* Acton Rangers Gymkhana – 1st Sunday of month from March-Oct. Barrel racing on horseback. (2 miles S of AV Fwy, exit Crown Valley Road)
* A. V. Indian Museum – (East on Ave K to 150th St E, South to Ave M, then East ~1 mile) Unique structure housing many Indian artifacts, surrounded by unusual rock formations.
* A. V. Poppy Reserve – (about 20 miles west on Ave I) Vast fields of bright poppies in the springtime.
* Angeles National Forest – Located in the San Gabriel Mountains. South of the AV. Many roads, trails, and over looks for scenic photography
* Arboretum of Los Angeles – (85 miles on 210 Freeway) 127-acre horticultural and botanical center
* Anza-Borrego State Park- Largest State Park – Good photography
* Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve – California Poppies, Lupines, Goldfields, Owl’s clover, tidy tips, cream cups
* Bureau of Land Management of Calif.
* Big Rock Creek – (37 miles south-east)
* Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. An educational, recreational, and research facility devoted to encouraging active public participation to promote knowledge and conservation of the marine life of Southern California.
* California Poppy Reserve – This 1,745 acre State Reserve, nestled in the Antelope Buttes 15 miles west of Lancaster, California, is located on California’s most consistent poppy-bearing land.
* California State Parks – California State Parks. … Each segment is a half-hour special featuring the natural beauty, history and outdoor recreation found in California’s 274 State Parks.
* California Video Gallery – watch videos of interesting areas located in California.
* Calico Ghost Town – (115 miles on I-15) Old silver mining town. Historic shops and mines.
* Carrizo Plains National Monument (new) – west of Bakersfield wildflowers and wildlife
* Carrizo Plain National Monument
* Channel Islands / Oxnard / Venture – boat trips to five beautiful islands off CA Coast (Channel Islands National Park). Whale watching trips and festivals (March).
* Charmlee Wilderness Park – Mountainous Charmlee Wilderness Park is rough terrain for a wheelchair rider,
but if you’re interested in canyon flora, it’s well worth the effort.
* Descanso Gardens – (70 miles from Lancaster located off 210 Freeway) 165 acres, open year-round colors, Camellia Forest, Japanese Garden, Lilac Grove, bird sanctuary
* Death Valley National Park and morning report
* Desert Tortoise Natural Area – Located 4 miles northeast of California City. Devils Punchbowl – (35 miles south-east of Lancaster) Colorful jumble of rocks the result of fault activity.
* Edwards AFB Open House – (30 miles North-east) In October each year. All the latest and greatest aircraft. Lots of vintage planes too.
* Exotic Feline Breeding Compound – (17 miles north) more than 50 wild cats.
* Figueroa Mountain, Santa Lucia Ranger District, Los Padres – Many flowers – Chinese House, Sky lupines, Poppies, Lupines, Goldfields, Tidy tips, Buttercups, Fiddlenecks.
* Fort Tejon – (55 miles North of Lancaster-west on I-5) Restored army settlement.
* Getty Center – (70 miles on 405 Freeway) Paintings, Sculpture, Photographs, Garden, Courtyard with pools and fountains.
* Huntington library. Museum, art gallery, gardens. Best around April, May, June
* Imperial National Wildlife Refuge – Near Yuma on Colorado River
* Jawbone and Butterbredt Canyons – Just west of Red Rock Canyon (Jawbone is a nice dirt road through some beautiful areas up to Lake Isabella while Butterbredt has some Audubon birding places).
* Joshua Tree National Park – Camping, Rock Climbing, Wildlife, Wildflowers – Mojave aster, Desert Marigold, Desert Dandelion, Desert Gold Poppy, Joshua Trees, Brittlebrush, Desert Mallow, Ocotillo, Creosote.
* Kern County Museum – (100 miles north on Hwy 58) Large area with over 50 exhibits representing the history and culture of Kern County.
* Kern National Wildlife Refuge – Recreation activities include wildlife observation, study, and photography, with the best viewing from October until March.
* Kern River (above Lake Isabella) – (135-155 miles north) White water rapids. Scenic area.
* Kern River (below Lake Isabella) – (110-135 miles) White water rapids
* L. A. County Museum of Art – (70 miles – West Hollywood) 150,000 works of art.
* La Brea Tar Pits – (70 miles – West Hollywood) Fossil displays, bubbling tar lake.
* Lee Carrillo State Park – (100 miles east on Hwy 1) Giant sycamores, remote lake, canyon streams.
* Lone Pine – Located in Owens Valley at the foot of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower U.S.A., and the western gateway to Death Valley. The town is famous for the many western movies filmed in the near-by Alabama Hills and the Lone Pine Film Festival held each year.
* The Living Desert, Palm springs
* Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific – (100 miles south) 17 major habitats and 30 smaller exhibits.
* Malibu Creek State Park – (90 miles on Hwy 1) 8,000 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains.
* Malibu Lagoon State Beach – (90 miles on Hwy 1) 35 acres of wetlands, bird watching.
* Mourning Cloak Ranch – (55 miles north on Hwy 58) A botanical wonderland. Over 2200 different species of plants. Collection of carriages.
* Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
* National Parks of USA
* Original Farmers Market – (70 miles – West Hollywood) 1930’s market, over 100 shops.
* Griffith Park – (70 miles from Lancaster) 4,000-acre park with great views of L. A. Observatory, zoo, rail road museum, picnic areas, hiking trails, old-fashioned merry-go-round.
* Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) – runs through Angeles National Forest to the south, the far west side of AV, and the windmills in the Tehachapi Mountains to the north.
* Palm Springs Living Desert
* Petersen Automotive Museum – (70 miles – West Hollywood) 200 cars, famous and classic.
* Prime Desert Woodland Preserve – (Ave K-8 and 35th Street West)
* Randsburg – (70 miles north of Lancaster) Living ghost town, old gold mining area.
* Red Rock Canyon – (50 miles north on Hwy 14) Colorful and scenic cliffs.
* Ripley Desert Woodlands – (25 miles west of Lancaster on Ave I) An impressive stand of native Joshua and Juniper Trees.
* Saddleback Butte – (17 miles east on Ave J) Joshua Tree woodland, rocky granite butte.
* San Pedro Trolley – San Pedro’s charming, turn-of-the-century style, enclosed electric trolleys. The trolleys cover a six-mile route that runs between the World Cruise Center, downtown San Pedro, and Ports O’ Call Village. They make their fifteen-minute rounds Thursday through Monday, from 10 AM to 6 PM in summer (4 PM in winter). A bargain at 25 cents!
* Santa Rosa National Monument – (new) Over looking Palm Springs
* Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (National Park – is a cooperative effort that joins federal, state and local park agencies with private preserves and landowners
* Salton Sea – nice area to explore
* Santa Monica – (80 miles south of Lancaster) Pacific Park amusement park on the pier, biking and skating on the beach, Camera Obscura, shopping and restaurants.
* The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area - Hiking trails and wildlife
* Shambala – (10 miles south of Acton on Soledad Canyon Road) Wildlife habitat for exotic big cats and two African elephants.
* South Coast Botanic Garden – The 87-acre garden and culture center features a lake, a stream and over 2,000 species of plants and trees from around the world. Ornamental trees and shrubs from every continent except Antarctica can be viewed here.
* Tehachapi Loop – (65 miles north on Hwy 58)
* The Owens Valley – One hundred twenty five miles south of Mono Lake on US 395
* The Deepest Valley: Running along the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain range (called the Range of Light by Ansel Adams) and containing photographic subjects too numerous to mention. About two hours north of Lancaster on Hwys. 14 and 395 (from Little Lake to north of Bishop)
* Topanga State Park – (80 miles) 11,000 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains
* . Trona Pinnacles – (90 miles north) An unusual landscape of more than 500 tufa spires.
* Tropico Gold Mine (17 miles north of Lancaster) Original structures still standing. Location of many movies
* L. A. Zoo – (70 miles south on I-5) 1,200 animals
* UCLA – (75 miles on 405 Freeway) Renaissance-style buildings, Museums, Botanic Gardens, Sculpture Garden, Japanese Garden.
* Universal Studios – (65 miles) Back lot tours, movie-themed rides, studio site, movie locations
* Union Station – End of Metrolink line from Lancaster, nice architecture photography, site of many movie and still photo shoots.
* Vasquez Rocks – (30 miles south on Sierra Hwy.) Unusual jagged peaks. Site of many movies.
* Vallyermo Fall Festival – Last weekend on September, nice fall landscapes, human-interest photos, and close-ups of actors and artisans.
* Venice – (85 miles) 3 mile boardwalk, outdoor bazaars, sidewalk performers.
* William S. Hart Park and Museum – (40 miles south on Hwy 14) Old Spanish style .located on a 265 acre ranch.
* Willow Springs Raceway – (22 miles north on Rosamond Blvd) Lots of great looking cars. Good action.
* Wrightwood – (45 miles south-east) Ski resort, photographic setting. On Hwy 2 near Hwy 138 – good food, art and antique stores and Mountain Photography.
