Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2024

5 2024 Scenic 395 9 Ridgecrest's Finest and Only Full Service Hotel Charlie’s Pub & Roxanne’s Cafe 901 N. China Lake Blvd. Ridgecrest, CA 93555 760-446-7910 www.choicehotels.com/california/ridgecrest/ clarion-hotels/cad82? Free Breakfast for all hotel guests! Roxanne’s Cafe Best Breakfast & Lunch in Town! Daily lunch specials 11am-1pm Charlie’s Pub New management & newly remodeled - New Menu - Happy Hour 4pm-6pm Food & Drinks Book all your special events & banquets with us! Ridgecrest Welcome Center helps find the fun “What do you do for fun around here?” This is often the question tourists ask when visiting a city for the first time. Howwe answer that question is key when considering that a thriving local economy relies heavily on drawing visitors from far and wide as they bring a demand for businesses to grow their services and offerings. From dining options to entertainment venues, museums, transportation services, healthcare facilities and beyond, tourism brings vital dollars and enrich the commu- nity we live in. An increased number of tourists can also motivate our local government to improve local infrastructure from everything frommaking smooth roadways to opening up EV charging sta- tions around town. Keeping the benefits in mind, it had long been a dream of or- ganizers to open an official Welcome Center in Ridgecrest. This dream came to fruition in November 2021 when the 22nd Califor- niaWelcome Center opened its doors at 880 N. China Lake Blvd.  “Our goal was to build a relationship with Visit California. Oftentimes, no one really knows where Ridgecrest is. We knew that we had an opportunity to gain a lot of visibility with Cali- forniaWelcome Center program,” said Kari Crutcher, executive director. Generally, Welcome Centers operate as a concierge for travel- ers. A bank vault, if you will, of valuable information and support services that exist within any given community. Maps, bro- chures, points of interest, restaurants and amenities are among Visitors of the California Welcome Center - Ridgecrest can enjoy the many exhibits on display or take a virtual tour. Courtesy Photo Continued on Page 10