After completing our epic Pacific Coast Highway road trip, we left La Jolla and began our journey back to our hometown of Denver, Colorado. Our first stop on day one back was the “Center of the World” in Felicity, California.
Y’all, this is one crazy attraction. I read about it online after searching for places to stop between San Diego and Phoenix, and this definitely looked like the most interesting one. Self-proclaimed “center of the world” by a Felicity Mayor, I at first expected only a wild conspiracy-theory type spot.
When we first arrived, it felt a little spooky, since we were the only car on the premises, and we didn’t see another human being – in fact, we didn’t see another human the entire time we were here, which may have also been influenced by the fact that we were there in September of 2020 during COVID. There was also a “train station” hut that added to the sense of mystery.
Normally there is a fee to visit, and in lieu of an office, they had a donation box that took cash only outside. The first thing you’ll notice when walking in, is the massive pyramid right in front of you. There is a door, which I assume normally allows you to stand directly at the “center,” but was closed because of the pandemic.
After passing the pyramid, there is a loooong walkway with stone panels along the side that leads up to a small church on a hill.
We decided to walk the length, check out the inscriptions on the stones, and view the church up close.
The stones are actually a super comprehensive history museum, and honestly we could have spent hours outside reading through them if it weren’t for the incredible heat and zero shade.
The inscriptions are beautifully done, and ranged from US history to animal history, to histories of other countries.
Unfortunately when we reached the church, we found that it was locked at all entrances, most likely again because of COVID, but the view from the top looking back was still pretty incredible.
Back in the parking lot as we left, there was also a wild winding staircase that led to absolutely nowhere. According to some research we did once we were back in the car, the stairs were actually a part of the Eiffel Tower in France, that now sits in the “middle” of the world in Felicity.
Overall, this is a must-see stop if you’re driving through the area. It’s wild to see, and honestly was much more interesting than we expected. If you’re going on a sunny day, make sure to bring water and a hat to protect you from the heat and the sun!
After sweating profusely, we got back into the car to make a quick stop in Dateland, Arizona for date milkshakes an hour out, and then arrive in our final destination for the evening/weekend, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. Be sure to check out the full PCH itinerary here, and let me know if there are any must see stops that we should add to our next trip!
