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 LOMPOC
Situated
in “California’s Wonderful Corner,” in a peaceful fertile
valley between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara, the city of
Lompoc is known as the ”City of Murals in the Valley of
Flowers.” This city of 42,000 is renowned for its colorful
flower fields, acres of vegetable fields, La Purísima Concepción
Mission, and its friendly, small-town atmosphere. Clear
blue skies and gentle afternoon breezes offer the weary
traveler a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of
metropolitan California cities.
The
annual Lompoc Valley Flower Festival is a popular event
held during the last full weekend in June. Celebrating the
area’s flower seed industry, the event draws thousands of
visitors from all over the United States for a weekend of
food, entertainment, arts and crafts, and a highly respected
flower show. Maps for self-guided tours of the flower fields
are available at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce.
A
month later, in July, Lompoc hosts the annual Lompoc Valley
Kennel Club All- Breed Dog Show, considered one of the best
dog shows in the West. Over 1,500 entries compete for “top
dog” honors at Lompoc’s lovely Ryon Memorial Park.
The
city’s mural project, begun in 1988, now boasts more than
60 large outdoor murals, which adorn buildings in and around
Lompoc’s historic downtown. Smaller murals are tucked into
“Art Alley,” creating a unique outdoor art gallery with
surprises at every turn.
La
Purísima Concepción Mission is another popular Lompoc attraction.
Surrounded by more than 1,800 acres of undeveloped land,
La Purísima is acclaimed as the most complete and accurately
restored Spanish mission in the world. Established in 1787,
La Purísima was the eleventh of California’s twenty-one
missions. The mission is open daily except Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and New Year’s. Twelve miles of maintained trails
are available for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
One activity favored by visitors and locals alike is a picnic
lunch under the ancient oaks on the mission property.
Adjacent to Lompoc is Vandenberg Air Force Base, one of
the nation’s most important military and space installations.
Tours showcase the base, its launch facilities, and its
98,000 acres of property dedicated to the protection of
native California flora and fauna. The tours also tell the
story of the development of long range ICBMs and their role
in the Cold War. Tours must be booked at least two weeks
in advance through the base Public Affairs office at 805-606-3595.
The
Lompoc Museum, built as a Carnegie Library in 1910, includes
an extensive collection of Chumash and other Native American
artifacts, a gallery documenting the pioneer history of
the valley, and a 7 million-year-old dolphin fossil discovered
in the nearby “White Hills.” Located on Lompoc’s picturesque
South H Street, the museum is open 1–5 p.m. Tuesday through
Friday and 1–4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The museum also
operates the historic Artesia one-room schoolhouse, which
served the valley from 1876 until 1961 and appears today
just as it did 100 years ago— as though the students have
just left. The schoolhouse is open on the fourth Sunday
of each month 2–4 p.m.
Lompoc’s
first two-story wooden residence, the 1875 Fabing-McKay-Spanne
House, is a typical Victorian farmhouse, now owned and operated
by the Lompoc Valley Historical Society. Furnished in Victorian
style, the 10-room house shows what life was like at the
turn of the 20th century. Located at 207 North L Street,
the home is open 8:30–11am on Mondays and Thursdays (except
holidays) and 2–4pm on the fourth Sunday of the month. Special
group tours are available by reservation. The facility also
includes a carriage house, museum room, blacksmith shop,
and reference library. Admission is by voluntary donation.
Jalama
Beach County Park, accessible from State Highway One, offers
scenic yearround camping, picnicking, wind-surfing, and
surf fishing. Miles of remote, pristine shoreline offer
visitors a respite from civilization. Visitors are all but
required to try a famous,multi-napkin “Jalama Burger,” from
the Jalama Beach Store.
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
800-240-0999 • 805-736-4567
www.lompoc.com
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