Palmdale

Palmdale is a city in the far north of Los Angeles County in the Antelope Valley region of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.

History
In 1933, the U.S. government established Muroc Air Base (from a founder's name, Effie Corum, spelled backwards), now known as Edwards Air Force Base. They also bought Palmdale Airport in 1952 and established an aerospace development and testing facility called United States Air Force Plant 42. One year later, in 1953, Lockheed established a facility at the airport. After this time, the aerospace industry took over as the primary local source of employment, where it has remained ever since. Today, it's known as the "Aerospace Capital of America", where many of the aircraft used in the United States military are built and tested.

By car
Palmdale is about north of Downtown Los Angeles off of California State Highway 14, the Antelope Valley Freeway. The A.V. Freeway is the area's principal north - south route. The other end of CA-14 to the North connects Reno, Nevada to the Palmdale area via US Highway 395.

California State Highway 138 is the principal east - west route and connects the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario) and the "Grapevine" area of Interstate 5 to the Palmdale area.

California State Highway 18 connects the Victor Valley area to the Palmdale area via CA-138.

By plane
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operates the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) at its site near Plant 42 at Avenue P and 25th Street East. However, the

The next closest airport is Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, approximately one hour's drive to the south, and is served by most major carriers.

Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport , and Bakersfield Meadows Field are all approximately the same distance away timewise, assuming no traffic.

LAX has the most travel options and is generally the least expensive, but is significantly crowded and has many a long line in addition to the excessive traffic one must usually contend with to get to/from the airport.

Ontario will be much less crowded and easier to use. Traffic can be bad at times, but not nearly as bad as LAX.

Bakersfield is also an easy to use, uncrowded airport like Ontario, but has less flight options and is also generally more expensive, however, there is little to no traffic problems reaching BFL.

If you are willing to drive really far, Long Beach Municipal Airport and John Wayne International  may also be used as alternates.

Shuttle buses operate to/from LAX, costing approximately $70 one way:
 * Antelope Valley Airport Express,.

By train


Other than coming to or leaving town, rail service is not particularly used in this area as there are only 2 stations serving Palmdale and 1 more in nearby Lancaster.

By bus
Greyhound Bus Lines serves the Palmdale Transportation Center daily.

The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) has daily commuter bus lines that connect to the Palmdale Transportation Center from various areas in Los Angeles. The AVTA is also the operator of the city's public bus system.

Santa Clarita Transit has a daily commuter bus line that runs to the Palmdale Transportation Center from the nearby city of Santa Clarita.

By bus
Palmdale has a local city bus system, operated by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. These buses operate on most major thoroughfares throughout the metropolitan area and arrive on average of every 15 to 20 minutes. There are 2 major transfer centers in the city for switching bus lines, one at the Antelope Valley Mall and the primary one at the Palmdale Transportation Center. Santa Clarita Transit is the nearby city of Santa Clarita's public bus system and it offers connecting bus service from the PTC as well. Greyhound Bus also serves the Palmdale Transportation Center.

By taxi
Palmdale has taxi services by several companies. However, these taxis must always be called ahead of time, they are rarely in a position to be flagged down like in New York City or Los Angeles. If you plan on using a taxi service when arriving at Palmdale Regional Airport, there is a pay phone in the terminal that can be used to call them.

By car
Palmdale has most of the major rental car companies present. If arriving at Palmdale Regional Airport, there is a phone available to contact the rental car companies. The rental car companies do not have lots on the airport site, but they will come and pick you up from the airport and take you to the rental car facility. They will also likewise return you to the airport in the same manner.
 * Avis/ Budget, 1342 E Palmdale Blvd
 * Dollar, 412 Auto Vista Dr
 * Enterprise, 811 W Ave K, Lancaster
 * Hertz, 43440 10th St W STE 101, Lancaster

Buy
Palmdale has many of the stores found in the typical middle-class cities across the United States. Most of these stores are found at the intersection of Rancho Vista Blvd. and 10th Street West in and around the Antelope Valley Mall. There is also another heavy retail shopping cooridor growing on 47th Street East at Avenue S. The third main shopping area is located along Palmdale Blvd. between 17th Street East and 30th Street East.

As far as shopping unique to Palmdale, there really isn't any. You may find local area postcards in some of the stores like Wal-Mart or Target, but that's about as far as it goes.

Eat
Palmdale has eateries to satisfy any palate. Most of the food establishments are located at the intersection of Rancho Vista Blvd. and 10th Street West near the Antelope Valley Mall, or along Palmdale Blvd. between 20th and 30th Streets East.

Where multiple restaurants of the same name are mentioned, they are listed in order of distance from downtown where all hotels are located.

Thai




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Go next

 * Lancaster - Palmdale's twin city to the north on Highway 14, Lancaster is the largest city in the Antelope Valley. Lancaster provides extensive services for travelers, as well as the whimsical "Musical Road", a recreation of a road built in Lancaster for a Honda commercial that has grooves cut into it that generate an approximation of the William Tell Overture when a car passes over them.
 * Santa Clarita - Located 37 miles southwest of Palmdale on Highway 14, Santa Clarita is the home of Six Flags Magic Mountain, an amusement park that is legendary among roller coaster fanatics, with many of the rides having held world records for height or speed.