Barstow Things to Do

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This is one of the neatest Route 66 museums and gift shop! It is actually located in a section of the Historic Harvey House. It is filled with all sorts of memorabilia donated by locals who span from all the local communities outside of Barstow and remember the days of old Route 66. Plus, they have a wonderful gift with all sorts of Route 66 items to see. I bought a neat flip book illustrating the different sections to check out along Route 66. So, if your ever passing by, please stop and check out what they have to offer.

Hours:
Friday - Sunday
10am-4pm
Winter Hours:
11am-4pm
Free Admission
Group Tours available
Check for holidays hours may vary.

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I truly miss the drive-ins. So I was so excited in seeing how my boys would react to one and they loved it. They sat outside in lawn chairs snacking away. It was a great evening and we certainly enjoyed the shows. You get to see a double movie and this drive-in has two screens, which is cool. The snack bar was very retro to the era and very clean. The bathrooms were still echoing the era too...lol...just with a new coat of paint, but they were clean too.

2006 PRICING: $6 ages 12 and over, $2 ages 2-11 (prices may change)

The box office opens at 6:30 pm. The show starts at 7:00 pm.

A TIP: Bring an extra portable radio for the kiddies who sit outside so you don't have to have your car radio cranked so they can hear the movie.

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What can I say...Murals Rock! Murals are so much part of the mystic of our Americana society. They are just beautiful pieces of just a climpse of our history. Barstow stepped up to the plate by being part of this wonderful part of California history and enhancing the charm of their wonderful Main Street. They all are located in the wonderful historic downtown area on Barstow's Main Street. Printer yourself a map from the site below.

Mural #1
The first mural painted (1998) "The Old National Trails Highway and it’s transition into Route 66, the Mother Road”.

Mural #2
The second (2000) “General Beale uses camels”

Mural #3
The third (2003) ”Three Million Dollar Harvey House”

Mural #4
The fourth (2004) “Waterman Junction becomes Barstow”

Mural #5
The fifth (2005) “The Mormon Trail”.

Mural #6
The sixth (2005) of 6 individual portraits of “The Early Explorers”

Mural #7
The seventh (2006) “The Californian Gold Rush”

Mural #8
(2007) "The Old Spanish Trail of 1829 – 1848."

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I surmise this bridge was constructed around the turn of the century when the automobile came into play. There is not much history out there the tells about this bridge other than I think was built when services were needed to connect main street to the Harvey House rebuilt in 1911. So you can imagine how very old it is and still to this day connects the city to the other side of the tracks. It has a walking area fenced from the road, but still not an ideal bridge to walk on, other than to catch a look at the trains as they come and go from above, but a wonderful spot to take photographs of the trains and the Harvey House.

So, be carefule please with traffic, because they do wiz by way too fast and not abiding the speed limit posted on this road!

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This is a really neat museums that has lots of wonderful artifacts that inform and educate the history of the Western American Railroad. Plus, it is located in a section of the historic Harvey House. It has several rooms of railroad equipment, artifacts, memormabilla, date nails and the main gallery. It has even a neat little gift shop. So please check it out sometime.

Open to Public
11am - 4pm,
Friday, Saturday & Sunday

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This facility houses the second largest meterorite in the US. It weighs 6,070 pounds (2,750 kg) and composes mostly of iron, about 6% nickel, plus small amounts of cobalt, phosphorus, chromium, and sulphur. Barstow is so lucky to have such a rare item, since it is on loan from the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. This facility also enhances by teaching children the importance Geology with on hands tours. Plus, it has a neat little trails around the building with many examples of desert fauna you will find in the Mojave Desert.
Open
Tuesday through Saturday
11am to 4pm

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This museum has loads of wonderful exhibits and artifacts of the history of the Mojave River Valley and when Father Garces ventured through here in 1776. It encludes other pathfinders, pioneers, miners, railroads and so much more. A huge historical collection of photo's. Plus, there is a wonderrful area outside with lots of different items to see!

Open everyday except Christmas
Admission is Free!
11am-4pm

In the 1800s, Calico was a bustling silver town. Walter Knott (founder of Knott's Berry Farm in Orange County) provided the money to restore this old mining camp, now a San Bernardino County regional park. Contained within a picturesque canyon, Calico boasts wooden sidewalks, shops, restaurants, and tunnels to be explored in Maggie's Mine. A railroad car takes visitors to mine workings north of the ghost town.

There's a modern campground and RV park, with 110 sites and hookups, in a wooded canyon near Calico. The town is open every day except Christmas, and parking costs $4.00. There are special festival-style events on Palm Sunday weekend, and on Mother's Day weekend -- a musical celebration. Columbia Day, in October features a Wild West parade and gunfights, and on the first weekend in November, there's an Old Westy celebration and Indiian fine arts show.