Felicity Travel Guide

Tourist 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
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in their reviews. ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (2,197 reviews)
Staff

Reviewed on 2 Feb 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 NZ$162 per night from 15 Feb to 16 Feb
NZ$162
15 Feb - 16 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,037 reviews)
Yes everything wonderfull. Staff great room clean. Breakfast great

Reviewed on 7 Feb 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 NZ$128 per night from 13 Feb to 14 Feb
NZ$128
13 Feb - 14 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Yuma. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,103 reviews)
Staff was fruendly and the breakfast was on point!

Reviewed on 4 Feb 2026

Quality Inn & Suites Yuma
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 holiday home in Yuma. Enjoy private pools, a fitness centre and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Arroyo Dunes Golf Course and Yuma Palms ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (12 reviews)
Very good stay!

Reviewed on 30 Jan 2026

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

One story fully furnished townhouse

Yuma AZ
Stay at this holiday home in Yuma. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 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 16 Jan 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 holiday home in Yuma. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 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 24 Dec 2025

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