Bombay Beach Drive-In — Attraction in Calipatria

The Bombay Beach Drive-In, plopped defiantly in the post-apocalyptic postcard known as Bombay Beach (on the shores of the ever-retreating, ever-toxic Salton Sea), is less of a nostalgic nod to classic Americana and more of a searing eulogy to it. It’s an art installation that asks, “What if Mad Max had a Pinterest board?” and then answers it with sun bleached vehicles, half melted movie screens, and an ambiance that says “drive-in” with the same sincerity a haunted doll says “hug me.”

This is where you contemplate the slow decay of the American Dream, projected if at all on a screen surrounded by gutted cars so oxidized they’ve probably developed their own ecosystem. Half sculpture, half sociopolitical commentary, and entirely photogenic in that “my soul is melting but make it aesthetic” way, the Drive-In stands as one of the signature pieces of the Bombay Beach Biennale, an art festival so absurdly avant-garde it might actually loop back around to sincerity. Not worth the trip on its own, but if you’re out there might as well swing on by.

In short, the Bombay Beach Drive-In is what happens when art, irony, and entropy all get drunk together in the desert, crash into a 1970s Buick, and decide, “Yeah. Let’s leave it here.”

10/10 Patinas of...

It is certainly photogenic. The whole town is, if a bit deserted. Nothing in town by way of services except a small cafe. Private citizens have built these art installations on their own properties and some may rely on internet donations, although there is no fee posted. There was a tourist van stopped here the day I arrived so there may be paid tour services that include the Salton Sea area. It's a long drive from anywhere else, so plan a long day. I started at Joshua tree and ended up in Borrego Springs...

I stopped specifically to see this, especially since there's a wreck of an AMC Pacer in the drive-in. I'm a fan of AMC vehicles, having owned a Gremlin. A pleasant surprise was to see a '90s Ford Escort wagon, a car my brother has to this day. Others include a Nash Metropolitan, a VW Beetle and Microbus, even a Porsche 924, among others. An eclectic mix of vehicles. I heard they project movies here on the white trailer in front of the cars. That would be a fun time! Stop by if you're a fan of...