Calico Ghost Town Reviews

It was $34 for five of us ... for an hour of entertainment. It's done well and a good example of a mining town at the side of a mountain in the middle of no where. Got some good photos ... loved old school house

This open air museum tries to show how these kinds of short time mining towns looked liked and functioned, which they success to some extent. But during our visit it was transferred into a Halloween event place unfortunately.

We were so pleasantly surprised by this place! There was so much to see and it was great fun and well worth visiting. I highly recommend going.

What a neat little place ,you can pan for gold ,you can take a train ride ,you could get something to eat ,you can buy souvenirs and what beautiful pictures you can take.

If you are looking for fancy, this is not the place. It is a replica of a ghost town. There are four original buildings left in use. The town has burned down several times.

There is a fee to enter the park, and a fee for any of the other activities such as gold panning, a self guided tour of the mine, a short train ride, a trip inside the haunted shack.

The ground is very uneven. There are stone stairs, boardwalks, lots of stairs, uneven patches on the pathways. It is not ADA friendly due to the nature of the town. There will be many places a wheelchair or a person using a walker or crutches cannot go.

If you have any form of balance problems, stay away from the haunted shack. It causes vertigo in regular people without inner ear issues. NOTE: The first shack burned down. The new one is a poor substitute, but it gets the job done if you have never been inside a vortex type house before.

Reaching the train and the mine requires walking up and down stairs. The stairs leading down are stones. Watch your step.

This is a fun place to visit with a few restaurants, an assortment of shops and lots of history.

We really enjoyed Calico Ghost Town. Our first road trip out west and we ran upon this little gem! Just added to the entire trip. This is where an old silver mining town was located back in the 1800's and if the info I read was correct, 30% of the current town includes the original structures. There is also a campground here. There is a restaurant and some snack type shops as well as gift stores. We stopped for a couple of hours and enjoyed our visit.

Upon entering Calico Ghost Town, you will receive a brochure detailing its history and with a map. Less than ten people still live here, essentially qualifying it to be a ghost town. There are many buildings to visit, eat at, and shop at. There is also a train for viewing. The most interesting aspect for me was the Mystery Shack, where it is a crooked house of illusions and is loads of fun! In addition, if you climb up the stairs to a cliff, you get a magnificent view of the town, mountains, and the trains. If you are traveling in the summer, bring plenty of water and a hat because it can reach 110˚F. Wear tennis shoes to easily trek the paths.

It was an enjoyable visit. We went as a couple and felt that it was more geared up for families. Coming from England the silver mining was of interest. We would have liked to see more reading material detailing the history.
Definitely a fun place for youngsters though. The prices for entry were reasonable too.

A very enjoyable place. Typical western town. You feel like inside the towns from old cowboy movies. A must-visit stop on the journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

My daughter's and I stopped off here in August on our way to LA. I'm a huge history buff and absolutely love these old places...you can actually smell the history here a lol.It was a very interesting and intriging stop, practically half way between the two cities of Vegas and LA... will be coming back when the weather is cooler.

This is like walking back in time to the wild west, and then you notice the tarmac on the floor! Shame as it spoils the effect but then I suppose it would be awfully dusty otherwise.
We spent a hour or so here and had a wander around,
The buildings were sensitively restored and maintained but inside they had been converted into shops etc. Shame!
I think that although I enjoyed this visit it may have been better if the buildings had been left with their original purpose instead of being converted into commercial enterprises. These would have been better housed in a purpose build environment.

I did find some gifts which I bought and overall enjoyed this experience.

Be very careful as my friend tripped on the uneven tarmac and fell badly grazing her knee and this did rather spoil the visit.

An interesting attraction and certainly worth a visit, particularly if you are a history buff. Individual buildings are well presented and restored although on the day of our visit most of the staff appeared to be bored and lacking in enthusiasm. Entry price is $8 per person and parking is conveniently located close by.

If you love history of the old west and a fun day you can't go wrong. This place is located on the side of a mountain, so you will get some exercise also. The realism put into everything really makes this a must stop off I-15. I have been going here since 1978 and am still enthused every time. Lots of good food and ole timey memories. Again, "Ya can't go wrong." Ride the train to see the old parts of town.

This was a silly place. I was shocked some people said they would spend an entire day there. I think 3 hours is more than enough. The cave is cool and the silly little stories and people you meet walking through. Very cool to see some of the original old buildings. It was a nice stop to break up a lonnnnng road trip.

More of a themepark than I expected it to be but also more fun. You only need an hour or so there so it's good for a stop-off. Mostly shops and some novelty attractions. There's a wacky house thing that you pay extra for but it's worth doing cos it's really mind-blowing. Honestly one of the weirdest things i've ever experienced! If you're a tourist, the classic American, western theme is really novelty and fun.

I like to visit quirky, less-travelled places. The last time I was in Calico Ghost Town was about 50 yrs ago. So, on a whim, we packed up the dog - this place is VERY dog-friendly! - and made the 90 min drive out to the desert location.

Walter Knott - yes, the same Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm fame - bought the land in 1958 to preserve the history of the mining town, and the part it played in California history.

This place is not an amusement park, it’s more like an interactive museum. All the staff we spoke to were helpful, friendly, and well-versed in the history of the town. There’s educational and fun things to do. The Mystery House still amazes me! Ride the train, explore the mine, climb the rocks and see where the miners lived.

This is a great place to visit when you need to do something , but, don’t want to deal with crowds. Parking is free, they charge minimal fees for activities, food is reasonable and good, there are novelty and gift shops, and your dog is welcome!

My friend has been telling me about Calico Ghost town for years so I told my family we were going there. We had five adults, two teenagers and a 21/2 year old. We stayed at the Bunk house that sleeps 20 people, all bunk beds. It was very rustic, the grounds are all dirt. There are two bathrooms next to the Bunk house, no showers. There is a fire pit so we cooked marshmallows and made smores, we brought our own skewers. If you want to shower you need to go to a camp site. It has A/C and heating and also has a microwave and refrigerator. You need to bring your own bedding and pillows. We had our meals in Calico at the large restaurant in town, food was good. We rode the train that went around showing the area of Calico where the mines are. We also went thru Maggies Ghost mine and panned for gold. The only thing I wish we had done was explore the area to go through the abandoned mines. It is also dog friendly, we left our two dogs in the Bunk house when we went on some tours but dogs can walk around town. The family had a good time and want to go back. The town closes at 5pm.
A good site to look for information is calocoghosttown.net

Very mediocre and very disappointing, entry fee $8 per person. It's not worth the detour. Visit done in 15 minutes, overpriced souvenir shop. Go your way

There really isn't much to see. The most interesting item (to us) was the fire engine. There is certainly history here. We felt the $8.00 ea. adult entry fee was a bit much for what there is to see. On the other hand the fee does go to preserve some California history.

This was a decent lunchtime stopping place for us on our drive from Las Vegas to Yosemite. My 3 and 5 year old boys weren't as into it as I had hoped, so we only did the gold mining activity (for a small additional fee, they take debit/credit cards). They have a few different casual dining options - we opted for burgers and PBJ at the cafe, which didn't feel like it was air-conditioned very well. Has a bit of a tourist trap feel with equal parts gift shops and attractions, but it was a nice place to stretch our legs and get some history. One of the shops was 'closed due to supernatural disturbances' :)

Some of the buildings are closed early in the morning. More renovated buildings have come to the area over the years. There's also a restaurant.

Me and my partner stopped off enroute from Vegas to LA as we thought a ghost town would be cool to see. It wasn’t.

So this isn’t really a ghost town, it’s more like a Disney Wild West themed zone in one of there parks (just not as good). All the buildings have been transformed into shops selling pizza, Starbucks, popcorn etc and you have to pay for EVERYTHING once inside and it’s not cheap. So you pay your $16 entrance fee and if you want to look at the mine $6, look into the ‘mystery store’ $6, panning for gold $8 and so on and so forth...

We noticed that the town had been purchased by the owner of Knotts Berry Farm theme park and that’s exactly what it is now. They’re even in the process of decorating the buildings in cobwebs and skeletons for Halloween.

There’s nothing authentic about the place at all and it’s just a bit sad to see. The swarms of Chinese tourists seemed happy enough in all the USA souvenir shops but honestly this place is disappointing and as the title suggests I really wouldn’t bother.

I have visited this park several times in the past, but this will probably be my last. I wanted my four youngest children (ages 9-13) to see the park, but they were not too impressed...neither was I. Apparently, demonstrations and costumed characters milling about only takes place when they are having a big festival-which they do only a few times a year. A good majority of the buildings were closed and the staff that was present seemed rather distant and unapproachable. It was 95 degrees, but felt much hotter walking around the sand and rocky terrain-not wheelchair friendly in my opinion. And if you visit on a Sunday, beware of the Vegas traffic heading into Barstow...took an hour to drive 4 miles! This once little gem has lost its luster and is no longer worth the trouble to visit.

Calico will not only tickle your imagination it will transport you back in time and take you to the actual caves where the people lives and you can enter an actual mine. It is all too fantastic and informative for all ages. We made a video about it on Youtube. Video #r9KjMYuZtHg

Nice but too many souvenir shops on site. Too bad.
Otherwise the landscapes are beautiful, the village is very clean and well reconstituted.
We had a great time.
We didn't go around by train

This was our second visit. We stayed last night in the “campgrounds” in our travel trailer. 2 adults and three little kids. I’m typing this on my phone after some wine, so bare with me.

We love the town. So much fun to explore with the kids. We lucked out. The place was EMPTY yesterday. Campgrounds had maybe 4 other trailers. A change from last year when the place was packed. The weather was great as well.

So much fun strolling the grounds imagining what it was like 100 years ago.

When you arrive (at least when we did) we were not given any paperwork and just told to head to our spot in the campgrounds. We walked the grounds, took the cave tour, spent cash in the general store and just had a good time. We then had dinner in our awesome trailer. Great day. After dinner, we decided to do what any logical family would do at a ghost town, when it was a dark 6pm. Walk the town at night!

Wow, the stars are incredible. Just incredible. Not the hollywood actors, I mean the night sky.

Our twin 10 year olds and our 4 year old were in awe (as we were) of not only the night sky, but the town at night. We had a harmless stroll up the street imagining the past, looking into the windows etc.

Then a creeper creeped.

We were looking at some pay machine designed to steal your $1 for no simple reason other than to steal your $1. (Pay a dollar and a fake mining guy on a toilet makes fun of your for paying the $1). Don’t do it. You have been warned. Anyways, as we left the money grab, a older gentleman, who appeared to be in his 60’s (but was probably in his 50’s) popped out of the shadows and asked us in a gruff tone, “what are you doing here!” At first I thought it was an act so I held back from punching him in his snot locker. Then I realized it wasn’t an act. I still held back.

We said in our happy friendly voices, “we are staying at the campgrounds and are just walking around”. He glared at us and said, “the town is closed”. He said some other rude and disrespectful things that I will not repeat here because I do not want you to think we are just being too sensitive. And I also forget. But we were pissed as we took the walk of shame back to our $45/night campsite.

The moral of the story here is we were not given any instructions upon arrive. We did not see any rules and regulations. Nobody said, in a scary voice, “don’t go to the town and walk the street after closing time.” Uh, nobody even told us what the closing time was!

Why stay overnight if you can’t walk the street when it’s dark!? And we saw people in the restaurant eating. Were they sleeping there? Doubtful.

Look, all this guy had to do is what we saw most the other staff doing. SMILE. BE FRIENDLY.

If he would have been friendly and told us nicely about the rules that nobody told us about, fine, no problem. But he was what some people call donkeys. And it starts with a huge A.

We are a family of 5 including grams- age ranging from 5-65 and all of us loved it. The place was decorated for Christmas and it was so festive!!! There is a little train ride . A mine exploration. A restaurant- we dint eat there but looked nice . 10-12 nice shops.
I could have spent 2-3 hours easily.

I like how this place gives a old town a historic feel to it. The vibe was totally different from anything else. Although, they do charge a small fee to enter, I would definitely come back because its nothing compared to other parks or museums. This place is just a huge outdoor museum. Make sure to visit when in Barstow.

First of all, this used to be a silver mine but is now more like a gold mine! Was surprised to have to pay so much to get in, I think it was about $11 per person, then you have to pay more if you want to visit the mines. Unfortunately most of the original buildings have been removed and replaced with fake ones/facades which is a real shame. It’s quite quirky, but not really authentic which is disappointing.
We much preferred visiting Rhyolite in Nevada as that’s more what you’d expect if you want to visit a real ghost town.
Wouldn’t come back again, but it was interesting to see briefly.

Through no stretch of my imagination was this ever a real mining town but if you ignore that assumption then it’s pretty cool to look at. It was really quiet as we arrived an hour before it closed and it must be out of main season as a lot of the buildings were closed. There was no one taking money at the entrance so we got in for free so based on that it was great value for money but if we had paid the $8 per person that’s a bit steep considered lots of buildings weren’t open and everything within the attraction costs extra.

I’ve driven by the turnoff to Calico at least fifty times and never token it until this July. It certainly would have been a lot cooler had I stopped in November. I am sorry it took me so long to stop; this place is really interesting. All the old buildings and history of the are and a few interesting souvenir shops. Don’t make the mistake I did; GET OFF THE ROAD!

We were driving from LA to Vegas and saw the name Calico on the hillside. We got off at the next exit and backtracked. We had a nice time: cute shops, train ride, mine walking tour, Not expensive; family atmosphere.

$20 to get into the Calico town parking area. The last residents of this town left in the year 2000. It is hard to imagine that. Many of the old buildings have been restored but there are sections that still retain the original build. A cemetery can also be visited, however respect is asked as real citizens of the town are buried there. Amazing history and a great experience. It certainly feels like you are going back in time. Filled with shops and activities, it is a good pit stop of you are going to Vegas or coming back from it and is not very far from the freeway. As you get closer, you will run up on some abandoned torn down houses, which gives you a eerie feeling as you approach the entrance. Once you make it inside, the town is full of life actually. Due to COVID not all activities are available but you can still walk around and discover what this town is all about. This is a great outdoor museum for the whole family. Quick fact, the person who bought and restored this town is the same person that restored Knotts Berry Farm. Follow me and my adventures fb Sin Aguayo ig: @sin_aguayo

We made it to breakfast in Calico Ghostown. The whole village is kind of fun but the folks running it are somewhat grumpy. The storekeepers and waiting staff were very friendly indeed and the cook knew his stuff.
For some fun this is an ok place to go. There’s some interesting facts behind it ... mostly the 1950’s renovation and import of antiques.
We enjoyed it but would not go again or spend more than a couple of hours there. It was good to experience it though.

Old Calico Ghost town is worth the short drive off I-15 at Barstow .. The town is made up from Old Buildings with a few new touches put in .. A family will find trinket shops , candy shops , rock shops and eating businesses etc .. The tours are self guided through Old town the old Hills and Old mines along with smaller train rides .. It will add up to a good family visit , only trouble parks system keeps going up and up on Prices ..

Lunar place and frankly original. How money seekers lived. Atypical and well maintained place. We really liked it.
Especially under 48° in early July

Me and my girlfriend stopped at Calico on our way from LA to Vegas. Greatest decision of that day.
The entry to the town is very affordable and you get a great experience.
The view from the top of the town is just magnificent.

We spent an hour or so, and could easily have spent more time, if we weren’t on the road.

8 Bucks to get in per person. Little to learn about the history of it all. Good amount of tourist shops. They had a train ride around the area and a tour guide.

most buildings are rebuild/restored but with great detail
loved the local touch to all small stores

visited twice in 10 days (on route LA-LV and back)
the first visit was really short the second a little longer
we will definitely go back for a mine tour

My family and I were returning from Las Vegas and are spring break vacation. On are way home we spotted the sign that read Calico Host Town so we stopped and it was a very amazing surprise. There is so much history that can be learn by exploring this ghost town and plenty of activities for kids as well as teenagers to do. It’s a blast from the past and if you like to take pictures, this has some amazing back drops. I am so glad that we stopped in this ghost town, Justin amazing well preserved area.

True that some houses have been transformed into attractions to oagamento but the effect when you arrive from the main street and very pleasant seems to have gone back in time... missing the bales of hay rolling and then it would have been a perfect scenario! Especially if you have children and teenagers stop...

Have driven past the sign headed to California many times. So glad we stopped. What a little treasure. Great preservation of the history of mining in this area. Its worth stopping for a few hours.

This is was worth to visit. The weather was so cool and the place is just amaizing for those who never seen any similar. I guess the western feeling became strong if you are there.

Calico Ghost and Mining Town,located in Calico/Yermo,California is "Old West Mining Adventure" and great destination to see a historical mining town! Home of the 1880's Silver King Mine which generated $86 MILLION Dollars in silver,Calico Ghost Town is
Operated by The San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department,Calico Ghost Town is a great time for for couples,families,friends,teens,seniors and individuals to walk around and to explore!
They have old time shops,historical old time buildings,places to eat and drink and lots to see and do!
Plenty of picture and Instagram opportunities here!
They also have camper,RV,tent camping and off road vehicle areas with all the hook ups and facilities you need!
There are nearby gas stations and its near the I-15 and I-40 highways.
The United States Marine Corp.,Yermo logistics facility is also nearby as well.
This is a great destination for the whole family for a day or a camp out!
.
.
.
.
#calicoghosttown #sanbernardinocountyregionalparks #seetheusa #waynesalvatti #photografxworldwide #usmc #unitedstatesmarinecorp #marines #yermo #yermocalifornia #silver #borax #historicalmines #californiadreamin #californiadreaming #adventure #offroadvehicles #offroadaction #ghisttowns

Was excited to go, paid the $8 per person entrance fee, and was planning on spending the additional $ to do the activities that were not included in the entrance fee. However the "town" is not well kept, most of the buildings housed souvenir shops, very run down, not at all what I was expecting. Was not worth the time or the $, skip this one.

There isn't much to explore, but the location and views were amazing. The $8.00 entry fee for adults goes towards the preservation of California's history. In the late 1800s, Calico was a silver mining town with 3,000 residents until the silver prices fell. Walter Knott and his son came to Calico, and they decided to keep it as a tourist spot, like their well-known Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.

I really feel cheated. We paid $8.00 to enter the Calico Ghost Town and the only things open were “attractions” that you had to pay another $4.50 to $5.50 each, or gift shops.

In addition, I can’t even say that the staff was just going through the motions, because half of them did not even Great us as we entered or exited their area.

Very disappointed.

This is the remnants of an abandoned silver mine in Calico, CA. Some of the buildings are original, but they have been turned into gift shops. Would have been nice to see how some of them were actually used in their heyday. They have a mineshaft you can go in and get the mining experience. There is a LOT of climbing. The whole place is on a steep hill and it was 95 degrees the day we were there. It was interesting, but a little more commercialized than we'd hoped for. Oh, and make sure to try the Calico brand sparkling lemonade, Lucy's Lemonade. The BEST lemonade I've ever had. I bought a six pack to bring home.

We stopped at Calico on the return trip from Vegas as it I s easy to get to and only a couple of miles off the highway. There’s plenty of parking and the entry charge is reasonable.
We really enjoyed walking around, looking at the buildings and artefacts while reading about the history of the town. You get a real sense of how it was to live there, originally, in the late 1800’s.
For a small charge, we were also able to take a walk through one of the original silver mines!
The coffee and cookies we had were delicious and very reasonably priced and the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful.
We certainly didn’t feel ripped off in any way.
I would certainly recommend you take a look!

A very entertaining surprise, although it is a ghost town, it has been recovered and its houses are places to sell souvenirs, it is very entertaining to walk through and think about what life was like in the Far West.

It is in the middle of Los Angeles and Las Vegas (2 hours away from both cities)

Entry value 20 dollars, visa or Mastercard not accepted, only American Express, also in cash with bills less than 100 dollars.

Whilst it it the remnants of a 'ghost town' it's a bit of a tourist trap. worth visiting if you keep that in mind.

Don't go in July-august it's just too hot.

Visit a bit by chance. One hour before closing. No entry to pay. We took the little train ride. Nice if you don't have a big detour to make.

Great stopover on the drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Is about half way.

Entrance $8 p.p

We walked around here for about an hour and looked around (an hour and a half to 2 hours is also fine here)

Yes, as other reviews say, it is very touristy, but it is certainly a very nice stopover.

About 15 minutes from highway 15

It is just an ok place, very interesting but in my opinion a little dead for the price you pay to enter. They should give me actions with actors etc. instead it looks like just a place full of shops trying to sell you souvenirs

Old miners town. Now more commercial with makes it less interesting. However the shops and people running the shops maintain the village...so they are useful in an other way also.Nice to stop on the road from LasVegas to Los Angeles, very close to the highway, so not a big loss of time to get there. We spend about 1 hour to visit the tow.

Calico ghost town was a super cool place to go to because of the older western town feel. You can go in the mine and explore, pan for some gold/ silver and also go on a train ride. They have a campground that you can stay in overnight which would be great to see the stars at night and hear the animals in the night. Its a great place for any age.

Very disappointed with this place. After giving €30 (1 vehicle for 4 people) you are stuck. Seems very artificial. The price is not justified. Shops and restaurants.
We visited it in 10 minutes.
I much preferred Oatman during our road trip.

This was a great little town to stop at when passing through Barstow. My son's especially loved this place. Though we did not do the attractions (mine cave, train), we have a great time exploring. There are rocks to climb high for a pretty awesome view of the town, and lots of information about the town's history.

We had a great time walking through the town. There are places to climb and great views. Admission is reasonable. Sarsaparilla is good. There was a staged gunfight on the street. The young man in the dog shop was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the products. The attractions cost extra but you don't have to do them. And it is very dog friendly. It is a pleasant way to spend a few hours and see a picturesque part of our country.

Stop planned on the west road. Not worth the detour as not much to see. But it is an authentic western village (which was not created for the needs of cinema). Curiosity but nothing more. The restaurant at the entrance to the ghost village offers simple dishes. Its terrace facing the old mine is very pleasant

It was a great place to get out and stretch the legs while driving from LA to Las Vegas. Not really a Ghost Town as such as every building has been turned into a Gift shop making it loose its spooky appeal.

This was pretty much a total waste of money. It cost $8 per person to get in with no kind of discounts, neither military nor senior. However once you get in you still have to pay for individual activities inside. The railroad ride is $4.50 and it's only about a quarter-mile, 15-minute ride. It cost $3 to go into the mine shaft. The food is overpriced and all the souvenirs are also, which I guess is to be expected in a place like this. We saw a lot of people visiting but no one spending any money. While I had always wanted to visit a ghost town, this was not what I expected. I regret having spent my money on this tourist rip off and hopefully you can save yours too.

Driving to Las Vegas this is become a new tradition is stopping in getting some candy getting a snack getting the old fashioned picture taken we were with a toddler and a teenager and they both had a nice little time

An interesting stop on our way to Vegas. Great little places to explore. We didn’t stay too long as it was very hot and time didn’t allow but I’d recommend going especially with kids and for the great photo opportunities.

Super small ghost town (with a few shops and a saloon). Unforeseen moment in our roadtrip and we feasted! Dive into the western and marvel at the hard life before all this technology. Admission for a fee (8 dollars/pers) that are used for the restoration of this city.

First off, Calico Ghost Town IS NOT A REAL GHOST TOWN!!! It is a cheesy tourist attraction built on the site of an 1880s mining town. Most of the buildings are old but they have been relocated from other sites in an attempt to "recreate" the original town, much of which burned in a fire. There is an $8 per person admission fee and additional fees for their "attractions" such as a mini-train ride, mystery tours, a silver-mine tour. While the buildings are old they are filled with cheesy tourist stuff. Don't waste your time here if you're expecting to see a real old mining town from the 1880s.

Passing through and saw a sign for Calico. On a whim, decided to check it out and it was a great call. Really enjoyed the old west mining town. Loved that they tried to keep it original. Love the Wild West feel to it. Dog friendly which is important. Quaint and unusual- the things we look for when we travel. Unforgettable

Love the history here, and the shops. Our favorite is the quilting goods shop. Would recommend wearing good walking shoes!

The weather was beautiful when we visited so we took a chance and stopped here. We knew it was likely cheesy however we also enjoy history and had hopes the historical part would overcome at this place. First of all you pay an admission to get in and then you pay additional if you want to tour the mine area or take a short train ride. The person at the entrance claimed to not know the actual price of the additional items.
Many of the buildings that appears to have historical or museum like qualities inside of them were closed so our teens were kind of disappointed. It seemed like we paid to go to stores. We did take the mine tour and that was somewhat interesting, however it's short and self guided. I just wish more of the historical/museum like buildings were open. Sure the stores were interesting but that's not why we stopped.

We were advised to stop here on way to Vegas and it was worth the stop. It costs $8 per adult to get in and then there are some extra charges once inside for example the train ride is $4.50. It is an old mining town and the site has old buildings and equipment from the time it was a functional mine. There is plenty to see and you could spend a few hours here easily. It is uphill and parts are very uneven near the top but with the climb for the views of the area around it there are places to grab a drink and food and peggy sue's diner is very close if you want to combine the 2

Useless visit.
Don't spend your money on this scam. We thought that the village was closed when we finally arrived we were made to go back and told that it was still possible to enter it, but we had absolutely not been told that everything was closed once inside the village except for one shop.
So for the shot you live the ghost village experience as it should you are all alone in the village but completely useless .. just looks like a village created from scratch as an amusement park setting ..
pass your way and do not waste your time and money in this place.
A free visit in passing on your road I do not say but there clearly it is not worth it! Disappointing ..

The old mining town Calico became abandoned after silver lost it's value in the mid 1890's.

In the 1950's, Walter Knott purchased Calico, architecturally restoring the town to appear as it did in the 1800's.

There are four main attractions to experience - The Maggie Mine, Calico Mystery Shack, The Calico Odessa Railroad, and the Gold Panning Adventure. There is an entry fee into the town, separate from the attractions. I recommend purchasing these additional experiences inside the town for a small fee.

Open daily from 9AM to 5PM (excluding Christmas Day), you will need at least a few hours to properly explore the old west mining town.

It is easy to see why the ghost town is popular among travellers. I especially recommend a visit to young families.

As the title says, it was quite the walk but this place was pretty darn cool!
This was a planned stop on the way from Las Vegas to Hollywood and I am glad we stopped. There is a pretty steep incline through the town and then a hike to the top without steps. As the first time to this part of the country, we were in awe at the views all around. We walked through the town and took in the history. Spent about an hour there but man, our legs were hurting the next day! I would recommend but would definitely tell someone about the incline!

I went here twice as a kid and remember having a good time both times. Well, that was 25 years ago. Either my memory is off, it's changed a great deal, or both. Probably both. The location is cool--lots of old mines dotting the hills and lots of history. The shops mostly carry generic modern stuff, much of it cheap. There is handmade stuff at Grandma's and the pottery shop, and the rock/mineral shop has some neat finds, but I wish we saw more local crafts. There is a train ride, a mine tour, and a mystery house, and I think kids would enjoy them, but there are extra charges for these. My favorite part, other than the little mining "hike," was the cemetery. Although it's still in use (or has been used somewhat recently), it also contains quite a bit of history. It's also nice to see the partridges running all over town. I'm glad we went, but we won't return.

Tourist catchers, horrible.
All fake and sleazy.
We imagined it but, we stopped for a little stop between LA and Kingman.

As planned,we took a detour on our trip from Barstow to Las Vegas to see this place,
It is a restored well kept and maintained old mining town,which have been renovated,everything was very modern just made to look authentic,and feature tourist shops,lot of gift stores, eateries and period dioramas in restored buildings describing how life used to be,with a few original buildings.In my opinion it is to much like a Cowboy Theme Park.you have to pay the admission of $8 each,then an Extra Charges for all other attractions,we did the Mystery Shack,also we did the Calico Train Ride which was pretty good to look around .
the view from the top of the town overlooking the town and valley is great.also there was a staged shoot-out between a Sheriff and loon in the courtyard outside the saloon which was interesting.
So if you are Passing By or Nearby,It is Nice place to visit and spend some time .But if you want to see the old building in their ruined state rather than rebuilt to resemble a ghost town ,Go To Bodie Genuine Ghost Town !!!

Entrance costs $8 and you have to pay again for the few attractions there are. Go your way, it's really not worth the detour

Ok so yes it is a 'commercial' ghost town, but it has done a good job of recreating the buildings with attention to detail, and educating on how towns like that operated and lived. Really good to stop off and have a look around.

Is Calico a ghost town? Or isn't it? In 1962, Calico Ghost Town was registered as a California Historical Landmark. In 2002, with Bodie, it was recognized as the Official State Ghost Town. In 2005, it was designated as the Official State Silver Rush Ghost Town. Located 149 miles southwest of Las Vegas, off I-15, it was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert region of southern California. It boasted the largest silver producing mine in California in the mid-1880s. At the time, Calico supported three hotels, five general stores, a school, a meat market, bars, brothels, three restaurants and boarding houses, a post office and a weekly newspaper. At the height of silver production between 1883 and 1885, Calico had over 500 mines and a population of 1,200 people. It grew to 3,500 by 1890, the same year the Silver Purchase Act was enacted and the bottom fell out of the silver market. By the turn of the century, Calico was a ghost town. In 1951, Walter Knott of Knott's Berry Farm purchased the town and began restoring it to its original condition. Today, Calico is called County Regional Park. Visitors see a Western-themed town with nine mine tours, gunfight stunt shows, gold panning, a restaurant, a narrow gauge railroad, souvenir shops and restored buildings dating to the 1880s such as Lil's Saloon, the town's original post office and courthouse that is now the main museum, Smitty's Gallery and Joe's Saloon.

Calico was one of the highlights of our road trip. Admission was really reasonable at $8 per person, although the walk into the mine wasn't worth the extra admission as it was one very small tunnel. One of the reasons it was such a highlight was not just the town itself but because of the natural environment around it. The views were stunning from the hills above the town and the rock formations and terrain was amazing. The added history of the town satisfied my other halves childhood dream of going to a Western style town. We loved it.

This is not just a historical 3 hour tour of a ghost town. This is a Great place to make lasting memories, that cannot be beat. Step back in time, and be a Cowboy or Cowgirl, in real time, for all day or longer. Wear your own western wear, hats, boots and spurs, Take some out of this world photos. And get some photos taken from the old time photo store. Yet, don't forget to buy new outfits in their stores, that you'll be sure to turn heads with, whereever you go. The restaurant food is exceptionally good, yet served either 'inside' an aunthentic western dining room that miners ate at for more than a hundred years, or outside, on a covered deck, overlooking the landscape of the mountains that attracted prosectors and made dreams come true. It's the real McCoy that you'll find unforgettable. Buy a wallet or purse from one shop. A shirt or blouse from another. A good hat. Or even an antique. And then, when you leave Calico, and someone sees what you have and ask you, where you got it, you'll be proud to tell them 'Calico'. And at that moment, you'll 'want' to be at Calico, again. And you 'will', whip out your smart phone, and show others, photos of the time, you 'lived' in Calico.

Calico Ghost Town is a great place to stop if you have any interest in the mining history of California. Although most of Calico was recreated to simulate a ghost town, there are a couple or original features in town and Maggie mine is still there. Silver was found here and this was a busy town in the day. Now it is a tourist attraction that was largely built by Walter Knott of Knott's Berry Farm.

Admission is $8 for adults and in a way, you are paying for the privilege of spending more money but that is all the fun of it. There are several shops and my favorite is the rock and fossil store. Several restaurants and a few attractions like the Maggie Mine and the 8 minute train ride--which all require a separate fee.

It's probably the only accessible "ghost town" in southern California. It's a fun step back in time as a few buildings are mini museums. Lots of fun and history.

Sad. You pay a decent entry fee to just walk through some fake-old buildings, each of which is a shop. Anything (gold panning, a small train that quickly goes through a fake mine, etc.) is to be paid extra. The Starbucks coffee was pretty much the best thing there - if overpriced, as usual. The only thing we enjoyed was the view from the highest point of the town, and the only small house that showed the dentist chair and the old bath tube. Nothing is real, there's random skeletons here and there. Not what I expected.
What we photographed the most: the squirrel showing off its beautiful tail in the parking lot.

This was so much fun!!! It's only 8 bucks a person to get in. Its clean and the staff is super friendly! The stores have a variety of things. My family and I had a great time! There was so much to look at. We also bought tickets for the train ride, the mystery shack, and Maggie's mine. All of these things were worth the money!! Definitely go and check this place out! It's so cool! Also check out the cemetery! It's so cool!

The principle is top, the Attraction is purely commercial.
The decor is beautiful, but keep your wallet in hand, because although admission is charged, all Things to do inside are extra.
There are shops, shops, restaurants and... shops.
We enjoyed the decor, it's superb, but we would have appreciated being able to at least have an activity included with the Award of Entry.
If you want to see authentic, I recommend the village of Oatman in Arizona, at least the parking is free and the village is equally worth a visit.

This was an enjoyable venture. We arrived mid morning on a Saturday and it wasn’t overly crowded. A group of volunteers performed a couple of Main Street “gun fights”. While not the best acting we’ve seen, it was humorous and family friendly.
We’ve visited several other preserved towns and villages and I can’t think of one that has the same ambience of history and unique location that Calico has.
Parking is free and entry into the park was reasonable at $8.00 per person. There is an additional fee to ride the train or go through the mine.
It is dog friendly and there are several places that provide drinking stations for them.

Calico Ghost Town I expected so much more. We have been here many times this was the first visit we have had where employees were rude and a lot of businesses were not open. We visited on a Sunday town opened at 9am we walked whole town and hung around till 1pm some of the businesses never opened even though they said everything is open on weekends. And the grouchy rude employees well that’s unnecessary if you don’t like your job go get another one! Your working a tourist trap be friendly! Tour busses arrived around noon then the town was crazy busy. Best time to visit 9am-noon. Bring your smiles they seemed to have lost theirs.

I’m happy this place still exists! Neat to see a real mining town, learn the history, take the self-guided mining tour, get a refreshment on the way to Vegas. Worth the price: self-guided mine tour & Mystery Shack. The short train ride is probably worth it if you have young kids.

Heard there’s a 3-4 hour mine tour ($50/person) that I’d love to do sometime.

Overall, it’s neat to see real history instead of only amusement parks/attractions. What a great school field trip, or interesting family stop.

As someone who likes off the beaten path adventures and typically avoids touristy spots, I still thought this place was way cool! My kids especially loved the mystery shack. It was a fun way to spend 3 hours. We have been to Bodie, and that is definitely a different experience, but if you know the difference between the two you will still have fun!

Disappointing. Nonsense and wasted time. Four houses/shop selling minerals, food, etc. With bands and actors fighting but very bland. Entrance fee $15 which does not entitle you to visit the mine +$5 or to take a mini ride in your train +$5

Quick pit stop on the way to Vegas...
The city was an old mine and was deactivated...
Interesting to know if you have time...
But nothing extraordinary.

This would be a really cool place but I think because of covid everything is messed up now. 90% of the buildings were closed. Also there were no period clothes wearing characters or tours but I guess the people doing them were only there on wkds according to one employee. When I asked the park ranger at the gate about so many places being closed she said that there were many places open she just drove through the town. The ones she named to me or not open. Ugh drove 11 hrs to get here and booked a campsite. You may want to go to another Ghost Town like Cody Deadwood until their bdgs open up again.

This is such a nice day trip. We walked around and looked in all the shops. We did the few attractions they had even though we have done them before. Our conductor, tour guide, and general information guy was Phillip. This guy is friendly, funny, and can answer any questions. We also talked with Ranger Watkins who was very pleasant. Just remember to bring your drinking water, between the heat and the elevation you will need it.

Kids really enjoyed it here came for a night camp trip. A lot of walking in the town fee for camping came with the entrance of the town. lots of cute shopping stores. The campsite had clean showers and restrooms. You can also rent a cabin, and bring your ATV, bikes or off-road jeeps. I would say a night stay is all you need to see the town and ride off-road. Cemetery on site and interesting. will come back again.

It's worth it! Characteristic and suggestive place!
Too bad only for the pedestrian entrance attendant in the mine: a super obnoxious and grumpy girl!

Very commercialised pricy gift shops but the old town setting is nice to wander around. Plenty of rest rooms and shady places to sit. Worth a visit.

An old mining town, partially restored buildings now house various shops and exhibits. The place has a fun atmosphere with plenty of clean restrooms and several eating/drinking spots. Lots of great photo opportunities with employees in period dress. Nice shops to find gifts & souvenirs.

We have visited before, but this was the first time with grandkids. We all enjoyed the visit, however our other visits were is fall. This time, 103 degrees was a bit warm. It took some of the fun out of the visit. We felt we rushed through more then normal.

Absolutely not what I expected. Still open but most shops were closed while we were there. Decent to walk around. But 90% rebuilt and it was $8 to get inside.

Not sure why, but my kids always want to stop by Calico whenever we drive by it on a road trip. We've been there 4 times, and each time we've done something a little different. My daughter loved making crafts with the resident artist there, and my son enjoys the train ride and running around exploring the town. This time we inadvertently joined the mystery shack tour. Even though I knew exactly what it is because I can observe from the back, I was still very disoriented when I went in. The "tour guide" who also doubles as the town sheriff was funny and entertaining. We unexpectedly enjoyed the tour.

We ate corn dogs and fried pickles at Old Miner's Cafe. The fried pickles were a surprising treat. The bathrooms were also surprisingly spacious. Overall, I would recommend it to families that are looking for something different and authentically California weird.

Calico Ghost Town is only about an 8 minute drive off of I-15, entrance is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for kids over 3, this will get you into the town and you can walk around, go to the shops, or restaurants. They have an 8 minute train ride for $4.50 that takes a little ways out of town for some historic sights and information, there is 1 mine open to the public for $7.50 which you can walk down into. They also have gold panning, and a gravity defying tilted shack. An old time picture shop. They offer off roading packages and have cabins for rent if you want to stay the night for around $65, also a bunk house for larger groups. The temperature in early September was just about 94 degrees.

This was a cool stop to make between California and Las Vegas. The decor's attention to detail is impressive. The train ride and mine walk is fun and inexpensive. I would recommend going earlier in the day to beat the heat during the summer.

No-one was dressed in period costume and In my opinion, this is just a place for businesses to sell their wares.

Expectations in visiting this "ghost town" were quite high, in reality it is a very good reconstruction of the city of gold and silver prospectors of the late 1800s.

A little bit disappointing. It is very very touristic, but nice all the same. Not so many thing to do there but waking a round, and some small attractions for children.

Stopped on our drive between Vegas and San Diego. It was HOT. I think we loved climbing the rocks to the dwellings more than visiting the buildings. Would stop again, great way to stretch the legs after being in the car for a few hours.

Maybe it is due to the covid situation but most of the attractions and activities were closed. Simply nothing to do. This is as lame as it can get...

How America must have been at one time. Interesting town, fabulous position, ate in the restaurant which was ok , a smile would have been good. Lots of notes about not touching stuff in the stores. All in all, interesting and worth a visit

The town has actually burned down a few times according to the staff and it is, for the most part, based on photos and oral accounts of the actual town. That being said, it was a chance to get a feel of what it may have been like 140 years ago. Yes, it was hot but if you stay in the shade and squint, you may have a nice hallucination and see a cowboy or two.

Fantastic place.. worth the ride to see. Lots of fun things shops just a great fun place.. great for kids. And big kids like us 50 something's
Only one thing this visit the sheriff was not out..lol
Missing is the twang of bluegrass
In the background..
Even so, a hidden gem!!

My family had a blast at Calico. I had always wanted to visit the town when I was a kid(and managed by Knotts Berry farm) in the 80's. The snack bar at the top of the hill has the best BLT I have had in ages. Worth the trip.

Although there are endearing qualities about this place, it is not what I expected for a ghost town. The only thing ghostly about it is the fact that it was once a going mining concern and now that's gone. But what's in its place is just another amusement park. As others have said, there is a lot of history that can be uncovered here, especially if you are interested in nineteenth-century mining. $8 per person to walk the streets full of souvenir shops and eateries. $3 to $6 extra fees for things like riding the mine train, walking through a mine, panning for gold, or visiting the "Mystery Shack" (which used to exist at Knottsberry Farm but was dismantled and moved here.) The Mystery Shack is one of those "vortex" places where balls ostensibly run uphill and a kink in the gravitational force won't let you stand up straight. The presentation by the old codger guiding the tour was well worth the $3.

A must visit if you are in the area, lovely preserved old cowboy town with a small railway and reopened mine. We were lucky due to the unseasonably cold weather there was hardly anyone there so we could enjoy it without the tourists which can be a nuisance

This was a nice trip for kids. They got the ride the train and sift for gold and look around at all the rustic things.

Nice break from the road. Several interesting shops, and a decent restaurant. Summer is a bit intense out there, so spring/fall are the best times to visit. They have Halloween events during Oct. Lot of fun going there on Halloween day.

I was in the area to visit Death Valley and Joshua Tree. I had time to make a side trip to Calico and found it to be worth it. It was not expensive. It was easy to get to ( not far off of I-15). The historical aspect alone is enough of a draw but there was plenty of food and drinks available for purchase as well as plenty of restroom facilities. You can spend as much time as you want but 1.5 hours is all you really need to see it and get some food and drink as well.

We enjoyed most all off this amazingly historical town. Back in 1963/64 our family took a trip here I was in third /fourth grade. I showed amazing history then we even talk with a lady who claimed to be 100+ years old and had lived there when this town was in full mining capability?
It’s great to hear people still talking about it. At that time we lived in Victorville Ca. One of my most memorable childhood times while in So. Cal.

Its absolutly a fantastic place and so nice to visit. I went early morning around 11 am in september mid. and it was not much tourist then. I felt like i was in some cowboys movie.
I will tell everybody to come here.

Barely a ghost town.. a commercial shopping and eating strip. However saying that we went up late afternoon not knowing it shut at 5pm, so we didn’t pay an entrance fee which was really kind. Worth a look.

This is a diverting little detour. The history of the town is interesting (on various displays) and the tour of the actual mine is also good (extra fee to pay). There is a nice little rest stop and shops selling pricey trinkets. We went early and there was no admission charge but I think I'd balk at paying $8 to wander around. The day we went the temperature was about 42 degrees so that blunted the enjoyment a little.

Light-hearted pleasurable experience that a one-time visit can satisfy. Calico appears to be free yet, it costs quite some gold to enjoy in its entirety. The mountainous backdrop is refreshing to the senses.

Need to know GOLD tips to maximize enjoyment:

Entry fee: Cost for each individual in the car! If you have a large family put a couple of folks in the trunk. Range $7-$10 gold coins.

Every exhibit costs Gold. There is an attempt to offer package pricing but if you have 2 or more your cost is close to Disneyland admission. Not really that much gold ($10-17.00 per person) for all exhibits. Walking through Maggie's mine, and quick rendezvous on the Calico Odessa Train-is actually pretty neat.

Panning for Gold: Well...fool's gold may be a better explanation. Yet, the education of panning and the patience that is needed was a good learning lesson for my kiddos. You wanna take the fool's gold home? Add an additional $4.00 for the vial.

The best part of this tourist trap-The Saloon. Grab some good popcorn and leave your trademark. Many folks passing through leave a dollar bill with autograph markings and the Saloon Keeper staples it to the wall. Better yet, the time capsule will be opened in 2030 so maybe your dollar marking will still be in the Saloon.

Okay, okay, kiddos will think the crooked house is unique and fun. I don't know how they did it but I did feel and see the vortex energy. The guide is hilarious. My stomach was unsettled because of my unequilibrium but no more than 5 minutes.

Once you visit and realize your gold didn't get far, then only passing through for a quick rest stop would be warranted. 3 hours is adequate to experience all without rushing.

This was my third visit to Calico and it seems to be moving more and more into the realms of super natural activity rather than reflecting the character of the old place.Buildings such as the mystery shack would appear to be out of nothing more than an attempt to extract even more money from the tourists.

It was once a city, today it has become a place to visit. It's nothing impressive but it's interesting, I think it's worth a visit if you're passing through.

Calico is an old West mining town that has been around since 1881 and was abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value. The town that once gave miners a good living lost its hustle and became a “ghost town.”

Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950’s architecturally restoring all but the five original buildings to look as they did in the 1880’s. 

The town is pretty massive, and my favourite part about it is the mountain behind that shows the name of the city, it is excellent for framing pictures of the old unique buildings.

The town is a great representation of what life in the time period was like.

Well worth a visit, especially if you have a young family.

I would have scored zero if I could. Calico is not a true ghost town, it’s a money making scam. The whole area is fake, it’s just full of shops selling tack. Doubt very much there was a Starbucks back in the day..
The fact it’s $8 per person to even enter should have been the sign and we should’ve turned around. Absolute waste of time and money, do not stop here.

We stoppeqd at Calico. It is 1/2 way to San Diego for us. Great little shops, a train ride, mine tour and haunted school house. The school marm is a photo bomber. She loves to get in pictures with families and kids, in broad daylight!!
I really like the candle shop. Bought some incense, hand cream and a great hair clip!
Stretch your legs, check out the view.
There is a charge to enter. 8.00 for seniors. Saturday night their is a ghost tour!
I will be back. Super attraction and history lesson for the kids!

I’d read so many reviews saying it’s just a ‘tourist trap’. I disagree. Entry wasn’t expensive, the staff were friendly, and I couldn’t have seen anything like this where I’m from in Australia. We probably walked around for about an hour. Not a lot to see but it’s pretty cool

Used to go here for many years, fun "ghost" town put together by Walter Knott, just a plain shame what has happened to it now....save your money

Nice example of the world that disappeared due to development in general. However, a look back to the past reminds you that nothing comes by itself. You have to work hard for it!

Spent a Sunday back in time at this neat place. I arrived right when they opened and stopped in the cafe for breakfast which was good and hearty portions. There is an entrance fee and then fees if you want to do some of the extras such as the train and the mine tour. I really enjoyed the train for the view and the commentary it offered. There are spots with uneven ground so make sure you wear good walking/hiking shoes if you want to walk up to the overlooks. You could easily spend three to four hours including sitting for a meal. The tour buses arrive in the afternoon. Definitely worth the trip and the local scenery is spectacular.

On the way to Vegas, find this ghost town. They charge $8 for entry. It is a small town, but you can see the old west building. The tunnel tour is nice and only charge 3. The view from top of the town is nice. There are a lot of souvenir shops inside.

Our quick visit on Friday Oct 20 turned into 6hours lol. It is 8 dollars to park. It was all decorated in Halloween theme. They really went all out on the decor. Everything was really awesome. It was really windy so it gave so many decorations that extra creepy feel. The train ride had real people dressed up in spooky costumes. Every store had the friendliest people. There was also many things to do: trick or treat for the little ones, shows. They stayed opened later from 5 to 9pm for Halloween things. So much fun and took tons of pictures.

Great stop off for a break from driving.

Sadly very little was open so we could not get any food despite having multiple restaurants and food carts

This site is beyond commercial. Most buildings contain businesses. The leather shop was quality items, but most of it's a tourist trap.

I really liked this place , it is worth visiting , and it made me dream for a while ..
It was clean and attention to detail, the small shops had everything you need to stock up on memories!!!!
Visit it!!!

A great place to visit to get a feel of how people lived and mined in the wild west. On the website it said $4 entrance fee each and $8 for 3 tours (Maggie Mine, Mystery Shack and Gold Panning). We paid $8 each to enter the park and couldn't do the mine as we were told you have to prebook this which is a bit difficult when travelling and unsure of dates. There is a short mine you can walk through on foot which was $3 each. The buildings are good and the views are great. You can easily spend a couple of hours at the place. It was very busy when we arrived at 10 am as there were 2 school buses of children. It is fun for kids but some of the buildings you can't go in such as the old school house which is a shame.

It was $8 per adult which was reasonable. You could easily spend 2-3 hrs here with the family. Lots of gift shops/toilets & plenty of parking. Staff friendly. Could have done with more staff explaining what some of the displays were or put up signs with the info. Generally just left to wonder around.

Great place to visit. Found this really interesting to see and its great theres still 5 original buildings. It wasnt expensive to enter and tou have to pay a small amount in addition to entry if you want to ride the train or pan for silver. We done the train and found it fun and interesting. All of the little shops were great with some great gifts and keep sakes to buy. Would highly recommend.

This is a complete tourist trap, there's nothing authentic looking about this place, I felt like I was at Knott's Berry Farm. I was there on a weekday so barely anyone was there, barely anything was open, and no activities/actors (which maybe was a blessing as that would add to the inauthentic/theatrical feel of the place). I quickly realized this was more of a place to bring small children than a historical site to visit.

However, I was most disturbed by the fact that one of the stores was selling confederate souvenirs (see photograph). Remember, this is a STATE park, paid for by our state tax dollars! I couldn't believe what I was seeing so brought this up to the store person as a complaint. She said, seemingly exasperated (had she heard this before?) that that's why she had put them on sale 25% as she was trying to get rid of it. And reasoned that they were part of a Civil War something or other, thus justifying its existence. I was thinking in my head and regretted not stating, that they should just be thrown away and not sold - that excusing racism for not losing revenue is not acceptable. In addition, it makes no sense as to why the Civil War would be a part of Calico as Calico was not founded until 1881 and the civil war ended in 1865. Furthermore, I'm not a historian so I could be wrong, but my sense was that while CA was in the union and prohibited slavery, it didn't play a huge role given its geographic location.

In all fairness, the park wasn’t too bad. Very touristy as you might expect. About 3 miles off of I -15 between Vegas and L A...$40 for group of 4 and easy to find. The one reason this was a horrible visit and I will encourage you all to avoid this place is because of 2 of the employees . Tried getting on the little train ride... African American male took our money just fine, then he left us sitting in the desert sun for 15 minutes while he cussed someone on his cell phone. He used the F word at least 20 times and seemed agitated that he had to work til 5 and no motherf....ers had bothered bringing him some motherf...ing McDonalds. After that, some white girl, another employee, approached him and they loudly discussed how f...ing High they were and she explained how she had gotten so high the night before that she was still high and shouldn’t have even come to work for her s..tbag boss. She openly discussed how horny she gets when she’s that high and of course Mr Train Conductor told her he could help her with that. These two degenerates could have cared less how much we heard and that we were sitting in the heat listening to their crap. Finally I approached the male and told him I wanted my money back. He threw the money through the window as my family and 5 or 6 other guests walked off. Was told by another park employee not to bother complaining to the owner because they hired their son as the supervisor and he was too lazy to even show up at the park most days. AVOID

I enjoyed the town, the price is fair to get in but they charge for everything inside as well, (the train ride entrance to the mine, if they could possibly squeeze out another dollar, well they certainly try. The staff are friendly and helpful, the town was clean and there is lots to see and learn. We loved it and would give it 5 stars if they if they didn't squeeze so hard. I would rather pay more at the gate and get to see it all without pulling my credit card every other building.

Stopped in closer to 5pm, sundown back in Feb, and it added to the Ambience, really spooky, but tons of fun, lots of stores, and antiquity, a reminder of the past, recommend highly

If you enjoy historical sites this is a great place to visit! We camped for two nights which allowed us free entrance into the old mining town of Calico. There are three attractions to see, the Mystery House, the Mine Ride, and Silver Mine. Each ticket was $3.00for adults, but you can buy all three for a discount - I would recommend that option. But all the others sites in town were included in the entrance fee. We visited in the Fall season, so the weather was perfect. It can get really hot in the summer.

The food was reasonably priced, and tasted good. There is a variety of gift shops for those looking for souvenirs, but the museums and various buildings were what we liked the most. It offers a great opportunity to see what life was like for the miners and families that lived there during the town’s heyday.

Calico Ghost Town was purchased by Walter Knott who established Knott’s Berry Farm, but Calico is now owned by the county of San Bernardino. We were a little reluctant to visit since we had not been here for over 20 years. However, the County has done a great job keeping Walter Knott’s vision for rebuilding the town and maintaining it.

The camping sites offer full hookups for RVs and dry camping for tent camping. The sites are pretty rustic, but have clean restrooms and showers. The price was average for camping in any California camp ground. The full hookup sites were the best because the roads were paved, while the others were dirt roads. They also offer off-road camp sites. There is great hiking all around with a fantastic view of the hills, mountains, and the valley.

We had a great time and will be back with the grandkids. The town is very kid friendly.

We decided to stop ni Calico ni out trip from Las Vegas to LA. It was a good decision. My family spent a nice Time and we also had lunch in t’he restaurant.

We loved our day out to Calico, took you back in time and he imagination flowing. Would definitely recommend as a day trip from the bright lights of Vegas

We visited Calico at a hot day. It was quiet with mostly international visitors. We found it very interesting and educational to visit a renovated, old style ghost town. The nice 3 hrs we spent was well worth the 8 $ entry fee. For extra tours additional fees from 2 till 4,50 were charged. But I can recommend them.
The ghost town is extra interesting for those who love to photograph and those who love beautiful sceneries.

The drive from Barstow to the ghost town was short - we went on a Tuesday morning - probably smart to go early because a school bus pulled in when we were almost finished - lots of shops to shop in - several restaurants - everyone was friendly - there is a train but it was not running the day we were there. My husband paid a little extra to go in the mine.

What an interesting place!! A former silver mining town founded in 1881, it had in those days 500 mines in total, and produced over $20 million in silver ore. However when silver lost its value, Calico lost its population and it became a "ghost town."
The buildings have been restored to look as they did then, most are open to the public, some just to look around and gain knowledge and some to buy gifts. One gets a real sense of life in those days, and the staff are ready to talk to you with tales of the old days. Also there was an area where you could shoot balloons although I am not sure who qualifies for this activity.

8 dollars per adult
+ 5.5 for the train
+ 4.5 for the mine
It is very expensive for what it is.
The village itself can be beautiful but the shops distort the place.
If there is a restaurant and souvenir shop it can pass. But you enter the old saloon for example and inside not too much time with the d’OL is plastic ...
Staff could be dressed in period dress. There could be a little show to energize the place.
Small tour done in 1 hour.

Calico is a small amusement park and not a ghost town more the prices displayed on the site do not match those at the entrance , we went from single to double

Great ghost town, entrance fee is $8 per person, you can see a lot, only the mine and the train cost extra but don't have the added value, except maybe the mine, but we didn't go in there.
Instead we went to the little saloon for something to eat and drink. A Route 66 lemonade.

We had a wonderful time at Calico Ghost Town. We hiked all over the hills, visited the cemetery, rode the train, panned for gold, enjoyed some chicken and apple pie. Spent the whole day there and enjoyed our selves. Next time we visit, we want to camp out in one of the cabins at the campground. Looks like fun!!

Get out of the city and go see a ghost town! This is a cute location and for the SoCal traveler, it's not too far of a drive, or even a great stop on the way to Vegas. We camped out and then went to the town the next day, which was amazing. We will be back to try the cabins and some more of the tours you have to book ahead for.

A quirky little stop on the drive East. Must be hard to keep the place running in the hot dry environment so I don't begrudge the small fee they charge.

It was nicely themed and well laid out although I did miss a couple of things out of the way. The exhibits were decent and it had a nice casual atmosphere. Really have a look at the pictures and website to work out if it is worth a visit for you, I'm glad I went but wouldn't be going back.

The performances tended to be amateur, although I missed the train shootout. The displays like the mines are decent, there's some interesting things mixed in amongst the stores and stalls. I was a bit disappointed by the Main Street gunfight, but again not a well resourced production and nor could it be, I'm guessing.

While it was an interesting stop, it's not going to be for everyone and was a bit pricy and a lot seemed designed to get you to buy something.

We made a stop in Yermo and decided to visit the nearby Calico Ghost town. It was a silver mining town of 3,000 people in the late 1800s until the price of silver dropped. Walter Knott and his son visited Calico n decided they would preserve it as a tourist attraction similar to their famous Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It’s not as large or as commercial, but a good place to see how people lived back in the days of the Wild West. They have a train ride, mine tour, attractions like the haunted house, costumed docents and places to eat. Well worth a stop.

Popped into Calico on the way to Las Vegas. Entrance fee was $8 per adult. The fact this was an old mining town and that at least 3 buildings are real bees in its favour. There is an 8 minute train ride, costs extra and a mine tour. We did neither, just explored the site.

Good that someone has taken on, restored and kept it going.

We went here on a Wednesday and we were disappointed that many of the stores and all restaurants (except the bar/saloon) were closed. We were able to go in a few stores and the train ($5 per person), and Maggie’s Mine ($3.50 a person) were open as well as the Mystery Shack ($3.50 per person). Gold panning was also closed. We were told that the county owns the park and charges the $8 per person to get in and the rest of the businesses are privately owned and follow their own schedule as to when they are open. It was fun to visit, but we wish we had known that about half of the places were closed.

For me a waste of money and time. Tourist at $8 per person, plus whatever you spend there. As I said, totally dispensable.

We decided to do day trip to Calico as we had not been there for years. We paid extra for the activities. For $7.50 you were able to pan for gold, do the mining tour and mystery shack. For another $5 you were able to ride the train. The 7.50 was definitely worth it but not sure if I would pay the $ money again for quick train ride. We loved the shops and enjoyed stepping back into the old west. Yes it’s a bit dated, quirky, and a bit corny but we really enjoyed our day. Go when weather is cool as there is no shade.

Was kind of disappointed. Expected to be immersed in history but was greeted by lots of commercial merchandise. Also extremely hot and not quite possible to stay in any shades. The mystery shack tour was a rip off - 3 bucks for an adult, to see three exhibitions that ended in about 3 minutes, WTF? I went to the train but after the shack experience I asked how long the ride was first - 8 minutes for $4.5 per adult. Of course I didn’t go. The only thing that was worth some acknowledgement was probably its ghost tour, which I had to ask like four people to know where to get tickets for (it’s also a very stupid design that the information center is almost at the very end of the town). That tour is knowledgeable and gave me a hint of what I came for - history and interesting stories. Too bad it ended very soon. I’d say 12 bucks for an adult is still overpriced but at least it’s better than everything else. Sadly they only have these ghost tours on Saturdays, so plan your trips carefully.

We enjoyed the restored historic mining town and are grateful to Mr Knotts for having taken this on in the 1950’s and then giving it to San Bernardino County in 1966. They, in turn, are doing a great job of maintaining it. Prices of attractions are very reasonable. Staff friendly and helpful. Recommended.

We stopped here on our way home from California. Its just outside of Barstow California. We expected to stay 30 minutes tops. We figured it didn't have too much to do. We ended up staying 3 hours and could have stayed longer.. The kids (7, 5 and 1) had a blast walking through all the different shops. The food was good and different at each place so we didn't feel like there wasn't much choices.. There was lots of old fun picture opportunities. A fun slow Train ride with educational aspects. An old Mine that you can go and explore. Reasonably priced for everything from entry fee, food, suvaniers and so much more. Great fun for the whole family.. We will definitely go here again..

When with kids and grand kids (total of 7 of us) and spent the day here. I recommend going Jan- Apr arriving in the morning, as it can get very hot here later in the year.
The town was restored and expanded by the Knott family (yes as in Knotts berry farm).
They have a fairly large number of buildings representing an old western mining town.
For the kids there are a few rides (train ride is a must) a lot of mining tours and gold mining adventure. A couple of very reasonable places to eat also. It does cost to enter and each ride and tour also charge, but nothing real expensive.

Calico is a Ghost Towwn, you can see how life was here but it is very commercial and very touristy. It's not worth the $8 dollar entrance fee.

Found this on route from Las Vegas to LA but didn't have time to visit at the time, drove back and it was very worth the traffic jams, a wonderfully original 19th century silver mining town in the middle of nowhere but very worth a visit, all original buildings that have been repurposed for a fantastic experience, would recommend to anyone with some time to kill.

Interesting but of history nestled into the mountain range. It's good for families. Cheap to get in and explore the town. Lots of shops. Some stuff made locally, some stuff from China, but it was cool seeing the houses built into the rocks. The architecture is worth looking at even by itself.
And yes it gets windy sometimes so be prepared to hold your hats.

Just a remake of an old town. The place is not as good as a ghost town like Bodie. All is new built and it's just a place for tourists who travel quickly in the west of united states.

Enjoyed our stop here. $8 each to get in, close parking, well-kept, affordable eateries inside, air conditioning in several (but not all) buildings. Tuna melt and burgers at the restaurant were decent. We were told to try the pulled pork next time. Mystery Shack is worth the extra for the tour guide, laughs and audience participation. Great stretch break in the middle of a long drive. Spent around 3 hours.

Very original and particular... We went for free and visited without rush and loved it. There is an original house with photos of the owners, their clothes, their furniture... A museum with the people who lived there, you can get an idea of how they lived, how they spent their days with the miners. Now there's a bar restaurant in the old bar, several souvenir shops... make your visit fast because it's unbearably hot at this time, but it's worth stopping to visit on your way to Los Angeles or Vegas.

We stopped by the Calico Ghost Town Campground as a way point between California and Albuquerque New Mexico. No reservations required. The place was empty. Very few level camp spots, but it was clean and all services were offered (minus cable TV). At night, the coyotes were active, so we didn't let our dog outside alone. Doubtful th hat we would stop here again, but i will admit that it was better than some of the other places we have stayed.

It was a perfect family outing. We loved the mystery shack. It is a must see attraction if you are there. My kids were ages 11-13. We got a real kick out of it. We spent about 2 hours walking through the stores.

Really nice ! Beautiful landscapes and settings for beautiful photos. Too bad you have to pay for the train in addition to the entrance.

Took the Drive from Vegas and spent the afternoon at the Ghost Town, it was a nice relaxing stroll thru the town and visiting shops and restaurants. A nice afternoon.

The place is perhaps friendly, even if in the entrance including simply visiting the city if you want to do the activities related to the work that was done there, everything is extra the bill can quickly be salted. Moreover, the staff is not even able to say hello you make them outright expensive.
We were really disappointed

After seeing the impressive ghost town of Ryolite, we decided to visit Calico as well. What a disappointment! You pay 15 dollar each to visit a set of tacky gift shops, which have been built in a sort of gold rush fashion. Maybe it was the Halloween decorations that made things worse, but the only interesting buildings were the schoolhouse and the abandoned rock houses up on the hill. Even the old mine could not be visited without a surcharge because well, they put up all this skeletons and fake coffins, so cough up!
If you are interested in the history of the rise and decline of gold rush towns: skip this one. It's not here.

It had been over twenty years since I drove through this area of California. I really wanted my son and husband to see and old ghost town. I was thrilled to find that it was still open. It's a really neat town and even has a few eating options (something I do not remember a few decades ago). Several buildings are set up in museum fashion to walk through, there is a neat sundry store, and I believe there is an option to tour a mine, which we did not do. Personally, the contrast between Chinatown and the main drag fascinated me the most.

Complete scam. Price advertised on different sites of 8 euros, result we paid 15 euros per person. And then you pay an entrance fee for only having shops hidden behind western facades. Clearly you pay to spend money because really nothing to do. I completely advise against

I have always wanted to stop at Calico Ghost Town and I am glad we stopped but it was really underwhelming.

Calico is not really for someone interested in history (like I am). There are a few original buildings but only a couple. That is really the only historically interesting thing to see here. It is very touristy and amusement park - makes sense since it is owned by Knott's Berry Farm.

When we went to Calico there was absolutely NO ONE there and there was nothing happening (during the Covid pandemic). I think that if there were activities happening and people around, this may have been more fun. I think this could be a fun spot for kids to explore and do fun activities once things open up again.

I am glad we stopped because I have always been curious but meh....

Fun, historic place to visit. Drove down from Las Vegas and it is an easy drive for a day trip. Initially, Calico was packed with tour buses but most of them were leaving when we got there, early afternoon. Rode the train, visited the shops and did the Maggie Mine Tour. Lots of benches where my husband could stop and rest. San Bernadino County Parks does an excellent job of maintaining Calico.

Been before and got the tee shirt. Got another now . Fun place to visit and meet the costumed characters.

It was a nice little get away spot for a few hours. Great for taking pics and learning some interesting things. However, it is not a must go again as there are others around California and Arizona. If you’re driving to or from Vegas, I recommend the stop. The kids will enjoy it.

The little shops were nice, the ghost mine nice and cool, but overall was kinda bored through the experience

The expedition continues with a stop at the Calico Ghost Town in Yermo, California. In 1881, Calico became a silver mining town in the Mojave Dessert. Ten years later, the silver ran out and the mines closed. By the end of the century the area was abandoned, and Calico joined the long list of ghost towns found throughout Southern California. For nearly a ½ century, Calico sat neglected and deteriorating. Buildings were vandalized and others collapsed. During the 1950’s Walter Knott (of Knott’s Berry Farm) took an interest in and purchased the town. The entire town (except for five of the original buildings) was restored to reflect their 1880 appearance. Today, this ghost town is a thriving tourist attraction that draws guest from every corner of the world. Admission to the park is reasonable, however attractions have a separate entrance fee. Camping, hiking and off roading desert trips are available at this site. One will find numerous shops, and restaurants located within the Ghost Town complex. The Lucy Lane Museum with a collection of artifacts, photographs and documents traces the history of this mining town. Informative. Maggie Mine will provide you with an opportunity to explore a silver mine. Want to take a ride on historical train? The Calico & Odessa Railroad provides you that opportunity. Several other attractions are open. Just remember to bring money. If you are just interested in shopping, fourteen shops are scattered around with a wide selection of different gifts and items for sale. Found the R & D Fossils & Minerals shop to be of particular interest, while my companion enjoyed the Candle shop. She made several purchases that set her back a few “Jeffersons.” After wandering around in the desert heat, a good meal and a cold drink is required. Three eateries will take care of your needs. Lil’s Saloon was my choice. This saloon with it swinging doors, bar and glass mirror is straight out of a Clint Eastwood western movie. Only thing missing was the bar girls. Both of us enjoyed a quick drink. A candy shop (The Sweets Shop) and Popcorn Wagon will provide treats for the youngsters. The entire complex is unique and interesting. Spent two hours at this location. Be advised this is a tourist trap, so expect to leave with a few less greenback in your wallet. After visiting two other ghost towns for free (Dagget and Ludlow, California) found Calico to be disappointing. It appears the entire complex is geared to make money. Suggest avoiding this attraction.

Horrible! It is no longer a ghost town. They made it totally a commercial tourist trap. Saw it many years ago when it was still in its natural state and was wonderful at the time.

Nicely organized and maintained. Well worth the price of admission. The little train ride is not such good value as it takes a few minutes and only goes a little way around a small curve. The walk into the mine is well worth the $3 to enter. Overall it's worth a visit but so many of the little stores are selling too many perfumed candles and other similar items that bear little link to the ghost town idea.

Much more touristy than when I visited 20+ years ago; every historic building now seems to offer something for sale. In addition, there are charges (in addition to your entrance fee) for any extra activities, like the train. But the history is interesting and my small children liked walking around for a short time.

I Love this town and its history, been coming here for many years and watched this County owned facility slowly be regulated to where it has taken out much of the adventure and fun. Its a shame to see the county bureaucracy diminishing the true experience of this really COOL little town.

We decided to visit this ghost town on a whim. With printed directions from the manager of our overnight RV park, we still managed to get lost! Turning off the main highway in accordance with the road sign you are faced with a junction - turn left or right? Is there a sign - of course not, well that is not entirely true, if you correctly guessed ‘left’ (for us) then there is a confirmatory sign after about 100 yds.
Anyway, the Ghost Town is an interesting combination of museum (supposedly ‘living’ but many of the shops and features were closed) and tourist trap. As seems ‘normal’ in the USA, many artefacts are unlabelled leaving the visitor to guess as to their use or vintage. Was it worth it? Yes, overall it is an OK place to go, especially if you are a geologist!

It was super hot the day we visited. Kind of a tourist trap with all the shops and extra things you had to pay for. Not very educational for the kids. Did I mention it was hot there?

Calico is a walk in the past to the days of the gold rush, just 3 miles off the I-15 main highway. There are performances and people dressed in time appropriate attire. There are several shops and restaurants that keep with the thme of the wild west. The area is inexpensive and a worthwile stop on your way to LA or Las Vegas. There are orginal mines along with museums that show the old relics and technology of that time. At the top of the mountain behind the ghost town is an erected sign that reads Calico. I would definetly recomend going to this place, there is a camp ground as well there are many fun activities during the opening hours to try.

We visited the Calico Ghost Town on a cold working day so it wasn't too busy and we could fully enjoy all attractions it offers. The wooden buildings are very well maintained and the town has a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere.
The highlight of the visit was a Mystery Shack Tour. Very funny illusions. I truly recommend.

We weren't sure what to expect visiting during COVID - it turned out to be both good and bad. On the good side, it wasn't crowded and there was ample time and space to enjoy all the historical exhibits, read the signage and browse in the shops. On the bad side, quite a few attractions and eateries were understandably closed.

On balance, the entire family thought it was well worth the time.

By the way, you can tell that Walter Knott (of Knott's Berry Farm fame) played a hand in the restoration as portions of Calico and the Old West part of theme park share a distinctive look.

Fantastic experience to see an old Ghost town on a day when there were loads of characters and saw a shoot out … last one of 2023. Learned how the gambling was done years ago and had a really fun time

Made of shops and restaurants mainly, arranged in a scattered way, with some paid attractions that last 5 to 10 minutes and not included in the price of admission. Value for money: too high.

Was driving through with my gf on our way back from SoCal and finally made the stop after seeing the ghost town sign for years! Place is kinda cool. Wear comfy shoes! Rustic and cute. Ate at the restaurant but was well entertained. If you have time it’s worth a quick detour to check this off your list when driving to from Vegas to la.

This is a great historical place and inexpensive for all the great things you get to see. The history of the ghost town and the mining community is really interesting. The Mystery Shack is awesome. My granddaughter thought it was the greatest thing ever. It is a must-see

Was $40 to get in to have the chance to buy cheap junk at the stores. Main reason we Went to see the mine tour. Lady wouldn’t take us in and was very rude even yelling at someone else’s kid. So disappointed.

Probably more suited to kids. We were just stopping here on our way to Las Vegas, and didnt realise you had to pay to get in. Then we paid for a train ride as well, which just went round the back of a little hill (again suited to kids). There was a town cat that was very friendly.

To enter Calico you must pay the ticket, not by car, but by person, so we paid two adult admissions at $8.
I would have expected a Ghost Town, instead they are prefabricated where you can find memorabilia in some places and most have been turned into shops, so a sort of "shopping center" in the desert!
I was very disappointed because since it was a Ghost Town I wanted to see a Ghost Town, not shops.
The biggest tease is to see a construction site next door where they are placing other prefabricated buildings, a church and the like.
It was quite disappointing and I would not recommend it, it is definitely not a stop that I would do again.

We took this tour at the beginning of May. The "Sheriff" (LT) was one of the tour guides, together with his wife. He was not kind at all, disrespectful, and even mean with children (I had a 7, and a 5 years old). The tour is too long, and the "spooky" part of it, are stories made up and told by LT and his wife. It was too long. The historical part of the mine, and some anecdotes would have suffice, however, the made up stories, take over 60% of the time, that could have been spared. I don't recommend this tour, specially, if you have children in the group.

Nice to watch for a little while. If you walk along the streets it's fun. Unfortunately inside the houses it's all about economic purpose.Kids will go crazy, they like it very much

We really enjoyed this Calico Ghost Town! We were fully aware about this being a touristy place, perhaps that helped. I would suggest go there with that mind set. We went there fairly close to closing time, I think maybe an hour before. This was enough time for us and we saw a beautiful sunset as we were leaving.

All the main attractions cost extra inside. The only one we did was the Mystery Shack, it was $4 a person. It was really neat, you walk through an area that makes you feel like gravity is all messed up. The tour guide was friendly and funny.

There are plenty of giftshops to purchase souvenirs. There was also a restroom. The town set up is great. Lots of opportunity to take photos. The best thing about Calico Ghost town to us was the views. Some of the overlooks were just absolutely stunning.

It was pretty fun. A little steep on the price to get in, considering you still had to buy tickets to do the mine and rhe mystery house. It was like stepping back in time with everyone dressed up and even had a gunfight out of the blue.

Really enjoyed the visit, easy to find and staff were very welcoming. Not really sure why it’s called a ghost town as nothing indicated it haunted. Should possibly just be called a mining town. The Mystery shack was very good and the chap that took the tour was full of energy. Could see this being a great place to bring kids. For a couple, you’ll be looking to spend around $50+ if you do the 3 attractions + the train ride.

We had been to Bodie Ghost Town a few years earlier and enjoyed it so when we were passing close to Calico we had to check it out. It was nice but more touristy than Bodie and it seemed to be a bigger crowd. I would recommend Bodie if you're looking to visit a ghost town in California.

If you want a Disney wild west town you will not be disappointed. I'm sure the buildings are all in original positions and if you look up the street you can imagine how it was 100 years ago. But that's where the history ends.
All the buildings are modern shops, cafes or resturants full of tourist stuff. There is a musuem but it is very poorly populated with exhibits. It's very difficult to get an appreciation for the real history and life of the town, there's no concept or differentiation of what is new and what is original.
When signs proudly boast ATM and Starbucks then you know where how real it all is.

We had such a great time in calico. There’s sites to see, shops to purchase souvenirs in, and places to eat. Admission is $8 per person and there’s a lot of walking so bring comfortable walking shoes and it gets very hot there being the desert so you might want to bring lots of water.

We stopped off at this attraction as part of a G Adventures tour. We were given an hour to eat lunch and walk around the sights. Most of us opted to eat lunch at the Calico House Restaurant. The food here was very nice consisting of mainly sandwiches and fries.

However that left us without enough time to look at the other buildings and shop in the different gift shops. So if you come here allow yourself at least 1.5 hours.

Calico Ghost Town is always a great time. Always windy regardless of temperature. Great shops to look in and purchase great items. The saloon is now cash only. You can get snacks and drinks there and enjoy the atmosphere of an old time saloon. There are a couple restaurants sometimes open. Schedule at least 3 hours to enjoy the town, gun fights, train ride, mine tour, panning for gold and other great things there are to do there.

A beautiful site, western atmosphere.
We really appreciated the somewhat typical side if we move a little away from the main street.
Surely sometimes very hot 🥵 🥵🥵

"your card was declined" said the cashier with an extremely unpleasant and condescending tone.
As I explained to her that she just need to insert it or wireless contact, she gave me the same look and repeated the same thing forcing me to leave very angry and upset.
THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE OF CALICO

Give yourself a favor and go to oatman instead. At least, the mules are nicer than this woman there.

Spoiler alert : my credit card worked perfectly

En français :
"votre carte de crédit à été rejeté" voici ce que m'a dit la caissière à l'entrée. Je lui répète qu'il faut l'insérer ou sans contact, elle ne m'écoute pas et me parle avec un air tellement condescendant.. Je suis tellement énervé que je quitte les lieux.

Rendez-vous service et allez plutôt à Oatman. C'est gratuit et les mules sont plus gentils que cette dame.

Calico ghost town is nice to see... for 8$ you visit a ghost town and a few shops. I admit some of their attractions are a bit fake ( like they try to take a few more bucks from you for a fake gold searching). One restaurant makes huge and very good pizzas. The man serving them was the nicest and we had so much pleasure chatting with him! Anyway, we hesitated visiting calico but all in all we were finally glad we had.

This is a great place to visit in an RV, their campground is really quiet and you can see tons of stars at night. We were completely relaxed here. During the day, there was plenty for us and our toddler to do. They have shows and lots of places to look to read about the history here. Stop by you will be glad you did!

A fun, interesting place for the entire family with plenty of parking and reasonable prices. A dozen little shops, a fun train ride and a visit to the mine are ;musts.,

This was a really neat experience to see a place my partner grew up going to with his family. However, we got swindled by the jewelry... We were told it was pure silver & that the gems are natural. I got this ring sized and in total spent $150 on a "native" made, "genuine" torquise ring. After just a week of wearing it, I just got it back from being sized, it's clearly not sterling silver where the "stones" are placed. It's releasing a black residue where the "stones" are set and they feel plastic upon farther inspection. Just breaks my heart as this was a celebratory gift to me from my partner. He was so excited they had "authentic" jewelry and insisted that I have it even through my transition from a full time career to being a solo entrepreneur.

I don't recommend it. You pay $8 per person to access souvenir shops. The decor resembles that which could be found in an amusement park. Calico leaves an impressive fake and artificial.

We were passing by and decide to check it out, we were all pleasantly surprised with Calico, only $8 admission and easy parking. A nice stroll through the old /renovated buildings most of them house businesses but with relevant bits and pieces. We had lunch in the cafe at the top of the hill which was lovely and reasonably priced. There is also a train ride to take as well for a few dollars. The whole site is well kept and clean and we were glad we stopped, just a few miles off the Hwy so not out of our way.

The history of this ghost town is to remember and bring friends and family!
Good for all ages.
It gets pretty hot, but plenty of shade and you can get a nice meal and a cold beer or drink...try the Lobotomy beer!!! Hard to find, but not here!
Friendly and knowledgeable staff plus you can camp near by!
Do not miss this town on Halloween or Christmas!!!

It is a very fun and interesting visit!!!!
It was a real city, but the feeling is to enter a scenic city from the Far West era!!!!
It is a small town, which has virtually the central street!!! Still there is a lot to see!!!
We like and recommend!!!

Very interesting place to visit as you pass by. Not silly money to get in, but they do try and get much more out of you while you are there. Easy to spend a couple of hours here

We stopped off here on the way back from Vegas to SoCal. It's only a few miles off the road. Friends of ours said there was nothing there... but it's not been all touristed-up and is worth a visit.
It's cheap to get in, $8 for an adult I think. They run regular shuttle buses from the main car park up the hill.
There are only 5 original buildings, but the other were re-created from pictures etc. It's very authentic feeling. Not a bit like Disneyland or the plastic castles of Vegas!

There are various places to visit and things to see but a lot of the places are basically gift shops. If you've ever been to the FREE San Diego old town it's pretty similar. There is a restaurant and a couple of snack bars.
The low-point of our experience was the restaurant. When we arrived at lunchtime there were uncleared tables which should've set alarm bells ringing. It simply could not cope with the demand. We waited over an hour for food which was pretty basic stuff that a competent kitchen should've been turning out fast. I hope none on them ever try for a job in In-and-Out. They wont cope.
The server did not keep us updated and was actually pretty rude so she got zero tip.

There's a little railway but the tickets were sold out for over an hour, so make sure you get that when you get there. There's also a mine tour but 3-4 hours long, so not really practical for little kids.
The views are stunning and you can climb up the hills and rocks. Just be careful you don't fall down a hole.

There is a fee to enter the park and you also have to pay for the right to visit a mine or ride the little train.
The decor of the city represents well but we have seen better and free

We enjoyed our time at Calico, our second time. The first was more realistic but still enjoyablr. Definately worth a visit

Mr. Knott did a very good job restoring this town to its original splendor. Wish every little thing cost money, go early, once the campers and tour buses show up it's crowded. Friendly staff in most of the shops.

This is not a ghost town. This is a tourist trap. It is a hot, dirt road full of crappy kitsch shops and not much else. There is no reason to be here. Go to a national park. Go to a real ghost town. Go to a gas station. All of these have better amenities and attractions.

It was more than a waste of time.

Western themed shopping park/centre in reality. You pay to go in, you pay to do anything besides walk up the Main Street and up a hill, and every building is either one of the extra paid for additions or a shop. One building actually had information about the village and life there though.

It was more like a theme park where you pay to do anything else even though you already paid to get in. Walking down a small 5 minute slice of mine shouldn’t be an additional payment for an old mining town.

It was weird and if you want any information really besides “it was a town that used to exist and some people lived here” then you won’t really learn much. Do go into the building on the right about halfway up as that is where context for what you are seeing is there. Then again, we didn’t see anyone else go in there so maybe people do just want to pay for a western themed souvenir shop.

It's a really neat experience. Lots to look at and love the stores. We had a fun time there. The bottle house is really neat as well as the walk around town.

We visited this place while taking a road trip from LA to SF. It’s about 2 hours out of the way but we felt it was worth it. There really isn’t much to see but the history is interesting and the town is well preserved.

Calico was the first place of interest we visited in the USA. We carefully saw every detail of the city because we had a monstrous enthusiasm, typical of the first day. It takes a step back in time, but not an entirely authentic one. Let me explain: the Calico we see now is located where the original Calico was, but I highly doubt that all the buildings are ancient... almost certainly, and almost all of them, are rebuilt or heavily renovated, so much so that they lose their historical charm. There are many ancient objects scattered around the city which however has a strong imprint and a beautiful "wild west" atmosphere. It is disturbing that there are far too many "old" buildings now used as souvenir shops. But some buildings seem authentic, such as the blacksmith shop and the school.
Very recommended place if you have children with you or if you are strongly passionate about the old west like me. But don't expect a real ghost town, because, in my opinion, it isn't.
P.S.: a note of merit for the Calico cemetery: it seems authentic. I liked it, I would say interesting.

While driving to LA from Vegas, this little burg is just before Barstow CA. Take the time to stop in and see this cool stop on your way. It's run by Knottsberry farm but the cost is less than $8 and it's a great respite to break up the 4 plus hour drive to Los Angeles from Vegas. Stop and smell the desert and take a ride on the little train.

Real cool place and a step back in time. It’s such an amazing experience to see what it was like back over 150 years ago in such a remote place. Special thanks to the lady that drove the train, you were really chill. The cool long hair guy that worked the Maggie Mine, you were very friendly and welcoming. Love the lady that did the mystery house, great information and jokes haha. Will come back again.

We took our 8 year old grandson there and we all had a good time! Rode the railroad and panned for gold. The folks working there were so kind and informative! I can't wait to take my other grandson!

I remember visiting Calico when I was a kid when the place was owned by Knott's Berry Farm's Walter Knott. Back then it resembled my notion of a ghost town.

Now the place is a very clean roadside attraction with lots of shops and a few rides for the family. Definitely more of an Old West mall than a museum.

Worth visiting? Yes, kind of...

An open-air museum with miners' town dated late 19th century. Cool experience to see the town, its structure, and typical buildings, but let's face it - it's purely for tourists. All buildings are gift shops. We've visited the gold mine expecting some lower temperature but found none, so no sugarcoating - it's in the desert and it's freakin' hot there.
Mine tickets: $9 for 2

We stopped of here while travelling from Vegas to LA, what a wonderful place and so interesting, the staff were friendly and happy to chat and share info about calico, We ate a lovely lunch in the quaint we restaurant, defo worth a visit,

It was a really fun family trip. The only suggestion I have is to be sure to check the weather and plan accordingly. It can get pretty windy and cold.

We visited here to break up the long drive from LA to Vegas. It was ok, we did really enjoy the Mystery Shack Tour and gold panning. Nice to have a walk around and the staff were really friendly.

Anyone considering a visit here should be aware it is a rather tacky shopping mall dressed up as a historical site. There is hardly anything here that is genuine eg the school building is a 1950s reconstruction about one third the size of the original. It was closed when we visited.

The only thing we found that was genuinely old was the bread used for the tuna sandwich I was served in the restaurant.

America is full of fantastic historical sites and this isn't one of them.

Stopped here on a drive from Vegas to LA $16 for 2 adults, it's a nice place to walk around and lots to see and interesting things to learn, nearly every building is a shop of some description, we didn't stay a long time as it was just so hot. The people we spoke to were very friendly and happy to chat.

It’s a real old mining ghost town but fixed up somewhat to offer things for tourists. Easy short access off the 15 Freeway. We camped in their RV Campground which lets you have free access to town. Nearby deserts are full of mines etc to explore if you have 4X4. Best visited in the cooler months

It was a great place to visit and stretch legs. The buildings are in good condition with lots to see. The recreation of the building as they were back in 1881 was done very well. The streets are fun to walk and stop in the shops along main street. The train ride is fun, but costs a little extra. Lots to see, well worth the stop.

We stopped here for a break whilst driving to LA, we didn’t pay to get in, didn’t see anyone to give money to so we parked up & walked into town. It’s not a big place but does give you some idea of what it would have been like, there’s some interesting buildings to look at & wonder inside, a train ride, a silver mine, restaurant, plenty of places to get drinks & of course plenty of souvenier shops. I don’t know how anyone could have worked in that heat it was hot hot.
Only takes an hour or two as not much there but worth a visit if your passing.

A lunar landscape, well ok $8...at the reception and without a smile... that's not what I remember most about this little town, it's an atypical passage reflecting an era that the we easily understand from the photos, it is very hot there... but its history makes you forget this detail.
decorated according to the times, (halloween)... well... to everyone's taste. the traces of modernism are visible but the origin is also there you will find another dimension of the desert...almost captivating.

We chose this as it was halfway point to stretch legs. We feared it would be very kitschy and it was and it wasn't. The cost for our family of 4 was $32. Initially, that seemed steep but after spending time there we felt it was a good value. Several nice, clean restrooms. The restaurant was closed but the cafe open. Nice, small selection of food for a very reasonable price. A few options for our vegetarian. Clean and plentiful outdoor seating. Friendly counter service. In addition to the "cheesier" town aspects there were lots of actual ruins to explore. Plenty of small hikes to stretch the legs. Lots of informative displays everywhere. Many nice quality gift shops. Several extra pay exhibits but none of those interested us so we were happy with all the free. This is a great stop to spend a few hours, use the bathroom, and grab some food. Lots of different things to see or do so good for most people's interest. We spent a couple of hours and that was plenty but if you wanted to do more of the attractions you could easily spend more time.

Hot (time of year)... take it easy. If you have never been to a ghost town, you 'have' to do one... and why not this 'restored' one? Highlights: Tour of the Maggie Mine, looking at some of the old shops and buildings. Ask for a senior/military discount when getting food - especially at the Old Miner’s Café. BRING WATER. The Mystery Shack was a bit corny. Panning for (Fool's) gold was OK, something to do if you have never panned for anything. Thankfully, the panning was under shade. The 8-9 minute train ride was OK. "Camping' / Cabin rentals are available for those interested.

On our trip to America, my wife and I decided to stop overnight here after visiting friends in Las Vegas it was quite a change of pace.

We booked a Cabin online and were due to arrive around 4.30pm. We actually got there a bit late and could not find the Cabins but eventually flagged down the town/area Ranger who took us to the cabin. He opened the door and the heat was overwhelming as it had been a 37-degree Celsius, around 98 Farenheight day so he switched on the air con, showed us how the lock system worked and suggested the Peggy Sue restaurant for dinner, well worth a visit.

After he had left we realised there was no bedding!! you were supposed to bring your own. however, the night was quite warm still given the desert conditions. The Cabin was good for two adults and the bunk beds could accommodate 2-4 children depending on size and age

As Jack Reacher fans this was also a treat for us as the Marine base and other landmarks Lee Childs mentions in his books were all around.
Next day we were up early checked out and went to the town. It is a really interesting place, the sheriff mentioned there was still 6 million dollars worth of silver in the mine but it would cost 12 million to get it out.

The town was great with old salons, shops, blacksmith, brothels and the Silver Mine you can visit. The is also a place for camping and RV parking. We had breakfast in one of the cafes at the top of the town then headed off to our next stop. Well worth a visit. Some of the attractions like the train and mine do charge a fee but like us if you are not or cannot get back itis only a small sum.

Most of the town has been reproduced, but a couple of buildings are originals. Be sure to have a beer in the saloon!

Interesting place, however not very genuine. Attractions are basic, mostly suited for children. The entrance price could be lower.

Short drive from Barstow takes you to the Calico ghost town and we went early int he morning. its was ok and there are the usual shop to buts gifts and present from but quite a few of the shops were closed when we went (and yes closed as opposed to being part of the ghost town) so maybe you would be better come back later in the day when they are all open.

On some level this is something of a tourist trap. Calico is an actual ghost town, but it has been somewhat Disneylandified. Still, the town has a fascinating history in a part of California that people usually drive through on the way to Las Vegas. We felt it was worth the stop.

Calico is definitely a fun day get away. I habe not had the chance to camp there yet,but i bet that is fun. Calico is small, but they do have a few things to do. There is the Maggie mine, train ride,shops,saloon. Calico has great history,its allways nice to learn about our past. In october they have a halloween haunt from oct 20-22 and oct 27-29th. They also have thier own ghost hunting tours and a boot hill. My son had his first paranormal experience in the maggie mine and boot hill. I experienced these with him. Calico ghost town is a definite place to visit in your life time.

Taking a peek back to the past - in this case it was an old silver mining town that was deserted overnight with the fall in silver prices.
It is an interesting view of the area as it perhaps was over 100years ago and worth the time takenfor the short drive there from Barstow.
Enjoyed the views and the thoughts of how people lived all those years ago - not something easy to forget.

Costs $8 entrance to the town, and then every little thing costs extra... $4 for the train, $3 to go through a little mine tunnel, etc. Expect to spend $25/person and it's just not worth that ... Other than the pay-per-view exhibits it's just a themed gift shop arcade.

We stopped off on the drive from LA to Vegas. It was interesting for us Brits, haven't seen anything like this before although know it's obviously very touristy. Was quiet when we visited on a November afternoon. Great views, we did the train ride too. Would recommend!

You pay 8$ to enter and you have pay again for every "attraction" inside the city. We paied 3$ each to walk inside a small tunnel with nothing in it.

This is a fun adventure for a day. We were there for Halloween with our granddaughter and enjoyed the old time atmosphere and shopping experience. A bit like the western village at Knotts Berry Farm, which isn't too surprising because Walter Knott was born at Calico.

This is actually a county park and charges $8 per person entrance. Plenty of free parking. The ghost town is surrounded by campers buzzing up trails with four wheelers. The town originated in 1881 and went in decline about 15 years later. In the hey day it had a population of 1200. The Knotts Berry Farm people donated the property to San Bernardino County in 1966. So bring the family and walk on Main Street. If you are lucky you will see a gun fight and lots of interesting things. A train ride is a winner for the kids. Shops on Main Street have lots of kitschy items. The town is located about 3 miles off I-15 at the town of Yermo. (A nice stop between Las Vegas and LA).

Rustic charm! Very well kept old western ghost town. Check out the railroad and all the shops, explore a mine as well. Lots of great little shops with unique items for sale. The restaurant is really good for breakfast and lunch.

I entrusted the wife to find me a decent ghost town,....... She came up with this tripe.....id rather stick my head in a blender. On a more serious note, this is not an authentic ghost town (well, unless you count the four or five original houses), its a reproduction built in the 1950s. The best way to describe it, if you're English is the old American adventure park in Derbyshire that closed down in the nineties, but with no log flume or roller-coaster and a metric ton more gift shops. I feel this place would be better marketed as a theme town rather than a ghost town.

Make sure to go to this Ghost Town and enjoy. Most of the merchants are very friendly and are willing to share the history and stories. All restored and run by the San Bernadino Parks Dept. Train rides daily and stores are open. This is a really nice place to visit. They close only on Christmas day so enjoy year round. Easy off & on I15 east of Barstow. 4 miles off on a Paved road and lots of parking. Try to get to the upper parking lot for the short walk.

We spent about an hour and a half here, but probably could've had lunch here and stayed a little longer but we had some place to be. There was a cute little gunslinging reenactment. We also went on the train ride with our kids. It wasnt that long but it was cool to be on an old train and look at some of the ruins and rebuilt little huts that people lived in during this time period. The town had a bunch of little shops with souvenirs and food, as well as saloons and cafes. It was a little pricey $8 per person and then they charged extra for other attractions, but we didnt mind paying this because we know the money goes to the upkeep of the town and the workers. It was very hot the day we went and we were glad that we were wearing wide rimmed hats because there is no shade.

It's a short detour from the freeway about a 5-minute drive to arrive at Calico. Admission is $8 for adults and there is plenty of free parking. Calico is like a trip back in time. You get a feeling of what life was like back in the 1800’s. There you will find old time buildings, restaurants, a salon, sheriff station and even an outdoor jail cell. It's an old mining town that still has some rail and rail cars, and there’s a place to pan for gold. I went during a weekday so it wasn't that busy. Means parking was a breeze, no lines or crowds of people for the shops or restaurants. It's a great place to even walk your kids through and show them a bit of history.

Beautiful area and characteristic buildings ... partly redone for the use and consumption of tourists. Pay for admission and inside you will be tempted to spend more on souvenirs of all kinds as well as on the train ride and the mine ($ extra ... ). Many places have become "shops": food , drinks , photos , stones ..... It remains an experience even if not so genuine .....

I’d seen this place in a magazine and as we were in LA for a few days then travelling to Vegas for a few more days I thought I’d break the trip up a bit, we got here early around 10.30am and being October it did seem very much like a ghost town!! My wife and my daughter thought the place was amazing, it really is like a town held captive in the early 19th century, all old wooden buildings, it’s an d silver mining town and community long since abandoned but rejuvenated for the tourists, yes it’s got shops all of them in authentic looking wooden western buildings in keeping, and a quick tour of the mine, we absolutely loved the place and typically bought a few Calico souvenirs.

Not worth the visit, extra for $8 per person
Too bad it's only commercial, apart from one of the Saloons that makes restaurant and therefore to the interior decor of a saloon, all the other places are fictional or shops, candy, dog accessories.... fortunately there were misters for the summer.
Too bad, the staff was very friendly

The last time we tried to tour Calico Ghost Town, most everything was closed, since it was in December, close to the holidays. So we decided to give it a second chance. This time everything was open and busy. We shopped and spent our money on souvenirs. Then we went to the Mystery Shack. Warning, make sure you have not eaten before going there. We had a great guide in Philip and were seriously dizzy and disoriented while walking thru. Yes, it is a short tour, but fascinating and puzzling. We had questions and got no answers. So it is still a mystery. Admission - we did not get to go on the train or into the mine. But it is still an interesting place to spend a nice sunny California day.

If you find yourself in this part of the country (driving down I-15), you should swing by. Entrance is $8 a per adult to get in. It’s a nice stroll among the shops and buildings. The attractions (train and mine) are a bit extra. It’s $3 to walk the Mine. It’s not a hard walk. I thought it was worth the extra $3.

Go to calico jacks! Danielle, Alena and Billy are the best. The ladies took such good care of us during the day and Billy hooked us up at night! And Billy makes the BEST Piña colada I’ve ever had. You guys are bomb ! Thank you for making my god sisters 30th birthday wonderful!

A great place to visit on a nice day! There is a lot of walking involved, a majority of it uphill, so wear comfortable shoes. This is not the place to take someone with balance or mobility issues. The town has been beautifully restored and does still have some original structures in place. There are lots of shops to visit and places to eat, although we noticed at least one restaurant yet to be reopened. Almost everything to do as far as tours and the train ride is extra above admission. You currently can buy a ticket for 10.00 for an adult which includes the mystery shack, mine tour, and one other thing. I believe the train ride which seems to be very short, costs 5 for an adult. We did the mystery shack tour, which was really interesting and entertaining, but we were in a larger group which made it difficult to see everything. Also be aware it is very dusty so try to be first in line for the tour, otherwise you will be eating someone else's dust! The views are phenomenal, so plan on lots of photos. Overall, a nice place to check out

My husband and I had a great time visiting here. We went into the mine and took the little train ride. We had lunch in the restaurant which was just okay. The buildings are restored nicely. This would be a good place for families and those interested in old west history.

A great place to spend some time reliving the past. Historic buildings with a mingling of shops: Candles and Soaps, Pet treats, a Sweet shop. Use your imagination for good photo opps. If you look closley I think I saw a ghost appear in this store front window. Have fun if you go!

Tourist scam! We first pay 8$ / person (5 for children). The train is broken down, access to the church is forbidden, the prison is closed by a padlock, access to the mine condemned. All the extra Things to do are paid for: $4 to play gold-digger in the water with a plate, $5 to simulate a collapsing mine, $5 to train passing (perhaps?) through a mine, $1 to open a door!?!?. In short, the only things to visit for free are the shops... It's expensive the beautiful view!
And the height: not even a fountain to drink a little water when it's at least 40°

My wife and I visited on the way out of LA, on the way to Las Vegas. It was a spur of the moment turn off on the highway, and one I’m glad we took.

It’s a quaint little tourist spot, which a few shops/restaurants, and an interesting history. If you’re passing, it’s worth a quick detour but not necessarily worth planning a whole day to visit; we were there maybe an hour and that was plenty.

Interesting history of an old silver mining town that's now a ghost town. Lots of shops and memorabilia. Several places to eat and a wonderful fudge shop. A couple of hours and you can see everything.

Great little stop on the way to Vegas, not far from Peggy Sue's diner so you can get some food then visit.

Disappointing, if you're expecting a ghost town, move on. There are only one or two places that are more or less authentic (the sheriff's office is worth it), while everything else is just restaurants and souvenir shops... At $8 entry per person, we We at least expected to be able to enter certain houses, but nothing, not to mention that all the activities inside are paying (show, train ride, etc.). It's actually more of a poorly made amusement park than a real ghost town.

Calico was quaint with wooden sidewalks and mud buildings, but it was mostly shops selling souvenirs. We had lunch at the restaurant, which was a bit costly but the food was tasty. The town “sites” were hokey and visitors were nickeled and dimed to death. It was $16 to get in (no discounts), $3 for the fun house, $3 for the Mine tour (a long walk down a rock tunnel), and more for the train. Old fashioned fortune telling machines dotted the town. Oatman,,AZ right across the border was much better and free.

if you traveling to Vegas. especially if you staying in Barstow for a night you can easily visit his place. It is only few miles away.

you would expect old buildings and really "ghost" town but in reality almost all the building are renovated. the workers mostly dressed in original west clothing. the silver mine is nice too.

Thought it would be interesting to stay at a Ghost Town on Halloween. Thankfully it was uneventful.
Stayed at the campground. Some sites are better then others. Most of the recreation in the area centers around Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) all of the riders were respectful in the campground even though I never saw a ranger in the 2 days I was there.
The Ghost Town itself was very nice to wander through. Many informative exhibits. Very old (by American standards) buildings and equipment. Good variety of shops and stores. Staff at the stores were all very polite and willing to chat. Very slow time of the season.
Would definitely be less fun in the summer. Lots of walking up and downhills, stairs and various terrain features. Watch your step.
Fun for young family.

So much fun and educational. Do you love rocks and history than this is the stop for you. Take the train and check out the Mystery Shack. Learn how The Knotts family preserved the town.

Excellent little mining town. It has been so well maintained and it is very cute. The staff are very friendly and we thoroughly loved our time here. We spent about 1.5hrs here and did the train ride for $5.50 and the self guided mine tour for $4.50 each. The entrance fee to walk around is $8 each. It's an absolute steal! So many great photo opportunities. Would recommend a visit to anyone. It is fantastic and very thought provoking. Ignore the negative reviews on here. It almost stopped us from going, so glad it didn't.

Very well kept old western ghost town. Check out the railroad and explore a mine. Lots of great little shops with unique items for sale. The restaurant is really good as well.

Saw the sign by chance on the way from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Entrance fee is $8 per person. Parking included.
Not necessarily worth recommending. Very commercially oriented towards buying souvenirs

Any of the original buildings have been converted to stores or overpriced restaurants. Instead of seeing vintage gold rush you see Chinese manufactured plastic dinosaurs in every store. The only educational building is an old house, which has a couple of posters and some antique furniture.

Anything (Train ride, gold panning, 'mine' tour) cost 4-8 USD extra: absolutely not worth the price. After an expensive admission fee, you would expect at least one of these things to be free or included, but no.

Staff are also unfriendly, or even aggressive. A really of putting experience from the already sub-par attraction. We did not get to see an advertised wild-west style duel.

Calico ghost-town is absolutely not worth your money. The lack of authenticity reeks from this place, from boasting about having Starbucks coffee and free Wifi on the front entrance to vending machines inside a historical jail. The entire place is designed to make you spend additional money and it isn't worth visiting in the slightest. Far better alternatives.

We were expecting a sort of historical place, but what we perceived was more a theme park with a lot of shops. Maybe we missed a guided tour, or the heat of the day did not help to enjoy it, in any case we were not satisfied.

Typical western village, I would have loved to live in a place like this, but really not worth the detour. Not much to see, most shops were closed
The restaurant offers dishes that do not tempt you.
Entrance is too expensive for what it is

Was fun to see what life was like in this town.. but filled with places to spend money. Felt kind of like a tourist trap.

Visited Calico today. It was the perfect day to visit. No crowds and pleasant weather. As others have said, each attraction has a separate charge, which can get pricey for families. Many of them are only a couple minutes long, so if you have to pick between some we felt the mystery house was the best attraction and then the train. Inside the mine could get scary for some small kids because of the creepy looking statues. I would not go here on a hot day.

The Local has many shops with all kinds of souvenirs and items typical of the Old West to buy. Many things to visit too but you have to have a little patience and time because in some situations, have to wait for some employee to arrive to open, this occurred at the entrance of mine that we wanted to visit, there was no one at the reception because it was a day of little movement and I think that so the staff revert to take care of some attractions.
It is extremely hot so keep in mind that you need to walk calmly and that you will feel warmth and discomfort outdoors, to better enjoy the ride, bring water!
Entrance is charged by car at the entrance that is right on the road.
Boot on GPS: 36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, CA 92398

A great place to visit! This was once a working silver-mine town. People lived here until the 1960's, so it was never a truly abandoned ghost town. Many of the buildings are original, with several re-created buildings from the 1800's. The town was once owned by Walter Knott, so there is a heavy Knott's Berry Farm influence here. They even have a panning for gold and a Haunted Shack exhibit, which once existed at Knott's. They have a full-service restaurant, which unfortunately we did not try. There's a mine you can explore, as well as a train you can ride. There are also ghost hunting tours and a working cemetery (please show courtesy and respect as you would any cemetery you visit, it is not a fake). Word of caution: due to the nature of the location and the age of the town, it is not handicap friendly, though they do strive to make it as accessible as possible. If you're in an electric wheelchair or scooter, you should do just fine. But if you walk with a can or walker, it will be a tiring hike for you. I recommend you rest often and make sure you drink water! There are multiple place to buy water, and the restrooms are well-kept. I highly recommend this place.

We stopped here on the way to Las Vegas from San Diego. It was great to walk through the old town and visit the shops. The history was fascinating and great to see somewhere being restored in such an authentic way.
My only grumble is the extra charges to go into the mine ect once you get inside it would be better if it was all just one price.

Super cool, you sit in the old west movie. There's an entrance fee of $25 and take a few meters of water if it's hot because you'll be literally in the middle of the desert, but it's nice to walk around there.If you're on Route 66 it's worth stopping! There are shops for buying snacks and souvenirs tb

This could be so great. Such a cute little town but just about every building only has knock knacks or food. It cost $60 for an entry fee and it was not worth it to be honest. A bit of a disappointment.

Visited Calico after 20 years since our first visit. No Wow factor this time. It was just pleasant stop on our way from Vegas to Sequoia National Park.

This historic silver mining town was mostly a pile of adobe brick rubble and weathered boards when my sisters and I visited it back in the 60's with our history buff father. Thanks to the vision of Walter Knott, best known for Knott's Berry Farm, the remnants were rescued and those buildings beyond repair were reconstructed. He used aerial surveys to find the outlines of the foundations, and historic photos.

Mr. Knott gave the town to the County of San Bernardino in 1966 and it is operated as a county regional park. Most people come just for the day to enjoy the old buildings and the quirky shops in them, but there is also a large campground, AND 6 camping cabins and a large bunkhouse for groups. The bunkhouse, amazingly enough, not only has bunk beds, but also heating and air conditioning!

Calico is a mix of open air history museum and shops. The shops are in the restored buildings, and tend to have their own themes, for example, one shop spotlights candy, while another offers something for your favorite dog (or cat -- think "cat sup" in a bottle that you put on kitty's kibble to encourage it to eat....).

In addition to the fee to enter the park,you can pay $3 to walk through the "Maggie Mine" and get an idea of what it must have been like to work in one (albeit without the noise and dust that must have been created) and $4 to ride the little train that goes around a short route with commentary about the surrounding hills and mines.

The school house has been reconstructed and sits prominently at the highest point of the town. From its porch you have a great view of the surrounding dessert, and the dry lake bed below. Unfortunately, the school house was not open the day we visited in November, but you can look in the windows to see the old stove in the center and the rows of desks, arranged by size (little ones to one side, older/bigger kids on the other).

Some tips:

Wear sturdy walking shoes.
While the board walks are likely wheelchair accessible, most of the shops are not, AND the Main Street is quite steep if you are pushing a heavy chair.
The rest rooms we used were not accessible, but I spotted another set of restrooms closer to the entry that might be - if you are bringing someone who is mobility impaired, it would be worth checking on this!
If you are going into the mine, bring a small flashlight - there are lights inside, but some stretches are dark and the floor is uneven. (The little shop sells flashlights as well.)
There is a restaurant in the park with a large dining room and also a back porch for seating.
Calico can be very windy - prepare for dust if you wear contacts! And wear a hat that ties on, or you will find yourself chasing it up the street.

While there does not seem to be a docent tour, the shop owners are all very happy to tell you the history of the town, and especially of the structure in which the shop is located, and staff members in the park office are also willing to share their knowledge. The leaflet you are a given when you pay admission gives you a lot of information about the town's history and includes a map and a list of the original buildings.

So come and get an idea of what it was like to live and work in this high desert town (and buy a couple of souvenirs to help support the concessionaires).

My Family and I came here for the first time and we had soo much fun. This place is good for any age. There are alot of fun cool activities. You will do alot of walking so bring your walking shoes. We had pizza and it was delicious. Be sure to grab and pay for all of the attractions together it comes out cheaper. Be careful walking around the place because there are places where it is pretty dangerous. Overall alot of fun!

It's in a state park between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, after shopping at The Outlets at Barstow (2796 Tanger Way, Barstow, CA 92311) we went to Calico Ghost Town, it's very close 17 miles and 20 minutes by car. We love this place, all very well maintained, with typical houses, railway, jail, restaurant, post office, souvenir shops, school, church, a small museum called Lucy lane Museum, has a silver mine that can be visited where Miners worked in the 1880s and highlights the most important part of their history.
Its setting is typical of classic old-west American movies. An amazing place just for its beautiful scenery in the middle of the Mohave desert. There it is possible to eat in restaurant. There are camping options for adventurers who want to spend the night in the city. We pay $ 8 per adult, child pays $ 5. It was truly an amazing ride, the desert scenery makes everything more beautiful.

It is a spectacular town, where many movies with American Old West themes were filmed, I remember Ringo, Santana, among others.

I have always loved Calico, but unfortunately I won't go again because of the $8. I can walk in the hot desert for free! So VERY SORRY!

ugly past for tourism
supposedly a ghost town.
Every house is inhabited and structurally ruined.
There is air conditioning or new roofs. Quite reluctant staff in shops.