California Welcome Centers

Located at the south end of Shasta Outlets, the Anderson California Welcome Center is operated by the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association. Stop in and discover all the recreational wonders of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity counties, the eight eastern counties in northern California that together comprise the Shasta Cascade Region.

Come in for free maps, brochures and sightseeing information for National and State Parks including Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mcarthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Castle Crags State Park, and Whiskeytown National Recreational Area just to name a few. Browse great historic and informational exhibits, including our geocaching display, view wild trout in our waterfall pond, take your photo with Joe Tourist, our friendly mascot, or Ed our life-size bronze grizzly bear. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is available to assist you 7 days a week, 361 days a year.  

Hours: Monday thru Friday 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm

The California Welcome Centre Barstow is located inside the Outlets at Barstow off of I-15 halfway between Las Vegas & Los Angeles.

The staff at the California Welcome Centre can provide you with great trip planning information as you visit our local area where you can shop, museum hop, hike, explore the Mojave Desert 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.  So we invite you to join us!

Hours: 9AM - 8PM Daily

Mammoth Lakes’ motto is, ‘Come as you are.  Do what you love.’  This applies to the surrounding area as well.  As the gateway to California’s natural wonders located in the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes is a great base camp and information hot spot for travelers. 

During the summer, the most popular reasons people visit the area is to take in the natural sightseeing, hike, participate in other outdoor sports like fishing and biking, and learn about mining history.  The Mammoth Lakes area also has a robust summer festival season.  During the winter, Mammoth Mountain is the main attraction in the area for skiing and snowboarding, along with other outdoor snow activities.

The California Welcome Center located in Mammoth Lakes is unique.  This Center is a collaboration of multiple agencies to provide the best possible information to travelers. These partners include: US Forest Service, National Park Service, Mammoth Lakes Tourism and Eastern Sierra Interpretive Center.  In addition to information and referrals, this center also issues backcountry permits, sells local and educational-based souvenirs and leases bear boxes.

Access is easy. Take the scenic and not so curvy US 395 or fly! The Mammoth Yosemite Airport is only 10 minutes from Mammoth Lakes. Flights are available year-round on Alaska Airlines, and during the winter on United Airlines. 

A classic Southern California beach town, Oceanside’s central location offers visitors an ideal place to stay and experience California’s casual spirit. With 3.5 miles/5.6 kilometres of sandy beach, a quaint New England-style harbour, California’s longest wooden pier and a stellar year-round climate, Oceanside is an ideal place for enjoying active pursuits including surfing, kayaking, boating, fishing, bike-riding and more. The city also boasts a number of important cultural attractions including Mission San Luis Rey (The King of Missions), the California Surf Museum and the Oceanside Museum of Art.

Hours: open seven days a week from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm

The California Welcome Center Oxnard is your gateway to California’s Central Coast.

Located in the coastal city of Oxnard, the California Welcome Center Oxnard is just 1 hour northwest of Los Angeles where the world-famous Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) meets Highway 101, with easy access from either the 101 or the PCH.

Begin your journey through coastal California at this state-of-the-art visitor information center, and enjoy a full array of services and amenities. Our well-trained, professional staff and volunteers can answer any question you have, and provide a full array of brochures, literature and maps for your assistance. Get a little retail therapy in our boutique which offers a high quality selection of gift and souvenir items. Sip, savour and discover the award-winning wines of the Ventura County Wine Trail featuring the Oxnard wineries in the California Welcome Center Oxnard’s wine tasting room. Want more? The California Welcome Center Oxnard is located in The Collection at Riverpark, giving you instant access to this beautiful new shopping, dining and entertainment district.

While you are here, discover the many faces of Oxnard: gateway to the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, strawberry capital of California, home to some of California’s top beaches, championship golf courses at River Ridge Golf Club, wine-tasting, world-class dining, year-round whale watching cruises, hiking, kayaking, biking…the list goes on and on.

Venture further afield and enjoy the seaside playground of the Ventura Harbor Village; visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library; hit the dunes in Santa Maria; spend a day wine and beer tasting in Buellton. California’s Central Coast boasts sights, sounds, flavours and cultural experiences that no other region delivers.

Hours: Open seven days a week from 9:30 am - 8 pm

Discover beautiful Salinas California, the gateway to the Monterey Bay in Steinbeck Country, where you'll find historic sites, unspoiled farmland, world-class wines, a quaint, historic downtown, and some of the friendliest people around. Author John Steinbeck was born here, so visit his boyhood home as well as the National Steinbeck Center while you're here. Salinas is famous as the Salad Bowl of the World for agriculture and our fresh, home-grown produce is available internationally. We have the best year-round climate in the entire North American continent, and some of the cleanest air in the United States of America!

Salinas' hospitality blends yesterday's charm with today's modern conveniences. Visitors can explore the beauty of nearby Monterey Bay beaches, historic missions of San Juan Bautista, Soledad, Carmel, and San Antonio de Padus and wineries of South Monterey County, Carmel Valley and Pinnacles National Monument.

Local attractions include more than 50 beaches, 60 plus parks, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Giant Redwoods of Big Sur and Santa Cruz, Gilroy Gardens Amusement Park, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and a variety of history and art museums.

The area plays host numerous festivals, some celebrating agricultural heritage, such as the Artichoke Festival, Garlic Festival and Strawberry Festival as well as a great many music festivals like the world famous Monterey Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, and Bach Festival.

Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday – Sunday 10am – 4pm

The California Welcome Center in Santa Rosa is conveniently located just off Highway 101 in the Railroad Square Historical District. It is housed in a beautifully restored 1904 train depot alongside the tracks for Amtrak and the future SMART rail project. The building’s importance to quaint Railroad Square is that of a focal point for the local railroad heritage and an important resource for travelers and the community. The depot houses the Northwestern Pacific train museum featuring railroad artifacts and interactive displays.

The Center is walking distance to a variety of fine hotels as well as dining choices ranging from funky little coffee shops to first-class restaurants. There is a multitude of charming retail shops surrounding the depot - offering a wide selection of goods.

Open 7 days a week, the Center offers an array of logo wear, locally-made gifts and souvenirs, in addition to travel information, maps, and brochures.

Amenities

• Concierge Services
• Free maps, guides and brochures
• Gift Shop – selling local souvenirs
• Handicapped Access
• Nearby Restaurants
• Nearby Hotels
• Restrooms
• RV Parking/Bus Parking

Often referred to as the “gateway” to California’s outback, the Morongo Basin is conveniently situated just a short drive to some of Southern California’s great outdoor destinations.  With the majestic Joshua Tree National Park on its southern border, the basin communities play host year-round to visitors and outdoor recreation enthusiasts from all over the world.  The unique natural surroundings of the Joshua Tree National Park have made it a favorite destination for rock climbers, hikers, campers, photographers and natural enthusiasts!! The region’s California Welcome Center is found on State Route 62 in Yucca Valley and offers information and resources for the California Desert Visitor. From Idyllwild to Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, from Palm Springs to Big Bear, our courteous Ambassadors at our Center will show you where to eat, where to stay, and where to play while you're in our Basin and Southern California.

Hours: Monday thru Friday from 9 am – 4 pm, Saturday from 9 am - 2 pm and Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm.