Lancaster (California)

Lancaster is a city in far northern Los Angeles County in Southern California, eight miles from the Kern County line.

Understand

Get in

The Musical Road Created for a Honda commercial, America's only "musical" road is located on Avenue G near Lancaster, CA, between 30th St. W. and 40th St. W. You must travel westbound in the left-most lane of the three-lane road. Grooves cut into the road at intervals cause tire vibrations so that a car driving at 55 miles per hour hears the William Tell Overture (known to many as the theme from the Lone Ranger). The section of road proved so popular that it was re-located to this less populated stretch of highway and is now sponsored by the city of Lancaster itself. Videos of what you can expect to see and hear can be found on YouTube.

By car

California State Highway 14, the Antelope Valley Freeway, is the primary NORTH - SOUTH route in and out of Lancaster. It ends in Los Angeles in the South and heads North to Reno, Nevada.

California State Highway 138 heads EAST out of the "next door" city of Palmdale to the south and heads WEST along Avenue D, 6 miles north of Lancaster in unincorporated Los Angeles County. CA-138 runs co-extensively with CA-14 from Avenue D to Palmdale Blvd. Highway 138 leads to the "Grapevine" area of Interstate 5 to the west, and the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario) to the east.

By plane

• 🌍 General William J. Fox Airfield (WJF  ^IATA). There is no longer schedule air service to the Antelope Valley region but is open for general aviation.  

Los Angeles area airports of LAX, Bob Hope in Burbank, Ontario, Long Beach, and John Wayne in Orange County, or Bakersfield's Meadows Field may be used if willing to drive a couple of hours.

By rail

The Lancaster Metrolink Station is the final destination on the Metrolink Rail system's Antelope Valley Line from Los Angeles' Union Station. Other nearby stops include the Palmdale Transportation Center and the Vincent-Grade/Acton Metrolink stations in Palmdale. Amtrak, the national rail carrier also has its Thruway Bus that stops at both the Lancaster Metrolink Station and the Palmdale Transportation Center.

By bus

Greyhound Bus Lines stops at the Lancaster Metrolink station and also at the nearby Palmdale Transportation Center. If continuing to your final destination using the local public bus system, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, it is advisable to get off at the Palmdale Transportation Center instead, since it is the principal hub for the AVTA and you have more connection options (5) there than the Lancaster Metrolink station, which connects to only 2 lines.

Get around

By bus

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority operates public transit buses throughout Lancaster with routes near most major hotels, parks, shopping areas and medical facilities. One-way fare (as of March, 2013) is $1.50. A day pass is $3.75.

By train

Lancaster is the end of the line for the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line at the Lancaster Station on Sierra Highway. The only other stop in the Antelope Valley is at the Palmdale Transportation Center. The Antelope Valley Line continues to the Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles.

• 🌍 Metrolink, 44812 N. Sierra Hwy. (Corner of Sierra Highway and Lancaster Blvd.), toll-free: [phone]. 

By taxi

• El Taxi en Espanol, ☎ [phone]. 
• Southland Yellow Cab, ☎ [phone]. 

See

• 🌍 Museum of Art and History, 665 W Lancaster Blvd. (Located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Lancaster Blvd. and Elm Avenue.), ☎ [phone]. M Closed, Tu–W 11AM–6PM, Th 11AM–8PM and F–Su 11AM–6PM. Post-war and modern art in photography, drawing, film, sculpture, painting, installations and new media. Free (Donation encouraged). 
• 🌍 Western Hotel Museum, 557 W Lancaster Blvd. (Located east of the Lancaster Post Office on the north side of Lancaster Blvd.), ☎ [phone]. Associated with the Museum of Art and History, this is Lancaster's oldest surviving structure and holds many artifacts from the area during the 19th century and from local native peoples. 
• 🌍 Lancaster Performing Arts Center, 750 W Lancaster Blvd. (Located on the south side of Lancaster Blvd. between Fig and Fern Avenues.), ☎ [phone]. (Box office) M-F Noon-6PM, Sa Noon-4PM, Su Closed. Lancaster's live performance venue. 
• 🌍 National Soccer Center, 43000 30th Street East (Drive east on Avenue L to 30th St. E.), ☎ [phone]. M-Th 4:30PM-9PM, F closed, Sa-Su 9AM-5PM. A major center for high school and youth-league soccer tournaments with 35 playing fields. 

Do

• 🌍 Antelope Valley Fair, 2551 West Avenue H (Take Highway 14, exit Avenue H, head west.), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Open 2PM to midnight most days. The Antelope Valley Fair occurs during August each year at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. Other events are held at the fairgrounds throughout the year. 
• 🌍 California Poppy Festival, Lancaster City Park (Take Highway 14, exit Avenue L, head east to 10th St. W., turn north, enter at City Park Drive.). 10AM-6PM daily. The California Poppy Festival is held at Lancaster City Park during one weekend each year in April while the state flower, the California Poppy, blooms across the valley. 
• 🌍 The Hangar, 45116 Valley Central Way (Exit Highway 14 at Avenue I, drive west one block to Valley Central Way.), ☎ [phone]. Home of the Lancaster Jethawks minor league baseball team, affiliate of the Houston Astros. 

Buy

Eat

• 🌍 Black Angus Steakhouse, 44690 Valley Central Way, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 11AM-10PM; Su 11AM-9PM. 

Drink

• 🌍 Back Door Nightclub, 1255 West Avenue I, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Black Angus Steakhouse, 44690 Valley Central Way, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 11AM-10PM; Su 11AM-9PM. 
• 🌍 Britisher, 849 W Ave I, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Coaches Sports Bar and Grill, 43451 Gadsden Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Longhorn Bar, 1147 E Avenue I, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Maxdons Cocktails, 1340 W Avenue I, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Medrano's Mexican Restaurant, 44276 10th St West, ☎ [phone]. Su-Th 11AM-10PM; F-Sa 11AM-1AM. Full Sports Bar, Holiday Events, Karaoke. Dancing on Friday Nights. 
• 🌍 Schooners Patio Grill, 2797 W Ave. L, ☎ [phone]. M-F 11AM-2AM; Sa-Su 10AM-2AM. 
• 🌍 Snooky's, 42653 Sierra Hwy, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Trap, 2822 E Avenue I, ☎ [phone]. M-Su 8AM-2AM. 
• 🌍 Young's Cocktail Lounge, 227 W Pillsbury St, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

• 🌍 Hampton Inn and Suites, 2300 W Doubleplay Rd. (Exit Highway 14 at Avenue I, turn west, go one block to Valley Central Way, turn north, go one block to W. Doubleplay Rd., turn east.), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 
• Holiday Inn Express, 43719 17th Street West (Exit Highway 14 at Avenue K, turn west, drive one block to 17th St. W., turn north, drive two blocks.), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 
• 🌍 Homewood Suites by Hilton, 2320 Double Play Way (Exit Highway 14 at Avenue I, turn west, go one block to Valley Central Way, turn north, go one block to W. Doubleplay Rd., turn east.), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12 noon. An all suite hotel equipped with full kitchens and free high-speed Internet. Complimentary hot breakfast, a light dinner with beverages (Monday-Thursday), and a grocery shopping service. 
• 🌍 Motel 6, 43540 17th Street West (Exit Highway 14 at Avenue K, turn west, drive one block to 17th St. W., turn south half a block. Access to hotel from entry on 17th St. W.), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. $49.99. 

Stay safe

In recent years there has been an increase in crime in Lancaster. Particularly at night it is best not to go out alone.

Go next

• Rosamond - Located north of Lancaster on Highway 14, Rosamond is primarily a bedroom community in the desert of the Antelope Valley, although it does have food and lodging options for tourists, and is home to a non-profit center dedicated to feline protection where visitors can see cats ranging in size from the tiny fishing cat up to the Siberian tiger.
• Palmdale - Lancaster's twin city is located just south on Highway 14. In 1962 Palmdale became the first city in the Antelope Valley to incorporate, and today it is home to over 150,000 people. While it lacks exciting tourist destinations, the town does offer a vast number of hotels, restaurants and other services for travelers.

Routes through Lancaster

Bishop ← Rosamond ←	N  S	→ Palmdale → Los Angeles
End ← Junction ←	W  E	→ Palmdale → Junction