Felicity

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
The price is CA $146 per night from Feb 13 to Feb 14
CA $146
CA $162 total
Feb 13 - Feb 14
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 pool in our reviews. ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (2,197 reviews)
Staff

Reviewed on Feb 2, 2026

La Fuente Inn & Suites
Wingate by Wyndham Yuma

Wingate by Wyndham Yuma

2.5 out of 5
1760 Sunridge Dr Yuma AZ
The price is CA $121 per night from Feb 15 to Feb 16
CA $121
CA $133 total
Feb 15 - Feb 16
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 ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,037 reviews)
Yes everything wonderfull. Staff great room clean. Breakfast great

Reviewed on Feb 7, 2026

Wingate by Wyndham Yuma
Quality Inn & Suites Yuma

Quality Inn & Suites Yuma

2.5 out of 5
1691 S Riley Ave Yuma AZ
The price is CA $95 per night from Feb 13 to Feb 14
CA $95
CA $105 total
Feb 13 - Feb 14
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! (1,102 reviews)
Staff was fruendly and the breakfast was on point!

Reviewed on Feb 4, 2026

Quality Inn & Suites Yuma
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Home away from home-Quiet cozy casita

Home away from home-Quiet cozy casita

Yuma AZ
Stay at this vacation home in Yuma. Enjoy private pools, a fitness center, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Arroyo Dunes Golf Course and Yuma Palms ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (12 reviews)
Very good stay!

Reviewed on Jan 30, 2026

Home away from home-Quiet cozy casita
One story fully furnished townhouse

One story fully furnished townhouse

Yuma AZ
Stay at this vacation home in Yuma. Enjoy free WiFi, a sauna, and a garden. Popular attractions Arroyo Dunes Golf Course and Desert Hills Municipal Golf Course ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (55 reviews)
Located in quiet area. Older unit but clean. Sofas and king bed need to be updated just because they felt worn when sitting on couch or sleeping on king mattress. Communication upon check-in was quick. NoLocal channels but they had Smart TV so we could stream on our own account.

Reviewed on Jan 16, 2026

One story fully furnished townhouse
Cozy and Bright 3 BR | 2 BA home in the Yuma Foothills

Cozy and Bright 3 BR | 2 BA home in the Yuma Foothills

Yuma AZ
Stay at this vacation home in Yuma. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and patios. Popular attractions Castle Dome Mines Museum & Ghost Town and Yuma County ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (47 reviews)
Great cozy home away from home. Host very responsive. Family and small pets enjoyed the stay. We will definitely stay again.

Reviewed on Dec 24, 2025

Cozy and Bright 3 BR | 2 BA home in the Yuma Foothills
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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