Moving to Ridgecrest, CA? Need some info please!

[TiredOfTheSun]

NJ Brazen, there are not very many enlisted military that work for the base (aka, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division). It's mainly a civilian workforce.

That being said, you basically ask what people do for fun.

Fun is in the eye of the beholder...what do you consider fun? If you think fun means going for a mountain or road bike ride, going hiking or jogging, geocaching, rock hounding, off-roading, then there is no need to go anywhere for fun - it's all right here - or very close by! I have lots of fun, all the time. But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.

If by fun you mean night time entertainment, then Ridgecrest can be lacking, depending on if you mean a hopping bar scene/clubbing/large concerts etc. Although, as mentioned in my previous overly-long post, there ARE smaller versions of entertainment of that nature right here in Ridgecrest. A number of local bands play in the bars, sometimes music is played at Xen Bowl, etc.

If by fun you mean a shopping mall, the nearest are in Lancaster or Bakersfield - roughly an hour and a half away, in different directions.

I think what concerns me is when I hear people say something along the lines of "there's nothing to do". Not just about Ridgecrest, but about any number of smaller communities.

When people say there's "nothing to do", I wonder if that person has any hobbies at all? Hobbies as in music, making things, inventing things, cooking, gardening, sewing, working on cars, studying astronomy (Ridgecrest is great for astronomy - no light pollution), computer-related hobbies, horseback riding (horses do well here, BTW), riding a skateboard or BMX, etc. etc. etc. If a person has no hobbies...I suspect that person would be the type to say "there's nothing to do" because what they might want is entertainment of multiple varieties to be presented to them...no effort or energy required.

Some younger people haven't yet developed hobbies...they seem to like to hang out, go out to eat, drink, listen to music. I think older people usually have more hobbies that keep them happy, regardless of where they are living.

So whenever you hear someone say "there's nothing to do", question what it is THEY like to do. Maybe they are just a person who doesn't have much going on with respect to hobbies etc., so they get bored easily. I don't know...

[Hulsker 1856]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

There needs to be a direct freeway link from LV to Ridgecrest, onto the Central Valley or California.

No, there doesn't.

No one is going to build 100+ new miles of freeway between Ridgecrest and Las Vegas because it would have to cross either Death Valley National Park or Fort Irwin, not to mention several desert mountain ranges.

To the west, there's zero reason to turn SR 178 into a freeway when SR 58 already is a freeway and is only 40 miles to the south (east of the mountains - in the west, at Bakersfield, they meet). And since the northern route is higher and more rugged, that right there would cut into whatever minimal travel-time was saved.

Even if it was possible to create a perfectly straight freeway - and, obviously, it isn't - there wouldn't be that much of a time savings. Maybe half an hour to Bakersfield and an hour to Vegas. But again, that's not possible, as freeways necessarily follow canyons and passes, twisting and turning to do so. At a cost of several billion dollars to serve an area with a population of less than 40,000? It's hard to conceive of a worse idea.

[meekawal]

I was in Ridgecrest today and was quite surprised at what a nice town it was. Everyone was so polite and the streets and stores were so clean. I went online to check out what it would be like to move there and your post was a wealth of information. Thank you

Originally Posted by TiredOfTheSun

Hi there, I know this thread is a little old, but maybe my opinions can help someone else. I've lived here over 30 years.

Like any place, Ridgecrest has its pros and cons. I'll give you my two cents on what they are.


Generally safe. Yes, there is some crime. Please let me know of a community with zero crime if you know of one. Most of the crime here is petty crime. Very seldom do we have serious crime...serious crime (murder, etc.) does happen occasionally, but not often. We don't usually lock our house when we leave for the day, but I do live in an exceptionally safe area.

Housing cost, whether rental or purchase, is low, compared to the rest of the country, and especially compared to almost anywhere else in California. Check out Zillow for housing purchase information. You'll see just how far your housing dollar will go here. Check out the City Data for specific answers to demographics (race, education, income etc.) Those are facts to be had, not opinions. Ridgecrest, due to the base and it's scientists and engineers, has a very high education level. Lots of PhD's running around here.

Weather...MOST of the time, Ridgecrest is pleasant. We do have horrifically hot summers, which are hard on me, and get harder with each passing year. But I like the outdoors a lot. If you're an indoors kind of person, the weather won't affect you as much. I would say about 9 months out of the year, outdoor exercise is very great. I hike, run, walk, bike, geocache. In the summertime, I do these activities either early in the morning, or after the sun sets at night. There's nothing better than a summer nighttime walk or hike in the hills around the college. You do have to be aware of rattlesnakes...I see many each season in the hills above the college. They are quite easy to spot at night with a flashlight. In the daytime they blend in better. I have never been bitten, but one of my dogs has, and he almost died. Crestwood Animal Hospital saved his life. I have since taken both my dogs through the Rattlesnake Aversion Training, which works great.

Weather, continued. In the spring, it can get quite windy at times. This is an annoyance...I hate the wind more than I hate the heat. Basically you just suck it up and deal with it for a couple days. It always passes.

Fall and Winter...there's no better place I've been! I LOVE the fall and winter in Ridgecrest. The weather is nice, great for outdoor activities, usually the wind is not a problem, and it's not hot. We do have chilly snaps occasionally...it will even snow in town every once in a while (it only stays around a day or so).
PERFECT weather in the fall and winter. I absolutely thrive here in fall and winter.

Social scene: Admittedly, it can be lacking, but it depends on what you like to do. If you're into night time hot spots, dancing, clubbing...well, not much here. There are a few local bars, most of which are kind of down-home-y. There are some surprisingly good local bands that play in various bars. There are lots of little niche clubs and groups that get together and do things.

Music: Ridgecrest is FILLED with awesome musicians! There is an orchestra, chamber music, local bands, I think the college still has choir (not sure on that). There is an Open Mic night every other Friday at the USO club. It's a mixed bag...some people are so good you wonder where they've been hiding. Other people...campfire quality. Mostly guitarists/singers perform at Open Mic, sometimes other types of music such as piano etc. There are various little musical groups that perform here and there. A Big Band Express. The schools have music programs, and there are a few excellent violin and piano teachers in town. Even an opera group that performs occasionally. And the Indian Wells Valley Concert Association. Other groups that I'm not remembering, I'm sure. Lots of garage bands. Even a ukulele club!

Hiking and Biking and Running: The local Biking Club is called HSC (High Sierra Cyclists). The local running club is called OTHTC (Over the Hill Track Club). Both clubs host a variety of events every year, everything from short social rides to killer long rides for the bike club, and everything from 5Ks to an Ultra Marathon (50K) for the running club. Something to suit everyone. Plus there are lots of little unofficial splinter groups that get together for biking and hiking and running.

Employment: The major employer in town is NAWCWD (Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division). If you are a scientist or engineer, you've got it made in the shade. Others may have to work a little harder to find meaningful employment. The school system and the hospital are large employers. There are a lot of contractors who support the base as well.

Schools: Everything from pre-K to Community College. Schools are a hot topic and some people will have very opinionated opinions based on personal experience. My two cents is this: both my kids went through their entire schooling from kindergarten through getting their AA at our local community college, and I don't have a single complaint. My kids were never treated unfairly, never got into trouble, and I feel they got a good education. Can you find better elsewhere? Of course. There is always better and worse to be found. If your child is an average student, I would have no hesitation in saying they'll thrive here. I don't have children with special needs, and neither of my children were child Einsteins, so I have nothing to say about education for children outside the middle of the bell curve. We've been happy with what our kids have received here WRT education.

Commute to work: What commute? LOL. I live in one of the furthest neighborhoods from base, and it would take 10-15 minutes to get to work. Other people who live closer to town - 5 to 10 minutes.

There's an 8 screen movie theater, (needing a little TLC but still...we go there often), a Super Walmart, K-Mart, Home Depot, Marshall's, Joanne's, Big 5, 3 grocery stores (2 Albertson's and 1 Stater Bros). Lots of little mom and pop stores. For everything else, there's Amazon. I do not miss a shopping mall in any way, shape or form. I do wish there were a Trader Joe's and a Costco closer. Nearest TJ and Costco is the Lancaster area, about 1.5 hours away.

The mountains, beach, big city (LA area) are all within a couple-few hours away. There's a saying about Ridgecrest...it's out in the middle of nowhere, but close to everything. If you like the Sierras and all the glories it brings (backpacking, fishing, outdoor sports, skiing), well, the Sierras are close by. There's a small family-style ski/board resort called Shirley Meadows/Alta Sierra that's a couple hours away. Mammoth Mountain is 3-ish hours away. Mammoth is world class. Quite a few little breweries in the Sierras, even a local one (Indian Wells Valley Brewery). And Death Valley is just a couple hours away. I would not recommend visiting DV in the summer, although hordes of tourists seem to like it in summer, I think for bragging rights ("I survived DV in the summer..." to which I say, "go, you".) To each their own. Fall and winter are perfect there. If you want to hike Mt. Whitney, it's just a couple hours away. The portals are a great place to hang out in summer...nice and cool and shady, no hiking required.

Sometimes dealing with local mom and pop businesses can be frustrating. It's something I've gotten used to, and I try and support our local small businesses. Opening hours may be limited, they may not have a web site, inventory may be lacking, and sometimes they're just closed when they should be open. They struggle, and as mentioned, I do try and support them when I can.

Medical: For general medical needs, Ridgecrest has everything you'll need. We have a lot of specialists (heart, lung, vision, ortho etc.) who come here on a regular basis (some once a week, some every two weeks, it varies). For very unusual or complicated medical conditions, you might want to shop around. For normal medical needs, Ridgecrest medical providers have you covered.

Well, this is getting long, so I'm going to close. In short, I think a place is what you make of it. A lot of people can be happy living just about anywhere, and they create their own little blissful bubble. That's what I've done. Other people expect their entertainment and niceties to be handed to them on a silver platter...people such as that will find Ridgecrest lacking. If anyone says "there's nothing to do here" then they are not trying very hard, or they expect big city amenities in a small town, or they don't like outdoor activities. There is opportunity at every moment...whether one seizes that, or sits back and complains, is up to them. Generally speaking, I love it here.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

There needs to be a direct freeway link from LV to Ridgecrest, onto the Central Valley or California.

CA 58 is supposed to be upgraded to a western extension of I-40 in the future

[wildmaven]

Originally Posted by TiredOfTheSun

Hi there, I know this thread is a little old, but maybe my opinions can help someone else. I've lived here over 30 years.

I'm updating some of the info, as there have been some changes.

Employment: If you are a scientist or engineer, you've got it made in the shade. Others may have to work a little harder to find meaningful employment.

Since the pandemic, a lot of people have been laid off or out of work when businesses closed. Many businesses downsized their staff and never increased it now that the pandemic restrictions have eased. I know of some very well qualified people who cannot get hired and have been trying for 2+ years, so I would advise anyone thinking of moving here to have a job lined up before moving.

There's an 8 screen movie theater, (needing a little TLC but still...we go there often), a Super Walmart, K-Mart, Home Depot, Marshall's, Joanne's, Big 5, 3 grocery stores (2 Albertson's and 1 Stater Bros). Lots of little mom and pop stores. For everything else, there's Amazon. I do not miss a shopping mall in any way, shape or form. I do wish there were a Trader Joe's and a Costco closer. Nearest TJ and Costco is the Lancaster area, about 1.5 hours away.

We have lost K-Mart, and Big Lots is in the process of closing. There are "plans" to build a new movie theatre and bowling alley, but I'll believe it when I see it (we lost our bowling alley in the big quake). The Shoshone tribe was going to build a casino, but they missed their deadline so all of that is in limbo. Lots of mom and pop restaurants have closed and there are many buildings sitting empty. Grocery Outlet opened, offering lower priced options. The swimming pool closed due to ADA non-compliance issues, but they built a splash pad for the kids.

Medical: For general medical needs, Ridgecrest has everything you'll need. We have a lot of specialists (heart, lung, vision, ortho etc.) who come here on a regular basis (some once a week, some every two weeks, it varies). For very unusual or complicated medical conditions, you might want to shop around. For normal medical needs, Ridgecrest medical providers have you covered.

As you mentioned, many specialists come into town only occasionally, but we finally have a couple of cardiologists who actually live in town, which is great. We are severely lacking a local rheumatologist, plus mental health services are in short supply. Many residents complain that they cannot get an appointment for mental health, since specialists are so few.

Since your post, we had a 6.4 and a 7.1 earthquake. Our house here in Heritage Village only had a couple of popped out nails and some cracks in the concrete patio. (We did lose our flatscreen TV and fridge). However, many manufactured homes received extensive damage, so if someone's looking for a manufactured home, they should be aware to look out for structural issues.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something to update.