The restored train depot at Kelso, California is a gem. Three floors of exhibits including art…read more It is worth a visit when in the Mojave Desert area. NOTE-this is NOT in the city of Barstow!.It is near Baker and Cima California.

Not really in the city of Barstow, more towards Cima. It's a visitors center, gift shop, and museum…read morewith exhibits in Mojave National Preserve. There's a 20 minute introduction movie you can watch about Mojave. They also have actual flush toilets rather than pits in the ground.

Was looking for some inspiration/recommendations when it came to adding additional activities to my…read morepre-existing itinerary. The woman who worked the register at the help center was extremely helpful, friendly and professional. They have lots of route 66 souvenirs and California souvenirs to choose from like keychains, postcards, shot glasses, cups, and refrigerator magnets. They also have tons of brochures to choose from that will surely help you find a fun activity or two to do from Nevada to Arizona to California.

Review#325....Going down Memory Lane to 'California Welcome Center,' City of Barstow…read more Thought I should just add this review in for 'California Welcome Center,' which was located right inside Barstow Outlets on Tanger Way. Once parked at Barstow Outlets, you should visit the Welcome Center because they will hand you a booklet of discount coupons. Since I have not been back for a few years, I'm not sure they still do that?! Just as I said, Lovin' Barstow Outlets even though it seemed to be a smaller Outlet, they make a nice rest stop since there were clean restrooms with several stalls and a food court. I didn't need to make 2-location rest stops because Barstow Outlets already owned everything I needed.

This review is long over due however, very necessary for me to write about Big Bear Lake Visitors…read moreCenter. Big Bear at large is close to my heart because its easy for me to get to from LA County proper. I ski at Big Bear (Or Snow Valley or Snow Summit) when the snow permits. It's an easy drive for me to and from LA. But lately, over the past 3 years, I've been so in love with Shadow and Jackie, the Bald Eagle celebrity natives. OK- here is my story: My travel buddy and I drive from LA and made a couple stops along the way (One was in Ontario for a party we attended) and the second was Snow Summit to check out the ski conditions. However, my main purpose was to visit and get a real live view of Shadow and Jackie, the bald eagles. The Big Bear Lake Visitors Center was the place to gather your information. They gave us the best times to look for Jackie and Shadow but more important, they have their volunteer rangers who set up long range telescopes over at Fawn's to view the magnificent birds. There is a board at the entrance which lists all activities around the area; for hikers, bikers, eagle viewers alike. Merch for sale Informative with respect to the native animals, birds and the li,e Ample parking Clean restrooms

We just popped in to see what was inside as we were visitors in big bear and were pleasantly…read morepleased with what we found! That was neat. They had a display on the eagle nest, as that is such a popular thing with people, that included a live feed. The folks behind the information desk were very friendly and helpful. We really enjoy the photo area, you can have your picture taken and put over three different backgrounds, with choice of emailing or having the picture printed out right there for you to take with you. Kind of nice to have a physical picture for a change as everyone seems to just provide digital these days. Great place for information for any visitor to big Bear!

This place truly exceeded my expectations. It is seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The Mojave has…read morelots of places that fit that description. So when I made the drive to the visitor center I was blown away by the nice, friendly, informative setup. There is a large parking area right next to the 24/7 operating borax strip mine. It has a really nice visitor center with museum style exhibits, photos, historical information, and a theater which shows an educational film. There are friendly, knowledgeable volunteers and a nice little gift shop with lots of free pamphlets too. The top of the visitor center is a large observation deck from which you can view the huge operation. Nice photo ops here. Not a short drive but really glad I came.

This is a very interesting spot especially if you're a Baby Boomer. Remember Borax and the 20 mule…read moreteam from the Death Valley t.v. show? This working Borax mine is located near Boron, CA. We dropped in on the way home after a Vegas getaway. There's a huge overlook of the pit where mining operations are ongoing 365 days a year 24x7. We walked around taking pictures. Then went inside the visitor center where we were greeted by Jim a volunteer. He suggested we watch a 15 minute video which we agreed to. Afterwards Jim continued answering any questions we had. He's a retired employee hired in 1962. He had plenty of knowledge of the mine which started underground but now is a humongous pit. Located in the parking lot is an original 20 Mule team wagon set that was used in Death Valley hauling borax out. Very neat. The visitor center has a gift shop and restrooms are located outside. Before we got out of the car I suggested to hubby we spend no more than 10-15 minutes but we actually spent 80 minutes total time. If time permits on your road-trip, swing by.

I've been here twice now for their music in the woods concerts in the summer and both times, it's…read morebeen a blast. There are hiking paths around which I haven't done yet. There is a small parking lot if you are one of the earlier folks there for that day. It's a little building where they do have restrooms. Everyone is friendly.

The Big Bear Discovery Center is a place of just that…read more.. Discovery!! A place where Nature is the Star, but Nurture is equally as important. A place where the Great Outdoors is embraced and being one with Nature is encouraged by all. Welcome to the Big Bear Discovery Center! While visiting our friends at their cabin in Beautiful Big Bear, we decided to take the kids to the Discovery Center to see what it was all about. Upon walking into the building, we were immediately immersed into the wildlife that makes up this areas landscape. From the avian wildlife, to the reptiles, to the large mammals that call Big Bear Home, the Discovery Center gave a great snapshot of what nature lives in these mountains. In addition, the various types of rock, plants and trees were also on display which showcased the unique landscape of the region. On the back part of the building, there was a decent sized gift shop where your young explorers can browse all of the nature related toys, books and gear to be a Jr. Ranger. But the fun didn't stop there... Out front, they had a table for kids to do a hands on activity. The day we went, kids could make their own bird feeder using a pine cone, peanut butter and bird seed. After making our homemade bird feeders, we took a short walk to the other side of the building where they had an outdoor area called Nature Discovery Zone where kids could play, dig, build things. There are other activities on site, but this is all we did on our visit. If you find yourself in the Big Bear area and have young kids, definitely a good place to come check out. They do have some snacks and drinks inside the gift shop, but I didn't see any actual hot food to eat. There are picnic benches and places you can sit and relax if you want to pack a lunch and eat in the outdoor area. Now... Who's ready to Discover the behind the scenes of Big Bear!

5 stars Upon…read moreentering the visitor's center, I was greeted by a little museum that NPS is so well-known for. It details the rock formations and the wildlife that can be expected while hiking. Within the visitor's center is a gift shop with gorgeous Joshua Tree Nat'l Park-inspired clothing and products. I recommend purchasing merch here since a portion of proceeds go back to the parks. The souvenirs are also much more affordable than privately-owned gift shops nearby. I bought a pin ($7) and a Travel Stamp sticker ($3.99). The office staff are also very knowledgeable about the area. The young man I spoke to highlighted the areas I asked about - see photo for highlighted map. I wanted short 1-mile hikes along with Heart Rock & Arch Rock. 5/5 stars for service! The restrooms inside are clean and there are also portapotties in the parking lot with outdoor sinks available. Their parking lot is small, but there's plenty of street parking. The entrance to the national park is really close by as well.

One of four visitor centers for Joshua Tree National Park, each having a slightly different name,…read morethis location is in downtown Joshua Tree, surrounded by other city buildings. It is the one fronting the West entrance to the Park, which is the more popular of the two. It is located before having to pay the park entrance fee. It was manned by two friendly, quite busy volunteer rangers, answering any questions about your visit. We didn't have time to visit the park itself, so took the opportunity to learn a bit more about the park from displays and presentations. As I learned, it is crowded inside (shoulder to shoulder). There is a dedicated parking lot, along with street parking, and a small gift shop. My wife's mom ended up buying a tote bag (or two) to take back home. We didn't get to go inside the park this time, but was able to see plenty of Joshua trees real close, which are only endemic to this area.

The store is very nice and well decorated. The staff are very friendly and welcoming. They have so…read moremany cute home decors and souvenirs. Make sure to stop by on your way to Joshua Tree

This Center is full of souvenirs. You can find toys, clothing and books about Joshua Tree. The…read morestaff is so friendly. We worked on our Junior Ranger book and at the end completion 9 of us were sworn in to Junior Rangers. It was a beautiful memory we will cherish. They provided us all a badge and they have stamps with todays date to stamp our Badge. They have a little mini museum that we all went through and got to learn a lot from. This is a great center not to busy.

29 Palms,located in Southern California's inland desert area,is a terrific community for a great…read moreexperience for families,singles,teens and senior citizens! A great adventure awaits you as you travel down long peaceful expanses of desert roadway surrounded by scenic mountains,ghost towns,historic sites and wild life! We started our adventure at Joshua Tree National Park drove to 29 Palms to see all the sites there including the city's collection of wall murals on many of the towns buildings! We then headed north to the town of Amboy and Roys Motel and Cafe and beyond to Afton Canyon. There are trails and slot canyons to hike,places to camp,sand dunes to climb,a crater to see,old mining areas to check out and places just to stop and breathe in clean desert air! 29 Palms is proudly home to the largest US Marine base and also features many stores,shops,restaurants and areas to explore! . . . . . #visit29palms #ilove29palms #usmc #murals #wallmurals #29palms #29palmscalifornia #mojavetrailsnationalmonument #trails #camping #californiadeserts #amboy #roysmotelandcafe #route66 #aftoncanyon #visitamboy #visit29palms #shop29palms #cadizdunes #sanddunes #29palms #29palmsmurals #getyourkicksonroute66 #nationaltrailshighway #marinecorp #joshuatreenationalpark #joshuatree #marinecorp #29palmscalifornia #waynesalvatti #seetheusa #marinehaircut #photografxworldwide ##goseejoshuatree

We visited a number of visitor centers - natl. park, city, chamber of commerce etc. in the area…read morewithin a couple of days; this one was the nicest. It's a clean, attractively landscaped building with a lovely mural and a free WIFI spot on the outside. There was a good selection of relevant materials, a charming local art display, and a friendly and informative staff member. We bought metal water bottles (good price for them, btw) and had them filled with chilled water from their refrigerator. How nice is that? :)

This is incorrectly listed as Arcadia, CA. It is located in Wrightwood, CA…read more I did the Inspiration Point hike today via AllTrails and it lead me out this way. I believe this is Section D of the PCT. It's still beautiful even though the Bridge Fire from 2024 burned many of the trees to the ground. There is some shade and the mountain views are absolutely breathtaking. The Grassy Hollow Visitor Center doesn't exist anymore. There was no one there. No ranger station or check-in. The campground is closed. It's now just a place to enjoy a peaceful hike and immerse in nature. I saw cyclers on highway 2, some motorcycles, and lots of people driving fast or racing around the mountain curves. I only encountered one other person on the trail. From what I saw the bathrooms are not functional. There's a sign saying that a parking pass is required but again, there's no ranger station to purchase tickets. Even near the Blue Ridge Trail down the road, the ranger station was closed so I'm not sure. I have an interagency pass that I display on my dashboard in lieu of the Adventure Pass. Make sure you have your first aid kit, hydration and just be careful. There's no cell reception in most of this part of the PCT. Nonetheless, it's beautiful. Enjoy!

Pacific Crest Trail review…read more. We were staying at a nearby campground and we were looking for a smaller family-friendly trail to hike. We found a section of the PCT that started at the Inspiration Point parking lot and kinda looped back through the Grassy Hollow campground and back to Inspiration point.. This was a great short hike.. The views were amazing you'll get a taste of what the East Angeles National Forest is all about. - Grassy Hollow is closed because of the pandemic. Unlikely to reopen until 2021. But you can still hike through it. There was a working bathroom there. - Parking at Inspiration Point does require an adventure pass ($5 at most stores in Wrightwood). BUT, if you parked across the street it seemed to be free. - Make this is a lollipop hike. When your hike is starting from Inspiration Point, and you get to grassy hollow campground, go right and continue along the PCT.. walk around until you see a man made road and turn left. This will take you back to Grassy Hollow campground and then back to Inspiration Point.

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.