that Utah is gorgeous. It’s filled with natural gems of drop-dead geologic beauty. And undeniably, the crown jewel is Zion National Park. It would be a waste of time and energy trying to convey how beautiful Zion is in writing. It’s like trying to explain a joke, or describe jazz. To make the most of Zion, make sure you know which trails you want to hit ahead of time. Peaks like Angel’s Landing are famously unmissable. But less popular spots like the Emerald Pools and the Shallows offer great hikes that you won’t want to skip either. Planning out your use of the park’s shuttle system will ensure that you’re able to get everything in.
Words do it no justice
Make sure to plan at least an hour or two for driving through. Check out Elephant Rock and the Seven Sisters formations for prime photo opportunities.
On your way to Zion, in Utah, make sure to drive through Valley of Fire State Park. You would guess that the park is named primarily for its naturally hot red rock formations. But it’s also named for it’s terrifying lack of water. Early pioneers frequently died of thirst in the valley, and early indigenous tribes would only travel through. In modern times, we have air conditioning and bottled water; so the natural sights here are a little more enjoyable.
Crank up the A.C.
Valley of Fire
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A failed experiment in good intentions
In an unassuming field,in central Utah, are a group of towering metal and plastic figures that look like they’re from a long lost steampunk history. Delta Solar Farm was a privately owned attempt at alternative energy. Using plastic magnifying panels, the power of the sun, and steam, the farm was built as a new-age solar energy plant. Based on overly simplistic science, the formations were meant to follow the arc of the sun and condense natural heat for steam-powered generators: a low-fi, low-cost alternative to complex photovoltaic panels. But what seemed a boon to prospective investors turned awry. Not long after the initial structures were built, it became clear that the science at the heart of the experiment was bunk. The project was abandoned, the farm left intact to be destroyed by the elements. While the world may not be saved by renewable energy, you’ll get a solid photo out of the ruins
Come ready with activities
Puzzles and boardgames are great if you have the space.
There are just a few sensations that are universally good. Soaking in a hot spring is one of them. Mystic Hot Springs is a hippie-built outpost, leveraging a natural wonder for relaxation and personal renewal. For just $15 a day, you can soak in a variety of pools and single user bathtubs continually filled with naturally heated water. Each pool is a different temperature ranging from scalding to lukewarm. Depending on your tolerance, get as pruny as you want. Just don’t plan on taking off your swimsuit or drinking. It’s a family establishment
Bunking under the stars
Soaking in the goodness
If you’re planning on traveling north through Utah, there aren’t many stand-out accommodations. We suggest camping in Monroe by the famed Mystic Hot Springs. If you’re traveling without shelter, the grounds offer painted school buses that have been retrofitted as motel rooms. If you have a tent, plan for cold desert winds. And if you’re driving an R.V., put anyone who snores in the back bed. No matter what, make s'mores.
The name “Sin City” can either be interpreted to mean “center of excess and indulgence” or quite simply, “ hell”.
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Be thankful you don’t have typhus
We all remember playing Oregon Trail and “dying of dysentery” on our tiny old computers in middle school. What we don’t remember is all of the other gnarly things pioneers put up with in order to settle the American West. Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Memorial Museum is meant to make us never forget. Run by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the museum chronicles life for the state’s early residents in almost every aspect. With artifacts ranging from horse-drawn carriages, to weaponry, to early dental equipment, you too can relive the harrowing age of pioneering with all its glamour and terror. Make sure to check out the doll room if you’re into feeling fear.
Pioneer Memorial Museum
Swimming in a rock dome
When you think of scuba diving, of course you think of the land-locked state of Utah. Homestead Crater is the unique combination of hot spring and geologic dome. Created over tens of thousands of years, the crater is essentially a giant naturally heated swimming pool within a giant rock. Set in Homestead Resort, about 40 minutes east of Salt Lake, the crater is a popular center for snorkeling and deep-diving exercises. But for a small fee, you can also just doggy paddle around in a life vest. Travel tip; Book your crater experience in advance; reservations are required.
They know you’re reading this.
Right outside of Salt Lake City, just off the highway, nestled on the side of a hill, is a set of unassuming white buildings. While they may look like warehouses, or the making of an industrial park, they are actually home to the largest government data center in the United States. Run by the NSA, the Utah Data Center is capable of storing data in quantities of exabytes (1 exabyte equals 1,000,000,000 gigabytes). And while the NSA has denied mass surveillance of American citizens, it’s pretty mind-blowing to think that this one building can potentially hold the browsing history of everyone you know (or ever met).
NSA data center
If you plan on road-tripping in an RV, make sure that you have a solid strategy for parking. Most cities are not built with easily-accessible spots for giant vehicles. If you’re driving through country, or national parks, you’re going to be fine. But if you’re planning on driving through a more urban spread, consider parking the RV at one central location and walking/biking/ridesharing from spot to spot. You’ll thank yourself later.
Salt Lake was settled by a devout Mormon population that eschews caffeine in order to keep clean minds and bodies. So naturally the city has become a coffee lover’s dream. We hit up Three Pines Coffee downtown. Go for the espresso; it’s served with high-class seltzer water that makes the experience refreshing on an entirely new level. Pair it with one of the gourmet doughnuts and you’re set.
A Salt Lake City specialty
Our group came for a classic so-bad-it’s-good karaoke night, but what we experienced was nothing short of incredible. Every voice at Club Jam’s karaoke was perfectly on point, in tune, and passionate. Listening to song after song felt like hearing a best-of album from a lost season of American Idol that we actually wish we had watched. Without a doubt one of the most impressive karaoke nights any of us have ever experienced. (Shout out to Michelle R. for her gender-flipped rendition of “Bed” by J. Holiday. Better than the original, in every respect.)
Rolling into Salt Lake City on a Sunday night, you would expect the entire city to be dead. And you would be right. Almost. While most residents are home ironing their slacks for the upcoming week, one spot in Salt Lake becomes a hotbed of unbelievable vocal ability. Club Jam, headlined as Salt Lake City’s number-one gay bar, has karaoke Sundays and Wednesdays that go in. A slick club with colorful LEDs and a photo booth topped by a golden mannequin (mirroring a Mormon temple), Club Jam is a mecca for Salt Lake’s LGBT community and apparently the voices of angels.
Karaoke at Salt Lake’s best gay bar
Club Jam
On the final day of our trip, we set out to explore all that Salt Lake has to offer. And while it may not seem like much compared with other cities, Salt Lake asks to be understood on its own terms. It isn’t a buzzing metropolis; it isn’t a grungy relic, either. Salt Lake is just Salt Lake. Clean, simple, and very “nice.”