Location: Ridgecrest
Top Things to do in Ridgecrest
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7 Things to Do in Ridgecrest That You Shouldn't Miss
Ridgecrest is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 395 in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS, or China Lake). The population was 27,616 at the 2010 census, up from 24,927 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated as a city in 1963.
Restaurants in Ridgecrest
1. Maturango Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 105 reviews
Reviewed By Dan G - Salinas, California, United States
While on my way to Death Valley had a little extra time so I decided to visit the Maturango Museum. Wonderful little museum with great exhibits on the local area. Along with the inside displays, there is an outdoor area that is great to explore. Worth a visit.
2. U.S. Naval Museum of Armament & Technology
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24 reviews
The museum showcases Tomahawk missiles and weaponry from World War II to cutting edge that was designed and tested at the naval center.
Reviewed By sunnydii - Ridgecrest, California
China Lake Museum is MOVING off the base. The ground breaking for construction of the Museum will be October 14, 2016. The site will be East of the Maturango Museum. There will no longer be a need for access to the base to see all the accomplishments of the Navy committed to the welfare of our fighting men & women. This has been a dream for so many years of very dedicated folks to see this come to a realization! --Member, China Lake Museum Foundation.
3. Little Petroglyph Canyon
Overall Ratings
5 based on 38 reviews
Cosos Mountains canyon containing rock paintings that pre-date Native Americans.
Reviewed By steve b - Ridgecrest, California
If you can get a reservation on one of the Maturango Museum tours to Little Petroglyph Canyon do so, you won't regret the or the drive to Ridgecrest.
This is one of the best, if not the best preserved collections of Native American Rock Art in the U.S. It's remote, deep within a Navy base, and well protected by both the Navy and the tour leaders who take visitors to see the site.
From Big Horn Sheep to Shamen, to depictions of hunters with bows and arrows, visitors are awed by the magnitude of this art collection.
It can be a pain to get there, but if you do, you won't regret the effort.
4. China Lake Naval Weapons Center
Overall Ratings
4 based on 43 reviews
The largest naval research area in the U.S., 1,200 square miles of desert and mountains, allows a limited number of tours into Little Petroglyph Canyon.
Reviewed By ChinaLake1
I live in Ridgecrest, which is where all the rocket scientists and support staff for China Lake live. Ridgecrest mostly came to be because the government needed a place to design, test, and blow up ordinances out of sight, out of hearing, and out of mind. The Mojave Desert is big and to most outsiders, empty. If you can say Sidewinder, and Tomahawk, and bunker busters, "drone", you know this is the real thing. And God only knows what these crazy engineers and physicists are coming up with now. The Museum is not large. It is hard to get to because it is on base. To fellow reviewers and potential visitors, the Museum would like to be off base, and are raising funds for a building in Ridgecrest, but they have a big vision, and not yet enough money. Meanwhile, if you care about mundane things like the national defense, then China Lake has played a vital part in safeguarding our freedoms and safety as both individuals and as a country. The Museum will impress you with what a few crazy, dedicated scientists can pull off in the middle of nowhere. There is also a nice small golf course on base, and it has a cool little café. Drop in. It's worth the hassle and is a unique stop in your world travels.
5. Red Rock Books
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By oirish88 - Ridgecrest, California
this friendly hometown book shop is steeped in local history and local culture as well as a wealth of books from old to current, used to newest publications ...the poeple there are helpful and kindhearted ,the only difficult thing youll have to undergo visiting the local treasure is getting yourself to leave
6. Ridgecrest Area Convention & Visitor's Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By ddcorlett - Ridgecrest, California
The staff is very knowledgeable about the area, and can suggest many things to do. Local and California maps, information on the Desert Region, and Eastern Sierras, Death Valley. Great place to find out what filming has been done in the area!
7. Petroglyph Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By Sandi S - San Leandro, California
Bravo Ridgecrest! This is a great park ~ history, education, culture, and play all rolled into one. A few dozen re-creations of petroglyphs and rock configurations found in the valley are spread out along a meandering walkway. Each one was selected to inform the viewer about the meanings of various images, the techniques used to create them, and to honor the heritage of local tribes.
There is also a nice ship-like playground structure that was a hit with our 7 year old grandson. This park within Leroy Jackson Park opened in 2014. If you are visiting Ridgecrest, it's well worth a stroll.
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