[4]Anza-Borrego State Park's name is derived from Juan Bautista de Anza, who notably camped there, and "borrego", which is Spanish for "lamb", in honor of the local herds of bighorn sheep.

The village and surrounding countryside have a wide variety of desert flora and fauna.

One iconic species found in the Borrego Springs area is the California Fan Palm, Washingtonia filifera, a lower risk/near-threatened[8] species and the only palm native to the western United States.

[9] An abandoned calcite mine, dating to World War II, is on the northeast slope of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the state park.

There were 2,611 housing units at an average density of 60.1 per square mile (23.2/km2), of which 1,235 (78.6%) were owner-occupied, and 336 (21.4%) were occupied by renters.

A local landmark is the traffic roundabout between the airport and downtown, Christmas Circle.

[31][32] There are four public golf courses, a tennis center, and horseback riding, and it is a destination for snowbirds.

[34] Borrego Springs has no stoplights, and nighttime lighting is kept to a minimum to protect the view of the night sky.

[38] Members of the International Aerobatic Club have established a practice and competition area adjacent to and directly north of the Borrego Valley Airport.

The area was first designated in 1976 and has an operational waiver approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Aerobatic pilots from California and the southwest U.S. regularly use the airspace for practice and major competitive events; users have included three past national champions.

The San Diego Aerobatic Club sponsors two annual competition events,[39] in April and October.

More than 130 large metal statues of animals by sculptor Ricardo Breceda can be found in Galleta Meadows Estate.

[43] The community and surrounding valley are significant sites in some of Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk novels.

The town is the setting for a course on the virtual cycling platform RGT (Road Grand Tours)).