Felicity, CA

Travel Guide

Istel is the founder of Felicity and the town’s longtime mayor, having been elected, almost 30 years ago, to an apparent lifetime term. The vote was unanimous: Istel voted for himself and so did Felicity’s other resident, Istel’s wife, Felicia. The town, established in 1986, consists of the Istels’ home and a half-dozen other buildings that the couple built on 2,600 acres in the middle of the desert near Yuma, Ariz., just off Interstate 8. At the north end, up an imposing staircase, sits the Church on the Hill at Felicity — inspired by a little white chapel in Brittany — that Istel built in 2007. The church is gorgeous and serene and looks eerily out of place, though less out of place than the 21-foot-tall stone-and-glass pyramid on the opposite end of town. The pyramid is there to mark the exact center of the world.
Istel is the founder of Felicity and the town’s longtime mayor, having been elected, almost 30 years ago, to an apparent lifetime term. The vote was unanimous: Istel voted for himself and so did Felicity’s other resident, Istel’s wife, Felicia. The town, established in 1986, consists of the Istels’ home and a half-dozen other buildings that the couple built on 2,600 acres in the middle of the desert near Yuma, Ariz., just off Interstate 8. At the north end, up an imposing staircase, sits the Church on the Hill at Felicity — inspired by a little white chapel in Brittany — that Istel built in 2007. The church is gorgeous and serene and looks eerily out of place, though less out of place than the 21-foot-tall stone-and-glass pyramid on the opposite end of town. The pyramid is there to mark the exact center of the world.
According to the French government and California’s Imperial County, the official center of the world lies in the town of Felicia in California’s Sonora Desert. There is no scientific or political reason for the designation, but only the effort of Jacques-André Istel and his wife Felicia Lee (the town's namesake), who founded the town in 1986. Jacques-André made his name and fortune as a famous French-American parachutist and co-founded of Parachutes, Inc., which produced parachuting equipment and opened the first parachuting school in the United States. He is credited as a key figure in popularizing parachuting in America and has been referred to as the “father of American skydiving.” In 1985 he wrote the children’s book "Coe: The Good Dragon at the Center of the World" about a dragon that lived at the center of the world, which served as the inspiration behind the town’s creation
La Fuente Inn & Suites

La Fuente Inn & Suites

3 out of 5
1513 E 16th St Yuma AZ
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in our reviews. ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (2,194 reviews)
Rooms were clean, Breakfast was very good, very manicured grounds, friendly staff, close to shopping. Perfect!

Reviewed on Feb 27, 2026

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La Fuente Inn & Suites
Quality Inn & Suites Yuma

Quality Inn & Suites Yuma

2.5 out of 5
1691 S Riley Ave Yuma AZ
The price is ₩115,646 per night from Mar 8 to Mar 9
₩115,646
₩127,685 total
Mar 8 - Mar 9
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,168 reviews)
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Reviewed on Feb 28, 2026

Quality Inn & Suites Yuma
Wingate by Wyndham Yuma

Wingate by Wyndham Yuma

2.5 out of 5
1760 Sunridge Dr Yuma AZ
The price is ₩126,069 per night from Mar 29 to Mar 30
₩126,069
₩139,193 total
Mar 29 - Mar 30
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,047 reviews)
Clean rooms, good staff. What pool?

Reviewed on Feb 28, 2026

Wingate by Wyndham Yuma
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Luxe Yuma Home With Private Pool!

Luxe Yuma Home With Private Pool!

3 out of 5
2179 W 22nd Ln Yuma AZ
Stay at this cottage in Yuma. Enjoy free parking, in-room fireplaces, and air conditioning. Popular attractions Arroyo Dunes Golf Course and Desert Hills Municipal ...
Luxe Yuma Home With Private Pool!
Centrally Located Yuma Retreat w/ Fenced Patio

Centrally Located Yuma Retreat w/ Fenced Patio

3.5 out of 5
Yuma AZ
Book a stay at this business-friendly apartment in Yuma. Enjoy free parking, patios, and an in-room coffeemaker. Popular attractions Arroyo Dunes Golf Course ...
Centrally Located Yuma Retreat w/ Fenced Patio
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