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Crossroads of Opportunity

Barstow is located at the junction of 4 major freeways and highways in the Mojave Desert, Interstates 15 and 40, and State Highways 58 and 247.

Barstow's California Welcome Center is conveniently located at the Tanger Outlet Center off the Lenwood Rd. exit of I-15, halfway between L.A. & Las Vegas.

The staff at the California Welcome Center can provide you with great trip planning information as you visit our local area where you can shop, museum hop, hike, and visit the Old West at Calico Ghost Town, or they can provide you with details and ideas for the rest of your stay in the "Golden State".

Barstow is the perfect place to stay since plenty of day trips are within 2 hours and we offer a vast array of hotels & motels, some right on historic Route 66.

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Welcome Center

The California Welcome Center Barstow
2796 Tanger Way, Suite 100
Barstow, CA 92311

Phone: (760) 253-4782
Fax: (760) 253-4814
Email: info.barstow@visitcwc.com

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Desert Discoveries: Calico Ghost Town

Step back into the time of silver mines and raucous desert life.

Step back to the 1880s, when silver mining was the business to be in, and Calico was the place to be. Scene of the largest silver strike in California's history, this remote desert town supported nearly two dozen hotels and businesses, and had its own post office and newspaper. When silver prices plummeted, the town's population dwindled too until all that remained by the early 1900s were the lonely remnants of the once booming town. But today, life has breathed back into ole Calico, with efforts to preserve the remaining adobes and other buildings as a fascinating ghost town, where visitors can learn more about this important chapter in California's history.

Visitors can explore Maggie's Mine, the Lane House Museum with historic photos and memorabilia, and the Chinese section where Asian laborers once lived. Stop in at the old school house where lessons were taught during the week and preachers held services on Sundays. Take a ride in a narrow gauge mining train along the outskirts of the park, and see how the miners lived. Calico also has a variety of shops and restaurants, many in original buildings and others in structures built to fit into the ghost town theme. Camping, cabins, and bunkhouses are available.

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» Viewfinders MC
October 2, 2010 7:00 AM to October 3, 2010 5:00 PM

Viewfinders MC is an off-road motorcycle club based in Southern California. In conjunction with the City of Ridgecrest, we host the annual Viewfinders Grand Prix (a Big 6 event) at the fairgrounds. Amenities include indoor sign up and scoring, bleachers for spectating, permanent food vendors, and a well organized vendor row to pick up goodies and get rider's autographs. Events include Best-in-the desert, SCORE (Baja races) WORCS and various other motocross series around the region.