Driving from Orange County to Bullhead City, we saw a billboard sign many many months ago about the…read moreNewberry Springs Pistachio Festival and thought, hmmmm that sounds just like something we should do! I did some Google research and found out that it is the first Saturday in November. So we set a reminder and over those months we talked about it every time we'd drive by Newberry Springs. Welp... November was almost here and we decided to go camping up near Calico that weekend and then stop in at the Festival to see what it's all about.... and we were not disappointed, not one bit! Way better than we assumed it would be. Vendors selling all sorts of unique items, pistachios for sale, kickball tournament, bouncy houses, petting zoo, "old timey shootout" reenactment, smoothies, live music, pistachio brittle, pistachio rocca, flavored pistachios, seasoned pistachios, and one of the best Indian Frybreads we've ever had! We didn't come hungry or we would have had the Indian Frybread Taco!! Holy cow, they are ginormous and look amazing! We settled for just a frybread and added honey and powdered sugar. It was deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!!! Hot out of the fryer too! We chatted with some locals while eating and also with some of the vendors. It was a feel-good event for us and we'd definitely come back! It's only the one day a year and this year it was from 9am - 4pm (maybe it always is?) so make sure you time it right! No cost to get in, but bring your wallet, you'll want to purchase something, I guarantee it! Where's Newberry Springs, you ask? Well, it is just off I-40 at Newberry Road, just south of the National Trails Highway (Historical Route 66). Little town, big heart! Very very glad that we decided to check it out, can't wait to share it with friends too! THANK YOU!!!

Amazing Vendors, activities, food, entertainment, & pistachios.... Great event to attend for a day…read moreout with the family

This is an interesting place to make a quick stop at to see the history about Route 66, especially…read moresince the route is turning 100 years this year. The people in there were very nice. It's a small place, but there are two other small museums in that lot to check out, too.

What a fun stop! This is a small and well-curated collection that includes photos, cars, and…read moreantique appliances like washing machines, stoves, and refrigerators. There's a cool gallery at the end with Route 66-themed photography and artwork. We enjoyed it! Plan on about 30-60 minutes. There's a restroom. Located inside the old train station, ground floor on the other side from the railroad museum. Plenty of free lot parking.

The Maggie Mine self-guided tour at Calico Ghost Town, along with the Calico & Odessa Railroad…read moreride, was really fun. The Maggie Mine was a Silver Mine in the 1880s and is now the only mine that visitors can safely explore. We walked through the mine, saw old mining equipment, visited historic spots, and learned interesting facts about the town's history. It's definitely a must-see when visiting Calico Ghost Town.

Granted this is best thing in calico ghost town money grab, but it should be included with…read moreadmission. It takes about 10 minutes to walk through if you are taking your time. Not that interesting, and overall pretty lame.

I stayed overnight at Roughout Ranch for a movie screening event. As far as getaways or…read moremini-vacations, it's one of the top of my life - it was so much fun. The ranch is a delightful venue. There's a main building with a saloon-style bar, kitchen, and patio; lodging rooms in the converted stables; a lake for swimming/paddleboating; an "apocalypse town" - a field of rusty junk in the middle of the desert. The main building and stables décor is a fun, kitschy, eclectic western boho vibe. The ranch is kinda in the middle of nowhere, with beautiful mountain and desert views. There was a White Claw treasure hunt at my event, so we got to explore the entire grounds. Every part of the ranch was so neat, even the junk field. Tons of photo-ops grabbed; tons of wonderful memories made. If you have the chance to come here, for an event or a film shoot, I'd take it. It's a special place.

Wow I didn't think much of this place until I got home to read the brochures and went online…read more Goldstone is one of three complexes around the world known as the Deep Space Network (DSN) that provides the ability to communicate with spacecraft! This is on the top floor of the Amtrak train station in Barstow, Ca. There work is within the two-way robotic spacecraft communication and radio astronomy. The Goldstone Deep Space Network Visitor's Center is OPEN Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9am-3pm and Saturdays 10am-4pm with no cost to visit and no reservations required. They are closed on Federal Holidays. Historic Harvey House (Casa Del Desierto) 681 North First Avenue, Barstow, CA 92311 The main Harvey House entrance faces South toward the Railroad Tracks and this is located on the second floor. This is a road that is not traveled by much traffic.

Don't just make a Barstow stop on the way to Vegas to go to the restroom or to get fast food; check…read moreout the NASA Goldstone Visitor Center... 4 stars!!!! Learn all about the satellite ground station located in Fort Irwin, CA that tracks and communicates with interplanetary space missions at this visitor center. Located in the second floor of the historic Harvey House at the Barstow Amtrak Train Station, the visitor center offers interactive exhibits to learn how the Jet Propulsion Laboratory tracks and communicates with interplanetary spacecrafts. Not just kids, but also adults can find this center a worthwhile stop in Barstow. As a bonus, you can also learn about the historic Harvey House as well as visit the Western America Railroad Museum and the Route 66 "Mother Road" Museum, all during the same stop.

This is a non profit museum. They have trains on the outside you can view 24/7. They are located in…read morean old Harvey House, next to a working train yard. Inside they have a variety of things relating to BNSF railways, along with a small gift shop. Manager Noah, is friendly & knowledgeable.

On a Sunday morning in November, this is where Huell Howser taped an episode on train depot. We…read moretook the bridge from Del Taco and recognize the train depot museum. We got there too early but able to look at different trains parked outside. So much history in this little town. This place is great for train enthusiasts and children.

This tour operates out of and is at the calico Ghost Town…read more I recommend the Silver King Mine tour. There are two different tours; one includes the town and goes about 300 feet into one level of the mine. The other goes deeper into the mine. We did the first one and enjoyed it a lot. About half of it is a guided, personal tour of Calico. Histories of original buildings, area geology, detailed information about Walter Knott's connection to the town and how he restored it. You can ask lots of questions, making this a personalized tour. It seems pricey at first at $50 per person, but it is a solid 4 hours and is the best way to get an understanding of the town and it's history. It also feels pretty good to spoend some time in the mine at ~55 degrees when it's 112 outside... Next time I go we will do the 2nd tour, the in-depth mine tour.

Darryl, our tour guide was experienced as you could possibly be! He knows the inside of every local…read moremine and is the brave soul who would be the one to save you if you were in need of a search and rescue team. It was an experience of a lifetime that we will never forget. Thank you!