California, United States

Places to visit near Lancaster

Lancaster is a city in California, United States, home to about 161,103 people. Within 50 km by road there are 21 places to visit — 6 hill stations & viewpoints, 2 parks, 5 wildlife, forests & gardens and 1 churches. The must-see places are Rosamond Dry Lake (20 km), Lake Palmdale (20 km) and Rosamond Park (24 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Lancaster on the map

Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Lancaster at a glance

Location
California, United States
Population
about 161,103
Coordinates
34.6980° N, 118.1367° W
Places within 50 km
21 (21 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for parks and churches

Top places to visit near Lancaster

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Lancaster: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Lancaster

Things to see near Lancaster, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Lancaster

69 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Willow Springs Canyon (25 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Parks near Lancaster

48 parks within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Rosamond Park (24 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Lancaster

38 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve (30 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Churches near Lancaster

38 churches within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Mojave Community Congregational Church (50 km). Best time: year-round.

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Museums near Lancaster

30 museums within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (33 km). Best time: year-round.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Lancaster

22 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Lancaster. The closest is Rosamond Dry Lake (20 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in California →

A one-day trip from Lancaster

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 125 km on the road.

  1. Start in Lancaster
  2. 20 km Rosamond Dry Lake · lake, Kern
  3. 12 km Rosamond Park · park, Kern
  4. 31 km Willow Springs Canyon · viewpoint, Los Angeles
  5. 10 km San Francisquito Pass · viewpoint, Los Angeles
  6. 32 km Lake Palmdale · lake, Los Angeles
  7. 20 km Back to Lancaster

Plan a longer trip from Lancaster — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Lancaster

No traveller has reported from around Lancaster yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Lancaster

    All places near Lancaster by distance

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Lancaster by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints669Willow Springs Canyon (25 km)
    Parks248Rosamond Park (24 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens538Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve (30 km)
    Churches138Mojave Community Congregational Church (50 km)
    Museums130Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (33 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs522Rosamond Dry Lake (20 km)
    Other attractions021Scream (65 km)
    Forts & heritage014Beale's Cut Trail (65 km)
    Temples06Goliath (65 km)
    Waterfalls14Bouquet Waterfalls (32 km)
    Treks02Mount Wilson Toll Road (68 km)
    Mosques & dargahs02Islamic Center of Southern California (90 km)
    Buddhist sites02Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin of Los Angeles (91 km)
    Caves01Bronson Caves (83 km)

    Lancaster: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Lancaster?

    Rosamond Dry Lake (lake, about 20 km), Lake Palmdale (lake, about 20 km), Rosamond Park (park, about 24 km), Willow Springs Canyon (viewpoint, about 25 km), San Francisquito Pass (viewpoint, about 29 km), Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve (nature spot, about 30 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Lancaster?

    21 places on Spotwander: 6 hill stations & viewpoints, 2 parks, 5 wildlife, forests & gardens, 1 church, 1 museum.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Lancaster?

    Willow Springs Canyon, about 25 km by road; San Francisquito Pass (29 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Lancaster?

    Rosamond Park, about 24 km by road; Soledad Sands Park (37 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Lancaster?

    Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve, about 30 km by road; Angeles National Forest (36 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Lancaster?

    Start in Lancaster, visit Rosamond Dry Lake, then Rosamond Park, then Willow Springs Canyon, then San Francisquito Pass, then Lake Palmdale, and drive back — about 125 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Lancaster?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for parks and churches.

    Towns near Lancaster

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Lancaster’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Lancaster on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.